Bobby Lang’s Name Belongs on the FAMU Track

By Vaughn Wilson

Somewhere along the way, I became the unofficial historian of FAMU athletics.

I didn’t seek the title—it found me.

My education in FAMU history began when I was five years old. My father, Roosevelt Wilson, was the university’s Sports Information Director, and from that point forward, loving Florida A&M wasn’t simply encouraged—it was expected. Growing up just a couple of blocks from campus on Young Street, attending FAMU High, and eventually graduating from FAMU myself, the university was woven into every aspect of my life.

I was fortunate enough to grow up around giants. Legendary football coach Jake Gaither lived two doors down from our home. Dr. Edwina Martin lived around the corner. The J.R.E. Lee family was at the end of the street. Those weren’t just famous names—they were neighbors who represented the rich legacy of this institution. Their stories became my classroom.

As I got older, I accompanied my father to nearly every athletic event. Eventually, I succeeded him as FAMU’s Sports Information Director in 2009. Along the way, legendary Athletic Director Hansel Tookes Sr., longtime MEAC Hall of Fame Sports Information Director Alvin Hollins, and countless coaches, administrators, and alumni entrusted me with preserving the history of Rattler athletics. Even today, people routinely call seeking clarification about FAMU’s athletic past because they know I’ve spent a lifetime studying it.

That history is why something has weighed heavily on me in recent years.

FAMU has not always done enough to honor the people who built its athletic tradition.

Few examples illustrate that better than Bobby Lang.

Lang devoted virtually his entire professional life to Florida A&M. He arrived from Jacksonville as a student-athlete, became one of the university’s most respected assistant football coaches, taught generations of students as a health and physical education instructor, and ultimately built one of the greatest track and field programs in HBCU history.

His accomplishments deserve permanent recognition.

The current facility bears the name of Coach Robert “Pete” Griffin, who was an outstanding coach in his own right. Griffin served on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and positively impacted countless young people through FAMU’s National Youth Sports Program. I was one of those children who learned to swim under his guidance. He absolutely deserves to be remembered.

But honoring Griffin should never have excluded honoring Bobby Lang.

If longevity, championships, historical impact, and service to the university matter, Lang’s résumé stands virtually unmatched in FAMU track and field history.

One of his earliest signature accomplishments came with Major Hazelton, James Ashcroft, Nathaniel James, and Eugene Milton. Under Lang’s guidance, the quartet accomplished something no other team has ever duplicated. They became the first—and remain the only—team to win the Penn Relays 4×100-meter relay three consecutive years with the exact same four runners, earning their place on the prestigious Penn Relays Wall of Fame.

That was only the beginning.

Lang recruited and developed generations of elite athletes, including Olympian Rey Robinson, NFL punter Greg Coleman, Ken Thompson, Olympic Trials qualifier Reggie Davis, USA Track standout Shaunta Pelham, broadcaster Pam Oliver, and countless others who carried the Orange and Green to national prominence.

During Lang’s peak years, FAMU dominated the MEAC.

His teams captured more than 38 conference championships while producing hundreds of All-SIAC and All-MEAC performers. In 1999, he became the first coach in conference history to accomplish the rare “Triple Crown,” winning MEAC championships in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field during the same academic year.

His influence stretched far beyond championships.

He mentored youth through the National Youth Sports Program. He educated students in FAMU’s Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. He coached football, led the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame, and spent decades representing everything the university claims to value: excellence, service, integrity, and commitment to students.

That is the definition of a FAMU legend.

Former head track coach Dr. Darlene Moore understood that.

She worked tirelessly to have Lang’s name attached to the university’s track facility. Unfortunately, her efforts repeatedly stalled amid changing administrations and shifting priorities. When Moore departed the university, so too did the momentum behind recognizing Lang.

Now comes news that an anonymous donor’s name may be attached to the track.

No one should diminish the importance of philanthropy. Financial support is vital to the future of FAMU athletics, and generous donors deserve recognition.

But facilities can honor both philanthropy and legacy.

There is no reason the university cannot preserve Bobby Lang’s place in history while recognizing those whose financial gifts make future improvements possible.

Across town, Florida State has made preserving its athletic legends a priority. Bobby Bowden’s name graces Doak Campbell Stadium’s playing field because his contributions transcended wins and losses. The university has even supported efforts to attach Bowden’s name to Tallahassee’s airport.

Bowden unquestionably earned those honors.

So did Bobby Lang.

For decades, Lang gave Florida A&M his knowledge, his leadership, his loyalty, and his life. He produced champions, Olympians, educators, and leaders. His impact can still be measured through the generations of Rattlers who proudly tell stories of the coach who believed in them before anyone else did.

History isn’t preserved simply by placing trophies in display cases.

It is preserved by ensuring future generations know whose shoulders they stand upon.

If FAMU truly intends to celebrate its athletic heritage, then Bobby Lang should no longer be an afterthought.

His name belongs on that track.

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