UMKC Hall of Fame Spotlight - Julie (Nill) Wilson
1/15/2010 11:00:00 AM | General, Women's Basketball, Athletics
by Brooke Orcutt, UMKC Assistant Sports Information Director
Julie (Nill) Wilson just wanted to play basketball and never thought or expected to receive any acknowledgement for it. "At the time, you're not playing for recognition," said (Nill) Wilson. "I just wanted to win games, play well and have fun while doing it."
While going through the practices, the games, the workouts and going to class, Julie had no idea that she would today, 26 years later, still rank among UMKC's all-time top-10 in scoring, rebounding, field goals made, field goals attempted and scoring average. When she and her teammates were running the stairs at Old Swinney or when head coach Nancy Norman was following them on a run through the Nelson Art Gallery stairs with a boom box playing "Rocky", and she hated the running part, that she would still hold the NAIA record for best free throw percentage.
At the end of her three-year career for the Kangaroos, she had become a two-time NAIA First Team selection, a second team all-district player, a two-time NAIA Honorable Mention all-American, and helped lead her team to a third place finish at NAIA National Tournament in 1983.
But all the awards, successes of the team and the statistical numbers that Julie put up from the 1981-84 seasons wouldn't have happened unless fate hadn't stepped in.
She played prep ball for Lee's Summit High School, where she still holds the record, among girls and boys, for the most career points. Upon graduating high school, she went on to play her freshman season at Oklahoma State but a torn knee would land her back at her parent's house in Lee's Summit.
Over the Christmas break, Julie and her parents decided to call the Rockhurst Athletics Department, where her older brother attended, and talk to them about playing basketball. But as chance would have it, no one was in, so the next call placed was to UMKC where coaches Bill Ross and Nancy Norman answered the phone; they talked about Julie becoming a 'Roo. And just like that, she was back in the game.
"My parents were thrilled that I came home and ended up playing basketball back in Kansas City," said Julie. "Growing up with four brothers, we were always active, playing some sort of sport."
She described herself as a bit of a "sports nut" growing up and this incredibly close family's active lifestyle was really encouraged by her parents. "My dad coached the boys' little league baseball teams and since we didn't have softball yet, I would go to practice and play baseball with my dad and the boys, but in that day and time girls weren't allowed to play in the league. To remedy that issue, my mom and a friend of hers started the girls' softball league in Lee's Summit."
She carried that love of play and desire to win with her and it earned her a full ride at UMKC. "One thing that still amazes me is that, even in the early NAIA days of womens' basketball, UMKC Athletics succeeded in making an investment to build the women's basketball team," said (Nill) Wilson. "They were able to attract strong local players to the start-up program, which is one of the reasons why we were so successful as a team."
UMKC is still continuing on with such investments and a lot has changed since (Nill) Wilson donned the then light blue, polyester Kangaroo uniforms. "We didn't really have a locker room, so for pre-game and half-time meetings, we would meet in one of the classrooms in Old Swinney," said (Nill) Wilson. "I will never forget having to run through the entry hall of Old Swinney that was filled with a cloud of smoke as we came back into the gym from halftime, because back then fans could smoke in the building."
But even with its imperfections, Julie still loved playing games in Old Swinney. "It was such a great atmosphere - it was loud, even with 100 fans in the stands - we had lots of loyal support from family, friends and the UMKC faculty and staff," said (Nill) Wilson. "The bleachers were lined along both sides of the court and they use to have the Kangaroo mascot on roller skates and she would roll around Swinney. It was a tough place to for our opponents to play!"
Julie and the 'Roos also had that great support at the 1983 NAIA National Tournament, as the tournament was held at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo. "We had a great following at the tournament, a very enthusiastic contingent of loyal fans were there to cheer us on," said (Nill) Wilson. And the fans cheered on their Kangaroos as they defeated Portland, 85-65.
"I am very appreciative of my experience at UMKC, even though I am pretty sure that I probably complained more than I should have while doing it," laughs (Nill) Wilson. "It was just a great time in my life, Kitty (Newsham) and Shelia (Wynn) and I got an apartment together and we just thought it was the coolest thing. We had fun - we went to school, we studied, we practiced, we played - I couldn't have asked for more."
Not only did (Nill) Wilson make a name for herself on the basketball court but also in the UMKC Athletics Department, where she worked as the business manager and had a role in the transition to Division I.
 "Once I graduated, I received a call from Vice Chancellor Gary Widmar and he asked me if I wanted to be a part of this transition," said (Nill) Wilson. "So I had an interview with Mike Russell, one of the business executives spearheading the move to Division I, it went well and I was hired. Part of the job included participating in the interviews for new coaches and staff; I can remember, like it was yesterday, the day I met Coach Lee Hunt at the airport when he came to Kansas City to talk with the senior administrators about taking on this new challenge. I loved the job and the people I worked with."
(Nill) Wilson has since moved on and is now the Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer for Cerner Corporation in Kansas City, but she is still a 'Roo at heart.
"My experiences at UMKC have influenced my personal and professional life in a significant way," said (Nill) Wilson. "Being a student-athlete taught many life lessons, like learning to play fair, the importance of playing as a team, and the value of intense, but fair competition. I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity to do something I enjoyed, while playing on good teams and receiving a quality education - what a gift!"
The UMKC Hall of Fame selection still possesses that competitive nature that once fueled her passion for basketball. And while Julie says she has since retired her basketball shoes, she hasn't completely gone away from the game and confidently says, "I can still win a game of horse."
The UMKC Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Jan. 22 at the Downtown Marriott in Kansas City.
(This is the third of a seven-part series featuring the 2009 UMKC Athletics Hall of Fame class.)
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