Lenoir-Rhyne University Athletics

Raeford Wells is considered on of the finest all-around basketball players in Lenoir-Rhyne College history.  A 1957 graduate of L-R, Wells led the basketball Bears for four years.  He scored 2,627 points during his college career, including 810 points his senior year when he averaged almost 29 points per game.  At the time, Wells held many Lenoir-Rhyne and Carolinas Conference records including most points in a game (55), most free throws in a game (27), most points in a season (810) and highest scoring average for a season (28.9).  He was also a rugged rebounder and averaged almost 24 rebounds per game during the 1956-57 season.  The Lenoir-Rhyne cage standout was named to the NAIA All-American First Team as a sophomore and senior, as well as to the second team as a junior. He was also an all-conference and all-state choice.  He was named to the Helms Hall of Fame in 1969.  The new Lenoir-Rhyne Hall of Famer also enjoyed success off the basketball court.  He was a teacher and principal in various North Carolina public schools for 10 years before moving to Arizona for health reasons. He was a school superintendent in Vail, Arizona.