Hall of Fame
Shakesha Wilson Gillens is a native of Holly Hill, South Carolina. She is a member of Brookland Baptist Church, an active affiliate of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and an honors graduate of Benedict College where she received a B.S. in Criminal Justice.
Shakesha was recruited by Coach William Payne for Track and Field to Benedict College in 1994. That memorable, personal recruiting visit from Coach Payne along with two other members of the track team at home is what convinced her, her mom, Carolyn Washington (deceased) and her grandfather, Rev. Reedy Wilson (deceased) to attend Benedict College. He promised to take care of her and he did just that. She asserts the belief that what makes a great athlete is an unwavering mindset that involves setting goals and making realistic plans to achieve and reach them. At the end of the day, Shakesha Wilson Gillens is a real life example of hard work paying off. She was self-motivated as there was no team pressure on her to compete. The drive came from within, and she was able to compete at her own pace. If it was to be it was up to her which allowed her to exist in a space that was all her own. This affirming outlook on life and athletics gave her the confidence to move forward into team sports.
She was an EIAC conference competitor from 1994-1998 in both Cross Country and Track and Field and received MVP honors in 1995, 1996 and 1997. She was a standout athlete running the 400m and 800m as well as the 4x400 meter relay, but her talents did not stop there. In 1994, she tried out for the volleyball team and became a valued walk on. At 5-foot-9 she played taller, one of the best compliments in the sport, and her persistence and hard work landed her MVP honors in both 1997 and 1998.
At 42, Shakesha still has the jumps and smarts to rank amongst the best volleyball players in South Carolina. She has become an astute professional since her college days at Benedict. She is currently employed by InterMark Management Corporation where she has worked for the past 20 years in several capacities such as Community Manager, Director of Training and Operations and Onesite Trainer.
Shakesha has served as a volleyball referee for South Carolina High School league for eight years and an Assistant Director of Southern Smashers Volleyball Club for seven years. She currently coaches for South Carolina Midlands Volleyball Club. She is regretfully the widow of Mr. Fredrick Gillens and very fortunate to be the mother of Anna Logan and Fredrick Louis Gillens.
