April 4, 1983: In what many believe is the greatest Cinderella story in college basketball, North Carolina State’s Lorenzo Charles dunks the ball as time expires in the 1983 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship title game to lead the Wolfpack to a 54-52 win over heavily favored Houston. April 4, 1983 2
Jan. 14, 1981: James Frank of Lincoln University (Missouri) is the first African American to be elected NCAA president. January 14, 1981 1
Jan. 13, 1981: A governance plan that includes women’s athletics programs and services within the NCAA structure is approved. January 13, 1981 2
March 26, 1979: Michigan State and Magic Johnson defeat Indiana State and Larry Bird in the Division I Basketball Championship final. The telecast on NBC attracts a rating of 24.1, the highest ever for the event. March 26, 1979 3
March 15, 1973: Diver Dacia Schileru of Wayne State (Michigan) becomes the first female to appear in any NCAA championship when she competes at the College Division Swimming and Diving Championships. March 15, 1973 2
March 19, 1966: Texas Western College (now UTEP) defeats Kentucky in the basketball final with a starting team consisting entirely of black players. March 19, 1966 1
June 19, 1965: UCLA senior Arthur Ashe wins the NCAA singles and doubles titles and leads the Bruins to a team championship. June 19, 1965 1
March 15, 1963: Loyola Chicago faces Mississippi State in a men’s basketball tournament regional semifinal. Mississippi State, an all-white team, sneaks out of town in the middle of the night despite protests from the governor and state police of Mississippi to play a Loyola team that features four Black starters. Loyola beats Mississippi State and goes on to win the title. March 15, 1963 1
Syracuse running back Ernie Davis becomes the first black athlete to win the Heisman Trophy. November 28, 1961 1
