Pioneering high school coach, college coach and NBA administrator Will Robinson has had a successful seven-decade career in basketball by getting players, scouts and front office people to listen to him. Robinson would appreciate the listening skills of Redbird sophomore Greg Dilligard, who has been recognized as the 2004 Will Robinson Endowed Scholarship winner at Illinois State.
Illinois State head basketball coach Porter Moser believes that Dilligards listening skills make the Labelle, Mo., native a pleasure to coach.
Greg is one of the most coachable individuals Ive ever had the pleasure to work with, said Moser. He keeps getting better because he will listen to what the coaches say in every situationeven if they arent speaking directly to him. He is always open to improvement any coach appreciates coaching a young man of that quality. Greg applies himself on and off the court.
The scholarship honors Robinson, the Redbird basketball coach from 1970 to 1975. He was the first African-American to be a head college basketball coach at a predominantly white university after a long career as a successful high school coach. He was part of the Detroit Pistons front office from 1975 until his retirement early this year.
Dilligard led his team in offensive rebounds as a freshman in 2003-04 and was second in blocks. Although he averaged just three shots per game, he shot nearly 68 percent from the field. He credits his upbringing for his dedication to learning by listening.
My dad always taught me that you can learn just as much by listening to what is said to other people as when someone is talking to you, said Dilligard.
The Will Robinson Endowed Scholarship is one of 12 endowed scholarships available to Illinois State student-athletes which are funded by private donors. Six of them are already fully-funded, including the Will Robinson Endowed Scholarship.
For more information about supporting Illinois State University endowments for student-athletes, call The Redbird Club office at (309) 438-3803.
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Will Robinson
Endowed Scholars
Illinois State University Basketball
2004 Greg Dilligard2003 Vince Greene
2002 Dana Ford
2001 Baboucarr Bojang
2000 Shedrick Ford
1999 Tarise Bryson
1998 Kenneth Pierson
1997 Rico Hill
1996 Jamar Smiley
