Maria Costas and Mike Wilson named to FMU Athletic Hall of Fame

Francis Marion University athletic director Gerald Griffin has announced that two Florence natives, a former three-sport Lady Patriot athlete and a former Patriot baseball player, will be inducted into the FMU Athletic Hall of Fame this January.  The two honorees will be former women's basketball, tennis, and volleyball player Maria Costas and former baseball player Mike Wilson.

Induction ceremonies will take place during the Homecoming basketball doubleheader, Saturday, Jan. 29, in the Smith University Center.

Costas earned 12 letters in her three sports from 1973 to 1977.  She later returned to Francis Marion and coached the women's tennis team for three seasons (1981-1983), recording a 20-14 mark.  In 1977, she was named to Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges and twice received the Patriots Brigade Academic Award (1976 and 1977) as the Francis Marion athlete with the highest grade point average.

She earned the most valuable player award for tennis in 1974 and 1975 and the volleyball M.V.P. award in 1976.  She earned South Carolina AIAW All-State volleyball honors as a senior.  During her four years, the Lady Patriot tennis team was 37-17, while the volleyball squad was 60-52.

On the basketball court, she appeared in 102 games, scored 719 points and grabbed 198 rebounds.  She was a member of the very first Lady Patriot basketball team in 1973, and during her four years the squad compiled a 71-35 record and advanced to the AIAW Small College National Tournament in 1976 and 1977.

Costas graduated in 1977 with a B.A. degree in sociology.  She is a social worker/case manager with HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital.  Prior to her current position, she worked for 14 years as a social worker with the Department of Social Services and for a short time with Human Services Associates.  She is a licensed baccalaureate social worker.  Since 1980, she has been a member of the United States Tennis Association, playing singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.  In 1985, she was ranked first in the state in women's (age 30) singles, women's (age 30) doubles, and women's (open division) doubles, and the same year was ranked first in the Southeast in women's (age 30) singles and second in women's (age 30) doubles.  In 1990, Costas was ranked third in the state in mixed doubles (age 35) and 11th in women's (age 35) doubles.

Wilson played baseball at Francis Marion from 1976 to 1979.  Primarily a reserve and pinch runner his first two seasons, Wilson played third base as a junior and was the Patriots' second baseman in 1979.

In over 120 career games, he batted .337 and drove in 58 runs, but it was on the basepaths that Wilson excelled.  He compiled 163 career stolen bases in just over 173 attempts.  His stolen base total stood for several years as the NAIA national record.  He still owns the Patriots' single-season marks for steals (65) and stolen base attempts (67) and the career marks in both categories.  Francis Marion compiled a 105-45 record during his four seasons.

As a senior, he helped lead Francis Marion to its best mark ever (31-7), as he batted .383, scored 57 runs, drove in 35 runs, and was thrown out only twice in 67 stolen base attempts.  For his efforts, he was named his team's most valuable player, earned All-State, All-District, and All-Area honors; and became the first Patriot baseball player to gain first-team NAIA All-America recognition.  As a junior, he was an All-District, All-Area, and honorable mention All-America selection.

When his Patriot career ended, he signed a professional baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs and played two years in their minor league system.  He earned All-Star honors his first season at Class A Sarasota (Fla.) and played his second year at Class AA Midland (Texas).

Wilson graduated in 1979 with a B.S. degree in sociology and is currently employed with Five Star Seal Corporation in Florence, where he is in charge of technical services.

Costas and Wilson will join four current members in the FMU Athletic Hall of Fame, which was formed in 1991.