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Willie Sojourner
Willard Leon Sojourner (September 10, 1948 – October 20, 2005) was an American basketball player and international coach. He played collegiately at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah and had a professional career, winning a championship with the New York Nets and playing overseas.
The Italian arena PalaSojourner was named in his honor. Sojourner is known for giving his friend and teammate Julius Erving his famous "Dr. J." nickname. He is the older brother of NBA player Mike Sojourner.
Willard Leon Sojourner was born on September 10, 1948, to George and Dorothy Sojourner, one of their eleven children.
Sojourner attended Germantown High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he didn't play basketball until his senior year. Until his senior year, Sojourner had concentrated on swimming and track. Eventually, his father and the high school basketball coach both encouraged Willie to give up competitive swimming to concentrate on basketball because of his size. He was a medalist in the backstroke and butterfly in swimming and a talented high jumper in track. Because of his basketball inexperience, Sojourner wasn't highly recruited by colleges.
Recruited to Weber State University by Coach Dick Motta, Sojourner's basketball career at Weber State was record setting. He set Big Sky Conference records in scoring and rebounding, leading the Wildcats to three consecutive Big Sky Conference titles and three straight NCAA Tournament invitations.
He arrived in Ogden, Utah for the 1967–68 season under Coach Motta. Freshmen were not allowed to play NCAA varsity basketball at that time, so Sojourner played the 1967–1968 season with the Wildcat freshman team.
In 1968–1969, as a sophomore, Sojourner averaged 18.9 points and 13.1 rebounds as Weber State finished 27-3 under Coach Phil Johnson, as Dick Motta left Weber to become Head Coach of the Chicago Bulls. The Wildcats captured the Big Sky Conference title and qualified for the 1969 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, where they defeated Seattle 75–73, behind Sojourner's 22 points and 12 rebounds. They lost to Santa Clara 64–59 in overtime in the West Regional semi-final, as Sojourner had 12 points with 18 rebounds. Weber State then defeated New Mexico State in the West Regional third-place game 58–56, as Sojourner had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
In 1969–1970, Sojourner led the Wildcats to the Big Sky Conference title, averaging 21.2 points. Weber State lost in the first round to Long Beach State and Coach Jerry Tarkanian 92–73 in the 1970 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, with Sojourner having 13 points and 9 rebounds.
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Willie Sojourner
Willard Leon Sojourner (September 10, 1948 – October 20, 2005) was an American basketball player and international coach. He played collegiately at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah and had a professional career, winning a championship with the New York Nets and playing overseas.
The Italian arena PalaSojourner was named in his honor. Sojourner is known for giving his friend and teammate Julius Erving his famous "Dr. J." nickname. He is the older brother of NBA player Mike Sojourner.
Willard Leon Sojourner was born on September 10, 1948, to George and Dorothy Sojourner, one of their eleven children.
Sojourner attended Germantown High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he didn't play basketball until his senior year. Until his senior year, Sojourner had concentrated on swimming and track. Eventually, his father and the high school basketball coach both encouraged Willie to give up competitive swimming to concentrate on basketball because of his size. He was a medalist in the backstroke and butterfly in swimming and a talented high jumper in track. Because of his basketball inexperience, Sojourner wasn't highly recruited by colleges.
Recruited to Weber State University by Coach Dick Motta, Sojourner's basketball career at Weber State was record setting. He set Big Sky Conference records in scoring and rebounding, leading the Wildcats to three consecutive Big Sky Conference titles and three straight NCAA Tournament invitations.
He arrived in Ogden, Utah for the 1967–68 season under Coach Motta. Freshmen were not allowed to play NCAA varsity basketball at that time, so Sojourner played the 1967–1968 season with the Wildcat freshman team.
In 1968–1969, as a sophomore, Sojourner averaged 18.9 points and 13.1 rebounds as Weber State finished 27-3 under Coach Phil Johnson, as Dick Motta left Weber to become Head Coach of the Chicago Bulls. The Wildcats captured the Big Sky Conference title and qualified for the 1969 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, where they defeated Seattle 75–73, behind Sojourner's 22 points and 12 rebounds. They lost to Santa Clara 64–59 in overtime in the West Regional semi-final, as Sojourner had 12 points with 18 rebounds. Weber State then defeated New Mexico State in the West Regional third-place game 58–56, as Sojourner had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
In 1969–1970, Sojourner led the Wildcats to the Big Sky Conference title, averaging 21.2 points. Weber State lost in the first round to Long Beach State and Coach Jerry Tarkanian 92–73 in the 1970 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, with Sojourner having 13 points and 9 rebounds.