Hall of Fame
Billy Wells was both a great basketball player and a superlative basketball coach at Lenoir-Rhyne.  A 1951 graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne, Wells made the All-North State  Conference basketball team four consecutive years - the only player to be so honored - and the sharpshooting guard had 29 points in L-R's thrilling triple overtime victory over the University of North Carolina in 1949 that dedicated the Hickory Community Center.  Upon graduation, Wells began his coaching career at St. Stephens High School in Catawba County, where his teams rolled up an impressive 165-26 record and then he returned to his alma mater.  As head coach of the Bears for eight seasons, Wells guided his teams to the NAIA National Tournament twice in Kansas City, Kan.  He had a 166-63 coaching mark at L-R with his teams winning 20 or more games four different times and he earned either conference or district coach of the year honors on four different occasions.  Wells left the coaching profession and was very successful in the automobile business.  Wells also owned and operated a chain of seafood restuarants, The Captain's Hut.
