Jan. 5, 2004
VILLANOVA, PA. - Former Villanova basketball standouts Jason Lawson and Denise Dillon will be honored at the Palestra on Friday, Jan. 30 as part of the annual Big Five luncheon. Joining the two athletes to make up the Hall of Fame Class of 2004 is longtime NCAA official Hank Nichols, the former Chairperson of the Department of Education and Human Services at Villanova.
The announcement was made on Monday by the Philadelphia Big Five office.
Lawson ('97) led Villanova to two Big East championships during his career, and ranks third on the all-time Big East blocked shots list behind Alonzo Mourning and Patrick Ewing. He is the Wildcats' all-time leader with 131 games started, and finished his time on the Main Line with 1,565 points and 908 rebounds.
Lawson was named Big Five Rookie of the Year his first season, Second Team All-Big Five his second season, and was a member of the All-Big Five First team as a junior and senior.
Dillon ('96) earned All-Big Five First Team honors three times during her career, including her senior campaign in which the 'Cats went 4-0 to capture the City Series crown. Dillon, the present head women's basketball coach at Drexel University, ranks seventh on the VU all-time scoring list with 1,355 points and sixth on the rebounding charts with 677.
Rounding out the inductees is Nichols, a long time contributor to the sport both locally and nationally. His officiating of Big Five games spanned three decades, before becoming the NCAA National Coordinator of Men's Basketball Officiating and the Chairperson of Officials Committee for USA Basketball. Nichols, a veteran of 10 NCAA Final Fours and six NCAA Championship games, still maintains both positions.
In addition to being honored at the luncheon, the trio will also be introduced at halftime of the Villanova-St. Joe's game on Feb. 2 at the Pavilion.
Anyone interested in attending the luncheon should call the Philadelphia Big Five office at 215-898-4747.
