UVA Wise scoreboard unveiled

WISE – The family of one of UVA Wise's basketball coaches came to the college's David J. Prior Convocation Center Friday to help dedicate what college officials say will be more than a scoreboard.Joe Stallard coached the college's Highland Cavaliers basketball team from 1968 to 1972 after his own secondary and college basketball career at John I. Burton High School and Tusculum College, and several of his Cavalier players joined Stallard's children to dedicate the new scoreboard and four-sided video screen display."We've never had the opportunity to dedicate an enormously powerful and impactful scoreboard such as the Pat and Joe Stallard Scoreboard," college Chancellor Donna Hery told an audience of more than 100 former and current athletes and dignitariesPat Stallard, Joe's widow, endowed the fund in 2025 that brought the new display over center court at the Prior Center. Friday night was set to be the board's use as the college's volleyball team played Newberry College.The new scoreboard will allow for team hype videos and graphics as well as promotional videos featuring the college, both Henry and college Athletic Director Kendall Rainey said during the ceremony.The scoreboard displayed videos and photos chronicling Stallard's coaching tenure and several of his teams,"It's so important to Pat Stallard," said Henry. "She wanted this scoreboard and this dedication to honor her late, beloved husband Joe. I'm so glad that you're watching live and online."Henry also recognized the Stallard's children present in the center mezzanine: Amy, Joseph Lee, Jr. and Neal Stallard and Eddie and Brad Sowden. Pat Stallard watched the ceremony via live feed from her home in Florida"Pat, today you have changed the game day experience," said College Board member Mike Allen.Jim Gott, one of Stallard's players and a former UVA Wise College Board chair, said that Joe Stallard, recalled several tales of team life under Stallard's guidance."He was the right person to lead the team at that time," Gott said, pointing to the Vietnam war and how many students and players faced the draft. Gott said Stallard was calm and his sense of humor dry as he taught many lessons.One lesson Gott recalled was from a game against Steed College, when he tripped an opposing player by accident and was tripped several times by the Steed team.""Don't you agree that you might have started it?" Gott recalled Stallard asking him. "Why don't you go apologize?"""I went over and apologized," Gott said, "and the tripping stopped."UVA Wise professor emeritus Mike O'Donnell recalled his own experiences with Stallard."Joe Stallard was a genius," said O'Donnell. "He knew language better than anyone I've ever known. He was kind to a fault. He did everything. He was a coach and a teacher, excellent at both. He went into business and he was a public servant, and he finished his career whenever he wanted.""He was so well liked that when he ran for office, he didn't have to declare Democrat or Republican," said O'Donnell. "It didn't matter. Considering the nonsense we've just been through, Joe didn't have to say what his politics were."