William W. Lawson

William W. Lawson
Biographical details
Bornc. 1914
Died(1986-02-24)February 24, 1986 (aged 71)
Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
Playing career
Football
c. 1935Allen
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
c. 1941Allen (assistant)
1943–1953Allen
1954–1969Virginia State
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
?–1954Allen
Head coaching record
Overall103–91–11 (football)
Bowls6–3
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 SEAC (1946)

William W. "Buster" Lawson Sr. (c. 1914 – February 24, 1986) was an American football, basketball, baseball, track and field coach, college athletics administrator, and educator. He served as the head football coach at Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina from 1943 to 1953, and Virginia State College—now known as Virginia State University—in Petersburg, Virginia from 1954 to 1969.

A native of Camden, South Carolina, Lawson received a bachelor's from Allen University and a master's degree in physical education from Columbia University. He played football at Allen, and then served as an assistant football coach at his alma mater under Thomas B. Nelson in the early 1940s.[1] Lawson also coached baseball, basketball, and track and field at Allen, and served as the school's athletic director.[2] At Virginia State, Lawson also taught physical education before retiring in 1972. He died on February 24, 1986, at a hospital in Petersburg.[3]

Head coaching record

Football

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Allen Yellow Jackets (Southeastern Athletic Conference) (1943–1947)
1943 Allen 4–2–1W Flower Bowl
1944 Allen 3–5
1945 Allen 8–1–14–0L Cotton-Tobacco Bowl
1946 Allen 8—25–01stW Piedmont Tobacco Bowl
1947 Allen 6–43–02ndL Pecan Bowl
Allen Yellow Jackets (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1948–1953)
1948 Allen 7–13–03rd
1949 Allen 5–60–3L Iodine Bowl
1950 Allen 5–4–12–2–1W Peninsula Bowl, W Iodine Bowl
1951 Allen 3–71–5W Iodine Bowl
1952 Allen 6–44–1
1953 Allen 3–5–20–3–113thW Iodine Bowl
Allen: 35–31–3
Virginia State Trojans (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1954–1969)
1954 Virginia State 7–27–13rd
1955 Virginia State 4–2–34–1–36th
1956 Virginia State 1–7–11–6–114th
1957 Virginia State 4–44–4T–8th
1958 Virginia State 3–63–612th
1959 Virginia State 7–27–23rd
1960 Virginia State 6–35–36th
1961 Virginia State 3–4–13–4–19th
1962 Virginia State 3–53–510th
1963 Virginia State 4–44–47th
1964 Virginia State 6–26–26th
1965 Virginia State 5–45–47th
1966 Virginia State 3–53–513th
1967 Virginia State 4–3–14–3–17th
1968 Virginia State 5–2–15–2–16th
1969 Virginia State 3–5–13–5–111th
Virginia State: 68–60–867–57–8
Total:103–91–11
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Benedict And Allen Rivalry Is Keen Again". The Columbia Record. Columbia, South Carolina. November 27, 1941. p. 8. Retrieved May 25, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ↑ "Virginia State Gets New Coach In W. W. Lawson". Waynesboro News-Virginian. Waynesboro, Virginia. August 26, 1954. p. 13. Retrieved May 25, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  3. ↑ "Lawson dies at 71; was Va. State coach". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond, Virginia. February 26, 1986. p. C16. Retrieved May 25, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. ↑ "NCAA Statistics; Coach; William W. Lawson". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
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