ECU Athletics Mourns The Passing Of Bill Cain
June 14, 2022 | General
GREENVILLE, N.C. – The ECU Athletics community is mourning the loss of William "Bill" Cain, who passed away Wednesday, June 8 at the age of 88.
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Cain, who was inducted into the university's athletics hall of fame in 1997, played football for three seasons from 1957-59 under the legendary Jack Boone. A walk-on to the football team, he enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland for two years where he played service football. In 1957, he returned to East Carolina College and again joined the football team where he was a starting end. Cain, who served as a co-captain on the 1959 club earning All-Carolina's conference honors, earned both a bachelor's and master's degree from East Carolina.
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After coaching and teaching in the high school ranks, Cain returned to ECU in 1968 as head freshman football coach and recruiter. Over the next several years he held various coaching and administrative positions within the athletics department and was named Director of Athletics in 1975.
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During his tenure, East Carolina won the 1976 Southern Conference Championship in football. In 1980, Cain transitioned full time into academics, served as Assistant to the Dean of Health and Human Performance and was elected to East Carolina's Athletic Hall of Fame.
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Under Cain's leadership, Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium underwent a major expansion project in 1977-78, boosting capacity from 20,000 to 35,000 and adding a modern scoreboard. Cain also played key roles in the development of the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame and the Pirate Club.
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Cain served on the Board of Trustees for Pitt Community College and helped establish the baseball program. Following 50 years of service, he retired from East Carolina on May 15, 2018.
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Cain, who was inducted into the university's athletics hall of fame in 1997, played football for three seasons from 1957-59 under the legendary Jack Boone. A walk-on to the football team, he enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland for two years where he played service football. In 1957, he returned to East Carolina College and again joined the football team where he was a starting end. Cain, who served as a co-captain on the 1959 club earning All-Carolina's conference honors, earned both a bachelor's and master's degree from East Carolina.
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After coaching and teaching in the high school ranks, Cain returned to ECU in 1968 as head freshman football coach and recruiter. Over the next several years he held various coaching and administrative positions within the athletics department and was named Director of Athletics in 1975.
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During his tenure, East Carolina won the 1976 Southern Conference Championship in football. In 1980, Cain transitioned full time into academics, served as Assistant to the Dean of Health and Human Performance and was elected to East Carolina's Athletic Hall of Fame.
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Under Cain's leadership, Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium underwent a major expansion project in 1977-78, boosting capacity from 20,000 to 35,000 and adding a modern scoreboard. Cain also played key roles in the development of the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame and the Pirate Club.
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Cain served on the Board of Trustees for Pitt Community College and helped establish the baseball program. Following 50 years of service, he retired from East Carolina on May 15, 2018.
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