CARROLLTON, Ga. - A member of a legendary basketball team at the University of West Georgia passed away last weekend, as UWG Athletics mourns the loss of Randy Rountree, pivotal member of the 1974 NAIA National Championship team.

"He was a big guy who came to me in the middle of our championship season in 1974 and told me that he was ready to play and work hard to get rebounds, layups, and play hard-nosed defense in the middle," said Roger Kaiser, former West Georgia Athletic Director and head coach of the 1974 championship team. "That was what he did for us that year, and the mentality and approach he took to the game made us successful that year. It's also what made him successful in life."

In his senior year on that 1974 championship squad, Rountree played in 29 games, finishing the season averaging 7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. His rebounding totals were good for second on the team that year. West Georgia averaged 100 points per game through the five contests in the NAIA National Touranment, playing five games in six days to win the championship in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Rountree and his wife, Nita-Jo, are members of the McIntosh Circle at the University of West Georgia. His outpouring of long-term support has also benefited UWG Athletic scholarships and will touch the lives of students for generations to come. 

Rountree's passion and hard work for the University of West Georgia stayed with him throughout his professional career, and in 2018, the UWG Alumni Association honored Rountree as an Honorary Alumnus. His biography, shared in 2018, is available online.