In the early 1970s, Virginia Commonwealth University had dreams of going to Division I in basketball. Dave Edwards was among those helping the Rams reach their goal.

Mr. Edwards, the Rams’ dynamic point guard from 1970 to 1974, died Thursday, May 27, 2021, of complications from diabetes.

He was 70 and living in his home borough of Queens, N.Y., and serving as a counselor at the Spofford Juvenile Detention Center in Bronx, N.Y.

Under former VCU Coach Chuck Noe, Mr. Edwards passed for 430 assists and still holds the record for most assists per game in a season — 8.4 in 1972.

The 6-foot New Yorker also was a warrior at the defensive end of court and served as the Rams’ captain during his senior year. 

When Mr. Edwards arrived at VCU, the program was affiliated with the NAIA and NCAA Division II, then called the College Division. In 1974, VCU became a full-fledged member of Division I.

Mr. Edwards’ teammates included such Rams luminaries as Jabo Wilkins, Jesse Dark, Bernard Harris and Richard “Dickie Red” Jones.

Mr. Edwards signed with then VCU Coach Benny Dees in the spring of 1970. Signing that same weekend were Mr. Dark, Mr. Harris and three other New Yorkers, Reggie Cain, Howie Robertson and Greg McDougald. Many consider that weekend the start of VCU basketball success.

Soon after, Coach Dees resigned to become an assistant coach at then-national power Western Kentucky, which went to the NCAA Final Four in 1971. He was succeeded at VCU by Coach Noe.

The Rams went 15-9, 15-4, 15-5 and 17-7 in Mr. Edwards’ four seasons orchestrating the VCU offense.

Mr. Edwards’ sons both played college basketball. David Edwards Jr., who died in March 2020 of complications from COVID-19, starred at Georgetown and Texas A&M universities and holds the single season assists record at Texas A&M. Corey Edwards played at George Mason University.