WVU Sports Hall of Fame

Inducted: 1997

Written by Greg Walker

From nearby Uniontown, Pa., Wil Robinson was named West Virginia's seventh first-team All-American in 1972 after becoming the third highest career scorer in Mountaineer basketball history.

In 1972, the 6-1 guard forged the highest season scoring average in WVU history when he scored 706 points in 24 games (29.4), breaking a record set by Jerry West. The flamboyant Robinson scored 1,850 points in his career, trailing only All-Americans West (2,309) and Rod Hundley (2,180). Other career marks include a 24.7 points-per-game scoring average (second), 733 field goals (third) and 199 assists (25th).

The three-year letterman (1970-72) holds the WVU Coliseum record for points in a game by a Mountaineer player (45 vs. Penn State in 1971). In fact, Robinson owns six of the Mountaineers' top seven all-time single game scores at the Coliseum. Robinson and his teammates opened the WVU Coliseum with a 113-92 victory against Colgate on December 1, 1970.

Following his senior season, he was named first team All-America by Basketball Weekly, United Savings and Helms Foundation, second team by Converse and third team by the Associated Press.

Robinson was already a rising star when he came to WVU out of Laurel Highlands High School in Uniontown, Pa. He was a high school All-American with a 30 points-per-game scoring average and led Laurel Highlands to the 1968 Pennsylvania state championship.

A two-year WVU team captain, Robinson was selected in the fourth round of the NBA draft by the Houston Rockets and the fourth round of the ABA draft by the Pittsburgh Condors. He played one year in the ABA (1974) with the Memphis and Utah teams.

Following his ABA career, Robinson returned to WVU to complete his bachelor's degree in 1975. He spent 1975-77 working for Roadway Express near Harrisburg, Pa. Robinson then returned to Morgantown as a basketball graduate assistant coach.

Robinson finished his master's degree in safety in 1984. He then turned to the retail business to work for Pickway Shoes from 1984-94. The last eight years with Pickway, Robinson served as district coordinator in Buffalo, N.Y.

In 1995, Robinson rejoined Roadway Express and served as district supervisor in Grand Isle, N.Y., until earlier this year. About three months ago, Robinson accepted a retail management position with the popular children's store chain Toyz-R-Us.

Robinson and his wife Pam were married December 23, 1987. They have one son, Lance, and reside in Grand Isle, N.Y.