Leon Davis (2021) - Hall of Fame - Troy University Athletics

Leon Davis

Induction:
2021

From team captain to United States Army sergeant to NAIA president, Leon Davis’ impact and leadership stretches from the playing court to the Special Services.

Davis’ premier basketball career started at Perkinston Junior College, where he received the Dr. D.H. Hollis Trophy, an award that went to the sophomore student-athlete who “has done the most to advance and promote the best interests of good student conduct and welfare and promoting athletics and thereby has set an example that other students may emulate and follow.”

Davis went on to become one of the early pioneers of Troy basketball. He was named team captain of the 1952-53 team that finished 18-7 and tallied a win over in-state foe Samford in the NAIA District Tournament.

The Elba, Ala., native, served as the president of the Troy senior class and received the Kilpatrick Award, which was presented annually to a graduating student-athlete based on citizenship, scholarship and leadership.

“I remember Leon Davis having an incredible playing career here at Troy,” former Troy student-athlete Mike Amos said. “His achievements as a student-athlete were great, but he went on to become a great leader and well-respected man as well.”

After graduating from Troy in 1953, Davis served in a Special Services section of the United States Army. He was discharged with the rank of sergeant.

Davis stormed the athletics world after his time in the military serving as a coach and athletics administrator at what is now known as the University of Montevallo.

“He helped build Montevallo’s men’s basketball program,” Amos said. “Of course, he was Dr. Leon Davis. He was an outstanding educator and athletic director at Montevallo.”

Davis became the school’s first men’s basketball coach in 1964 before assuming the role of athletics director in 1969. He also served a brief stint as Montevallo’s tennis coach and several years as the school’s golf coach.

Montevallo now awards the Leon G. Davis Trophy annually to a student-athlete who has “distinguished himself or herself through personal achievements and community service.”

“He took on a lot of leadership roles,” Amos said. “He was a really good player back in the 50s, but he went on to take on a lot of really important roles that helped build Montevallo. He was very well-respected. He coached in a really good basketball playing conference that Troy had to play against.”

Alongside his incredible career at Montevallo, Davis made waves at the national level, where he served as the NAIA District 27 chairman for six years and served a four-year stint on the NAIA National Executive Committee.

He was named the NAIA President in 1982 and served on the United States Olympic staff for the World University Games in Edmonton, Canada.

“He was extremely involved in the NAIA,” Amos said. “He was president for a long time and always wanted to be involved in their development. Leon was a great leader and made everywhere he was better, whether it was Troy or Montevallo or the NAIA. He was very instrumental in every organization he was a part of.”

Davis’ work has been recognized in each place he had a hand in. He is a member of the Montevallo Hall of Fame, Wiregrass Hall of Fame, the NAIA Hall of Fame and now, the Troy University Hall of Fame.