American University

One of the finest basketball players to ever don the AU Red and Blue, Gordon Austin set a standard of excellence during his four years on the hardwood.

Making his mark on the school record book, Austin is the all-time leader in assists for a career (691) and a season (247). He also ranks second in career steals (235) and steals in a season (91), though he held both records upon graduation. As a senior, he finished fourth in assists per game in NCAA Division I and was named Honorable Mention All-America by the Sporting News.

Yet, it was not Austin’s statistical achievements that he is best known for. A winner in every sense of the word, he helped lead the Eagles to an impressive 78-39 record during his four years, a run that is unmatched by any other four-year span in school history. Included in that total were back-to-back National Invitational Tournament appearances and one of the biggest wins ever for the program when an Austin-led Eagle squad defeated fifth-ranked Georgetown, 62-61, in the Capital Centre on Dec. 16, 1982.

Austin received his bachelor's degree from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1983.