Florida A&M University
Fans and supporters of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical
University’s (FAMU) Softball Team gathered on the steps of Lee Hall Wednesday
to celebrate the accomplishments of legendary Coach Veronica Wiggins.
Now in her 26th season as the team’s coach, Wiggins earned
her 700th victory during the Puerto Rico Classic Softball Tournament this past
weekend. The latest victory places Wiggins in uncharted territory. She is now
the first historically Black college or university Division I coach to reach
700 wins.
A native of Miami and FAMU alumna, Wiggins has led the
Rattlers to 12 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships and is
ranked 44th on the NCAA’s career coaching wins list for active coaches.
“I’m honored to be here and achieve what we’ve achieved here
at the school I love (FAMU). I really do bleed orange and green. This is all about the young ladies who have
come through here for an education. The
victories are nice, but the 13 doctors and eight lawyers and so many other
successful people we’ve produced, and all my ‘grandchildren’ – that’s what
makes it worthwhile,” Wiggins said.
After congratulating Wiggins in front of the crowd, Robinson
described the coach as a standard bearer of excellence.
“Anybody who can spend half of their career winning a
championship in any division and in any sport needs to be in somebody’s Hall of
Fame and we’ve already done that (for Coach Wiggins) here at Florida A&M
University several years ago,” Robinson said. “Beyond winning games is the
impact she has had on the lives of hundreds of young women who have come to
this institution to play this sport.”
Vaughn Wilson contributed to this story.