DEKALB, Ill. -- Paul Dawkins, a member of the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame and a four-year letterwinner on the Huskie men's basketball team (1975-79), passed away on March 25 at the age of 61.

A three-time All-Mid-American Conference honoree, including the MAC Player of the Year in 1978-79, Dawkins finished his illustrious Huskie career as NIU's all-time leading scorer, and still ranks fourth in school history, having scored 1,749 career points. 

Originally from Saginaw, Mich., Dawkins was a All-Saginaw Valley Conference and honorable mention all-state honoree in his senior year at Saginaw High School. 

After making four starts in his freshman campaign at NIU in 1975-76, Dawkins blossomed as a sophomore, averaging 15.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while earning All-MAC Honorable Mention recognition. 

As a junior in 1977-78, Dawkins earned First Team All-MAC honors as he averaged 20.6 points, fourth-best in the MAC, and 9.8 rebounds, second-best in the MAC, per game. He had a pair of dramatic game-winners that season, hitting a 15-footer at the buzzer to beat Central Michigan, 82-80, on January 4 as well as a 30-footer with a second left to lift the Huskies to a 61-59 victory over Eastern Michigan on February 11. 

Dawkins scored 25 points in an 89-59 victory over Kent State on February 25, 1978, to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau in just his 73rd career game. 

In 1978-79, Dawkins concluded his outstanding Huskie career by earning Special Mention All-America recognition from The Sporting News. The leading scorer in the MAC, and fifth-leading scorer in the nation, Dawkins averaged 26.7 points per game, along with 9.3 rebounds per contest, second-best in the MAC. 

Dawkins became just the second player in NIU history to be named MAC Player of the Year, joining Matt Hicks who won the award in 1976-77. Dawkins and Hicks remain the only two Huskies to be named MAC Player of the Year. Dawkins was also named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) First Team All-District Four during his senior season. 

Along with being fourth on NIU's career scoring list, Dawkins still holds the Huskie career record for field goals made (751) and ranks ninth in school history in career rebounds (782). Dawkins also holds the Huskie single-season marks for points (695) and scoring average (26.7 points per game), both set during his senior season of 1978-79. 

Following his tremendous career in DeKalb, Dawkins was selected by the Utah Jazz in the 10th round of the 1979 NBA Draft. He went on to appear in 57 games during the 1979-80 campaign with the Jazz, averaging 5.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. After suffering a knee injury the following season, Dawkins played with the Anchorage Northern Knights of the Continental Basketball Association. 

Dawkins then went on to play for Galatasaray in the Turkish Super League for eight seasons between 1981-89, helping the club win Turkish League championships in 1985 and '86. Dawkins averaged 31 points per game during his eight seasons in Turkey, becoming a club legend with Galatasaray while also gaining Turkish citizenship in 1984. 

He was inducted into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Saginaw (Mich.) County Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. 

A celebration of life service will be held for Dawkins at the Eternal Rest Chapel in DeSoto, Texas, on Wednesday, April 3, at 4 p.m.