Spartanburg Methodist College Honors First-Ever African American Student

01/24/12 — Spartanburg Methodist College Honors First-Ever African American Student

SPARTANBURG, SC -- Spartanburg Methodist College awarded the "100 Pioneers" award to Lisco Dante Thomas, Jr., class of 1969, on Tuesday, Januray 24th, 2012.

 

Thomas was the first African-American student to attend the college (then Spartanburg Junior College). He enrolled in the fall of 1967 on a basketball scholarship, awarded to him by coach John Smoak.

 

An outstanding athlete, Thomas averaged 22 points and 14 rebounds per game. He was chosen for the All Conference and All Region Teams, and was Honorable Mention All-American. Thomas was also an accomplished academic -- he earned the General Excellence Award as the Outstanding Student for Academics and Sports for his 1969 graduating class. He earned a scholarship to Furman University, where he continued studying and playing basketball. He continued to shine on the court, and was chosen on the 1971 SOCON All-Tournament Team. He was then drafted by the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association, but went on to serve in the United States Navy, and retired as a Facilities Maintenance Supervisor for the University of South Carolina.

 

The Pioneer Awards will be presented to 100 individuals whose lives have significantly influenced SMC's history and mission into the future.