C.E. "Big House" Gaines Hall of Fame
Vanessa Kay Smith Johnson will be enshrined into the Clarence E. “Big House” Gaines Athletic Hall of Fame after a stellar career as a two-sport athlete at Winston-Salem State University. She earned three letters in basketball and was a four-year letterwinner in track and field. During her career, she won four CIAA High Jump championships and earned All-CIAA honors all four years of her career. She also set the CIAA record in the high jump during her career. She set a WSSU school record and the CIAA Championship meet records with a 5’8” jump at the 1983 CIAA Championships. She was a four-time team MVP and a four-time CIAA champion in the high jump. After graduating from Winston-Salem State University in 1983, she continued her track and field career as a coach as the head coach of the Charlotte Gliders of the AAU. She is also the owner of V.J.’s Alterations.
