Out of respect for former Tennessee basketball coach Wade Houston, current Vols head coach Rick Barnes has announced the creation of the Wade Houston Captain’s Award.
Conceptualized by Barnes—along with input he sought from Allan Houston, Wade’s son—the award will be presented annually following the completion of Tennessee’s basketball season to the team member who best exemplified leadership, a team-first approach and exemplary work ethic.
“Wade Houston was a trailblazer and should be celebrated,” Barnes said. “His tenure as the head coach here at Tennessee paved the way for much deserved opportunities for minorities in our sport, particularly in the Southeastern Conference. He did it the right way, stood for all the right things and is an important figure in UT’s basketball and overall athletic history.”
Each year’s award winner will be commemorated on a plaque that will be prominently displayed in the new Larry Pratt Basketball Locker Room Complex at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Southeastern Conference’s first-ever African-American men’s basketball head coach—hired nearly 30 years ago on April 3, 1989—Wade Houston led the Volunteers for five seasons from 1989-94. His teams advanced to a pair of postseason tournament appearances and also made a memorable run to the championship game of the 1991 SEC Tournament.
Allan Houston completed his legendary four-year collegiate career under his father’s tutelage and remains Tennessee’s all-time leading scorer with 2,801 career points. The All-American is one of four Vols ever to have their jersey retired.
Wade Houston grew up in Alcoa, Tennessee, just 14 miles south of the University of Tennessee campus, and owns a trucking and logistics company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
In conjunction with the inaugural Wade Houston Captain’s Award, the university has announced an endowed scholarship that will be awarded annually to an Alcoa High School student planning to major in Tennessee’s nationally ranked Supply Chain Management program.
Wade and Allan Houston have been wholeheartedly committed to fatherhood initiatives, mentoring, and youth and family development through the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation. Allan recently completed a book benefitting the foundation, sharing his story about his relationship with his father (www.fisll.com).
Wade and Allan Houston will be present for Tennessee’s sold-out home game against Kentucky on March 2 (2 p.m. ET, CBS), and the pair will be recognized on the court during a timeout.
