ORANGEBURG, SC – Former South Carolina State head football coach Oree Banks is among five persons scheduled for induction into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame Friday during a 7 p.m. enshrinement ceremony at Sulit, a downtown banquet hall located at 1005 Broughton Street. A 6 p.m. reception will precede the program.

Banks, whose career as a coach and athletic administrator, spanned 30 years, will be joined in the 2018 Class by Dr. Eddie Elaine Glenn Bryant (student athletic trainer/cheerleader 1971-74), Alphonso Golden (track and field 1977-80), Ricky Hill (football/track 1988-92), and James Ragland (Wrestling/Football/Track 1970-75).

Banks, a Newton, MS native who now makes his home in Institute, WV, spent eight seasons (1965-72) as Bulldog head coach. He compiled a 34-9 record (.784 pct.) in his first five seasons as Bulldog coach and during that span, was ranked 4^th nationally in winning percentage among active coaches in the college division. Banks, who finished his eight-year tenure at SC State with a 44-27-2 record, was named SIAC Coach of the Year in 1965.

While at SC State, he coached a number of players who went on to professional careers in the National Football League, several of whom will attend Friday's enshrinement. In addition, Banks served as head coach of the inaugural East-West Black All-Star Classic played at the Houston Astrodome.

Banks was an assistant under some of the nation's most recognized coaches, including Eddie Robinson at Grambling and Paul Dietzel at USC, where he was the first full-time African American coach in Gamecock football history.  He also served coaching stints at Wisconsin and the University of Virginia before becoming head coach at West Virginia State for seven years. 

While at WVSU, Banks was appointed to the Board of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), which made him the third African American coach to serve in that capacity behind the legendary Robinson and Florida A&M's Jack Gaither.

He is a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame and has evolved as an advocate for African-American coaches in assisting them with high profile jobs and careers.  He most recently has been involved in working as a drug and alcohol speaker, visiting with hundreds of college athletes and lecturing about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse.
 
Banks has published served articles and books that reflect his long tenure as a college football coach and advocate for student-athletes.