North Carolina High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame

Fifth Class announced for the North Carolina High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame!

Read more on the Hall of Fame website at the link below:
https://nchstrackxchalloff.wixsite.com/nchs-trackxc-hall-of/post/fifth-class-to-be-inducted-into-the-north-carolina-high-school-track-field-and-cross-country-hall

FIFTH CLASS TO BE INDUCTED INTO
THE NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
AND CROSS COUNTRY HALL OF FAME
10 headline the fifth Hall of Fame class

WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA – The fifth class of the North Carolina High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame will honor athletes, coaches and officials who have significantly impacted the sports on the high school level and beyond.

Elected to the fifth class: Two-time Olympic bronze medalist, World Indoor Championship bronze medalist and 4-time U.S. champion, Melissa Morrison Howard (A.L. Brown High, Kannapolis); Two-time Olympian, World Outdoor Champion, World Indoor bronze medalist and 3-time U.S. champion, Jesse Williams (Broughton High, Raleigh); 4-time All-American and 8-time national champion, Wesley Frazier (Ravenscroft School, Raleigh); 2-time All-American and 5-time national champion, Ryen Frazier (Ravenscroft School, Raleigh); 3-time national champion, 4-time All-American and 2-time 4A state meet MVP, Kim Jones (Grimsley, Greensboro); 7-time state champion and three-sport star, Bob Gantt (Durham High), the only person to sweep the shot put and discus three straight years (1938-1940) and who also starred in three sports at Duke; and 9-time state champion, Steve Clay (Jordan-Sellars, Burlington), the most decorated athlete in the NCHSAC, the association for African American schools before integration.

Also inducted were coaches, Mike Esposito (Mount Tabor High, Winston-Salem), who coached 11 state championship teams, 4 individual national champions and was an 8-time North Carolina Coach of the Year; Ben Hovis (Providence Day, Charlotte), who founded NCRunners.com and has led Providence Day to 34 state titles (17 in cross country and 17 in track), while also coaching 8 individual cross country state champions and numerous individual state track champions; Jeff George (ncrunners.com/milesplit.com), media personality, announcer, coach, meet director, who promoted the sport in North Carolina through ncrunners, created meets for statewide exposure, and has helped take cross country and track in North Carolina to another level because of his passion for the sport.

A statewide committee of 22 track and field and cross country coaches, officials and media representatives who cover the sport extensively nominated and elected the class.

The induction ceremony will be Feb. 3, 2024, in Winston-Salem during the Mondo Elite High School Invitational at the JDL Fast Track, which will house the Hall of Fame. Each elected class has been honored at the meet, which is the premier indoor meet in North Carolina each season.

“High school track and field has existed in North Carolina for more than 100 years, with the first outdoor state championship held in 1913, the first indoor track meet held in 1922, and the first high school cross country meet held in 1929, and North Carolinas has a strong history of national success, dating to the 1930s when High Point High competed at cross country nationals in New Jersey. It is our goal to honor those who have helped make this sport so great in our state, and these first five classes are a great start at letting people know how much talent has come through North Carolina.” Brett Honeycutt, N.C. High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame Founder.

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NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
AND CROSS COUNTRY HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023

STEVE CLAY, JORDAN-SELLARS HIGH SCHOOL (BURLINGTON)
* The most decorated athlete in NCHSAC history (the NCHSAC was the state association for African American schools before integration and Steve Clay dominated the hurdles and was a key leg on relays)
* 9-time NCHSAC State champion
* State Meet MVP, 1968
* Alamance County Championship MVP, 1967
* 4 State Meet Records (120-yard hurdles, 1967 & 1968; 180-yard hurdles, 1967, 1968)
* 5-time Alamance County Champion
* 4 Alamance County Championship meet records (120-yard hurdles, 1966, 1967; 180-yard hurdles, 1966, 1967)
* 9 State titles
--3-time state champion, 120-yard hurdles (1966, 1967, 1968)
--3 time state champion, 180-yard hurdles (1966, 1967, 1968)
--2-time state champion, 880-yard relay (1967, 1968)
--1-time state champion, Mile relay (1968)
* 5 Alamance County titles
--120-yard hurdles (1966, 1967)
--180-yard hurdles (1966,1967)
--880-yard relay (1967)
__________________________________________________________________________________

RYEN FRAZIER, RAVENSCROFT SCHOOL (RALEIGH)
* 2-time Track & Field News All-American (mile, 2015; 2-mile, 2015)
* Won 5 national titles (4 outdoor and 1 indoor)
2015 New Balance Outdoor: Won 5,000 meters (16:20), 2-mile (10:07) and mile (4:45) in 3 consecutive days
2015 New Balance Indoor: Won 2-Mile (10:02, and was runner-up in mile (4:44) and 5,000 meters (16:12) in 3 consecutive days
2014 New Balance Outdoor: Won mile (4:46)
Won Prefontaine Classic Mile, 4:39.84 (2015)
*2-time Raleigh Relays premier 3,200-meter winner, 2014 and 2015
* Won Foot Locker South (2014, in 16:27, the fastest ever by a North Carolina girl and the second-fastest in McAlpine Park history)
* Graduated with No. 3 time in national high school history in indoor 5,000 meters (16:12.81, which is still ranked in the top 10 all-time in national high school history)
* Graduated ranked No. 1 all-time in North Carolina history in 7 events:
--5 indoors: 1,500 meters (4:25.44), 1,600 meters (4:39.93), 3,000 meters (9:23.68); 3,200 meters (9:59.36); 5,000 meters (16:12.81).
(she is still No. 1 in 4 of those events, except the 1,500 meters, which she is now No. 2)
--2 outdoors: 1,600 meters (4:36.97), and 3,200 meters (9:59.36), and was No. 2 in the 5000 (16:12.81) and No. 3 in the 1,500 meters (4:25.44) and 3,000 meters (9:23.68)
(she is still No.1 in the 1,600; No. 2, 1500 meters; No. 2 in the 3,200 meters; No. 2 in the 5,000 meters and No. 4 in the 3,000)
* Won 3 state track titles (1600, 3200 and 4x400-meter relay)
* Represented U.S. at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country Challenge in Scotland, 2015
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WESLEY FRAZIER, RAVENSCROFT SCHOOL (RALEIGH)
* 4-time Track & Field News All-American (mile, 2013; 2-mile, 2011, 2012, 2013)
* 3-time North Carolina Gatorade Girls' Athlete of the Year
--2 N.C. Gatorade Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors (2012 and 2013)
--1 N.C. Gatorade Cross Country Athlete of the Year honors (2010)
* Won 8 national track titles
---6 outdoor national titles (2 in the mile, 2 in the 2-mile and 2 in the 5000 meters)
2013: in 3 consecutive days at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, won 5,000 meters in 15:55; 2-mile in 10:05; Mile in 4:39
2012: won 2-mile (10:13) and also helped Ravenscroft to a then-N.C. record 11:58 in the DMR with a 4:48 anchor leg
2011: won 5,000 meters (16:24) and mile (4:44) and finished 3rd in 2-mile (10:10)
2010: silver in 5,000 meters (16:59); bronze in 2-mile (10:24)
---2 indoor national titles (1 in the 2 mile and 1 in the 5000 meters)
2013: won 2-mile (10:12) and 5,000 (16:18, in a then-national indoor record)

*Adidas Grand Prix Dream Mile winner, 2013 (4:39.17)
* Led the nation in the 5000 meters in 2013 (15:55.94)
* 2-time Foot Locker national qualifier (2009 & 2010)
*4-time Raleigh Relays premier 3,200-meter winner, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, running a meet record 9:57.70 in 2013 and the first girl in North Carolina history under 10 minutes
* Graduated ranked No. 1 all-time in national high school history in indoor 5,000 meters (16:18, which is still ranked in the top 10 all-time in national high school history)
* Graduated ranked No. 5 all-time in national high school history in outdoor 5,000 meters (15:55, which is still ranked No. 11 all-time in national high school history)

* Graduated ranked No. 1 all-time in North Carolina history in 9 events:
--5 indoor: 1,500 meters (4:30.4); 1,600 meters (4:46.66); 3,000 meters (9:34.66); 3,200 meters (10:08.68) and 5,000 meters (16:18.01).
--4 outdoor: 1,500 (4:22.19); 1600 (4:37.56); 3200 (9:57.70) and 5,000 meters (15:55.94).
for indoor, she is still No. 2 in the 3,000, 3,200 and 5,000 and No. 3 in 1,500 and 1,600) for outdoor, the 5,000 meters is still No. 1 all-time (by 17 seconds), and the 1,500, 1,600 and 3,200 are No. 2 all-time.
* 14-time State Champion
--13-time state outdoor track champion, winning the 800, 1600 and 3200 four straight years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) and also running on a winning 4x400-meter relay team (2012).
--2009 NCISAA 3A cross country title
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BOB GANTT, DURHAM HIGH SCHOOL
* Considered the best athlete to ever come out of North Carolina at the time
* Nationally, he was ranked No. 3 in the shot put and No. 7 in the discus in 1940 (the only athlete from North Carolina ranked in the top 10 nationally that year in any event)
* Only person in state meet history to sweep the shot put and discus 3 straight years (1938-1940)
* Only person to sweep the shot put, discus and javelin in the same year
* Set state meet record 3 straight years in shot put and 2 straight years in discus
* 7-time state champion
--3 shot put (1938, 1939, 1940)
--3 discus (1938, 1939, 1940)
--1 javelin (1940)
* At 22nd C-Club Track & Field Invitational, Washington D.C. (considered the No. 1 high school meet on the East Coast), he:
--Won 2 titles (shot put & discus, 1940, setting a meet record in the shot put)
* At Duke Invitational, not only the best meet in the state, but one of the best in the South at the time, drawing teams from NC, SC, VA, GA, KY, PA, FL, he:
--Swept all 3 (shot, discus, javelin) in 1940 (the precursor to the Duke-Durham Relays)
--leading individual scorer in 1939 and 1940
--won 6 titles (2 in the shot, 1939, 1940; 3 in the discus, 1938, 1939, 1940; 1 in the javelin, 1940)
--Set 3 meet records (twice in the discus, 1938, 1940; once in the shot, 1940)
* At Greensboro’s Civitan Relays, which drew teams from all over North Carolina and some from Virginia, he:
--Won 5 titles (3 in shot, 1938, 1939, 1940; 2 in discus, 1938, 1939; 1 in javelin, 1940)
--Set meet records twice in the shot, 1939, 1940; and twice in discus, 1938, 1939)
**All-State in basketball, football and track

COLLEGE:
**3-sport star at Duke University (track, basketball and football)
* Inducted into 2 Hall of Fames:
--North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, 1978
--Duke University’s Sports Hall of Fame, 1981
--Won Southern Conference track titles in the shot (1942, 1943) and discus (1943); the Southern Conference existed prior to the ACC and teams left the Southern Conference to form the ACC
--All-American in football (1942), planed in 1942 Rose Bowl; all-Southern Conference in football (1941 & 1942); All-Southern Conference in basketball (1943); All-Southern Conference in track (1942 & 1943)
--Held 5 school football records for more than 40 years
--Selected by sports editors from North and South Carolina as the 1942 Teague Memorial Award recipient, recognizing him as the most outstanding athlete in the Carolinas
--Featured in “Look Magazine” as the best athlete in the South
--Durham’s “Most Outstanding Young Male of 1943” by the Junior Chamber of Commerce
POST-COLLEGIATE:
*Played pro basketball for the Washington Capitals (1946, 1947) in the AAB, which later became the NBA.
* World War II veteran, Navy
__________________________________________________________________________________

MELISSA MORRISON HOWARD, A.L. BROWN HIGH SCHOOL (KANNAPOLIS)
*2-time Olympic bronze medalist (2000 and 2004), 100-meter hurdles.
*1st American 100-meter hurdler to medal in back-to-back Olympic Games (only 2 have accomplished this; Morrison Hoard and Dawn Harper)
*World Indoor Championship bronze medalist (2003), 60-meter hurdles
*IAAF Golden League gold medalist, 100-meter hurdles (1998, Oslo, Norway)
*IAAF Grand Prix silver medalist, 100-meter hurdles (1998, Moscow, Russia)
*4-time U.S. Champion (1997 Outdoor, 100-meter hurdles; 1998, 1999 & 2002 Indoor, 60-meter hurdles)
IN HIGH SCHOOL:
*won 4 state titles:
--3 consecutive NCHSAA 4A state championships in the 100-meter hurdles (1987, 1988, 1989)
--1 in the triple jump (39-11.75, 1989)
*1989 North Carolina Gatorade Track & Field Athlete of the Year
*1989 Cabarrus County Athlete of the Year (by Noon Optimist Club)
IN COLLEGE, at Appalachian State:
*2-time NCAA All-American, 1993 (55-meter hurdles & 100-meter hurdles)
*Southern Conference Outdoor Track & Field MVP, 1992
*Southern Conference Indoor Track & Field MVP, 1993
*Won 17 individual Southern Conference titles
*Still holds 4 school records:
--55-meter hurdles (7.66)
--60-meter hurdles (8.33)
--100-meter hurdles (13.24)
--outdoor long jump (20-5.25)
--also, she was a member of the 4x200-meter relay team that set the school record in 1993
--She remains in the school’s top-10 in the 55 meters, indoor long jump, 100 meters and 200 meters
OTHER:
*Inducted into the Appalachian State Athletics Hall of Fame, 2003
*Inducted into the Southern Conference sports Hall of Fame, 2009
*Given Appalachian State’s Trailblazer Award, 2018
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KIM JONES, GRIMSLEY
*3-time National Champion
--1998 indoor track (long jump)
--1999 outdoor track (long jump, 100-meter hurdles)
--MVP at the 1999 Nike/New Balance Outdoor National High School Championships
*4-time Track & Field News All-American (1997, long jump; 1998, long jump; 1999, long jump & 100-meter hurdles)
*1999 North Carolina Gatorade Track & Field Athlete of the Year
*2-time N.C. 4A State Meet MVP (1998, 1999)
*8-time State Champion
---2-time indoor state champ (55-meter hurdles, 1999; Long Jump, 1998, setting an all-class record that stood for six years
---6-time outdoor state champ (100-meter hurdles, 1998, 1999; Long Jump, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, with a best of 19-7)
*IN COLLEGE, at Florida State:
5-time NCAA All-American
--60-meter hurdles, 2002 indoor
--long jump, 2002 indoor
--100-meter hurdles, 2002 outdoor
--long jump, 2002 outdoor
--long jump, 2003 outdoor
8-time ACC Champion
--60-meter hurdles, 2002 indoor
--long jump, 2002 indoor
--100-meter hurdles, 2002 outdoor
--4x100-meter relay, 2002 outdoor
--60-meter hurdles, 2003 indoor
--100-meter hurdles, 2003 outdoor
--4x100-meter relay, 2003 outdoor
--long jump, 2003 outdoor
--Helped Florida State to 2000 ACC Outdoor Track & Field title
*Inducted into the Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame, 2021
*The embodiment of an exceptional athlete, she played volleyball for four years, basketball for three years, and excelled in both indoor and outdoor track for four years.
__________________________________________________________________________________

JESSE WILLIAMS, BROUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL (RALEIGH)
*One of the best high jumpers in U.S. history tying for third on the all-time U.S. men’s high jump list as a professional
*2011 World Champion
*2010 World Indoor Bronze medalist
*2-time World Athletics Championships bronze (2008, 2009)
*3-time U.S. Champion (2008, 2010, 2011)
*2-time Olympian (2008 and 2012)
*5-time World Championship qualifier (2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015)
*4-time World Athletics Final qualifier (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
*4th at 2015 Pan Am Championships
*4th at 2015 NACAC Championships
*3-time World Indoor Championships qualifier (2008, 2010, 2012)
*At the 2011 USATF Nationals, the 6-0 Williams cleared a PR 7-9 1/4 -- the highest jump by an American in 15 years.
*His 2011 World title was the first by an American high jumper in 20 years.
IN COLLEGE (N.C. STATE/SOUTHERN CAL)
*4-time NCAA champion in the high jump
--2 indoors (2005 and 2006)
--2 outdoors (2005 and 2006)
6-time All-American
--at Southern Cal
2005 & 2006 outdoor
2004, 2005 & 2006 indoor
--At N.C. State
2003 indoor
*PAC-10 Field Athlete of the Year, 2005
HIGH SCHOOL
*2-time Track & Field News All-American (2001, 2002)
*His high school best was 7-feet, 3 inches
*4-time NCHSAA 4A High Jump
--sophomore (6-8, in 2000), junior (7-0, in 2001), and senior (7-2, in 2002), and won the State Indoor title (7-0) as a senior
*4th at 2002 World Junior Championships
*2002 Silver at U.S. Junior Championships
*2002 Adidas Outdoor Champion
*2002 Penn Relays Champion
*2002 Silver at Golden West
*2001 USATF JO National Champion
*Inducted into Broughton High School Athletic Hall of Fame, 2007
__________________________________________________________________________________

COACHES/MEDIA/CONTRIBUTORS

MIKE ESPOSITO, MOUNT TABOR HIGH SCHOOL (WINSTON-SALEM)
*Successful at the high school and collegiate level
*At Mount Tabor High School:
--11 state champion teams
--4 individual national champions
--4 individual national runners-up
--3 Foot Locker finalists
--52 individual and relay state champions
--8-time North Carolina Coach of the Year
--22-time Conference Coach of the Year
-- boys’ cross country teams went undefeated from 1994 until his final season at Mount Tabor in 2005, and the girls’ cross country team was nationally ranked in 2000 and 2001
--Served as the co-meet director of the North Carolina Indoor and Outdoor Track Championships on numerous occasions and was the meet director for the state cross country championships from 2002-04.

*At High Point University, 2005-present:
--7-time Big South Coach of the Year (5 track, 2 cross country)
--6 Big South Track & Field Championships (2 indoor, 2 outdoor, 2 cross country)
--8 athletes sent to NCAA Championships
--3 of his athletes have earned All-American
__________________________________________________________________________________

BEN HOVIS, PROVIDENCE DAY (CHARLOTTE), NCRUNNERS.COM FOUNDER
*Founded NCRunners in 2005 and ran it for 6 years bringing videos, pictures, articles, and interviews to North Carolina cross country and track and field student-athletes, parents and fans of the sport
*Since taking over Providence Day’s program in 2002, he has had incredible success
*34 state titles (17 in cross country; 8 in indoor track; 9 in outdoor track)
--17 state titles in cross country (boys and girls)
(13 boys cross country state titles, with first in 2005 and last in 2023)
(4 girls cross country state titles, with first in 2003 and last in 2023)
--9 in boys’ track (2013-2017, 2019, 2021-2023), as well as being an assistant coach for 9 more girls track state titles (2013-2019, 2021-2022)
--8 girls’ and boys’ independent schools indoor championships (2020-2023); 4 sweeps
--20 boys conference cross country titles
--10 girls conference cross country titles
--16 boys, 9 girls individual conference titles
*8 individual cross country state champions
--7 boys individual state champions
--1 girl individual state champion
**coached 2-time national qualifier Ben Huffman (Foot Locker, 2013; Nike Team Nationals, 2012)
**coached numerous individual state champions in track
*coached select North Carolina athletes in Australia (2008-2011) as part of Down Under Sports and won Down Under Cross Country team titles each year.
*Inducted into Providence Day Athletics Hall of Fame, 2007
__________________________________________________________________________________

JEFF GEORGE, R.J. REYNOLDS (WINSTON-SALEM), MILESPLIT.COM/NCRUNNERS.COM, WEBMASTER
* As the webmaster of NCRunners from 2011 - 2016, he took the site to new heights by creating organization to weekly posts and branching out to cover multiple meets every weekend. His passion and enthusiasm lifted NCRunners to one of the best high school running sites, if not the best, on the MileSplit network. He also greatly expanded the pool of contributors, being recognized twice by the national office for having the best coverage team on the network.
*Several NCRunners staff members moved on to larger roles within MileSplit, and Jeff was selected to provide in-person coverage of national meets like Foot Locker Cross Country Nationals and NXN (Nike Cross Country Nationals).
*Coordinated coverage of New Balance Outdoor Nationals for several years.
*Also held the position of Senior Editor of the California MileSplit site for several years, and he continues to cover meets for MileSplit.
* During his time as webmaster, he worked with George Phillips with ncpreptrack.com to add many historical performances to the MileSplit database, a process that is still ongoing.
* As an accomplished meet announcer and commentator, he has voiced live streams of high school and college meets all over the country. He has been the voice of JDL Fast Track's high school meets for the last several years, and often announces at other major meets in NC, such as the Dash for Doobie. He pioneered the use of MileSplit season rankings and NC All-Time Rankings from NCPrepTrack to inform the announcing of performances in real time.
* As the girls track coach at RJ Reynolds from 1999 - 2011, his teams won 5 Central Piedmont Conference titles, 3 Midwest 4A Regionals, and the 2001 4A State Championship. At the time, the 2001 team was only the 2nd girls team in NC history to place first or second in all 4 relays at the same state meet. He also coached girls cross country starting in 2001, and won 3 conference titles during his tenure.
* As a meet director, directed 3 outdoor track state meets and 3 cross country state meets, helping (along with DePaul Mittman) to modernize meet running in North Carolina by introducing updated clerking and marshalling techniques.
*Directed countless regional, county, conference, and smaller meets, including the longtime Forsyth County Polar Bear series.
*Introduced the popular Frosh/Soph Invitational, the first meet of its kind in North Carolina
*Founded NCRunners LLC to run a series of invitational meets in the fall and spring. The series includes the NCRunners Eastern Tour, which brings FAT and media coverage to schools in rural Eastern North Carolina. He continues to operate these meets and add new ones with partners Robert Youtz and Jason Creasy.
* Along with Robert Youtz, he developed the first cross country course at Beeson Park (now the Ivey Redmon Sports Complex) and brought NCHSAA officials to see what would eventually become the state meet course (thanks to the dedicated work of Curtis Swisher and the Kernersville Parks & Rec Department).

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Saturday’s induction ceremony honored 9 all-time great athletes & coaches in our sport

We were honored to recognize them in front of the next generation of great athletes & coaches at the Mondo Elite Inv.

*Bios on each are at link below:
https://nchstrackxchalloff.wixsite.com/nchs-trackxc-hall-of/class-of-2023

The NC High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame ceremony will be Jan. 28 at

during the Mondo Elite Inv.

*Bios on each of the inductees are at the following link:
https://nchstrackxchalloff.wixsite.com/nchs-trackxc-hall-of

FOURTH CLASS ANNOUNCED FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY HALL OF FAME

9 headline the fourth Hall of Fame class

The fourth class of the North Carolina High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame will honor 9 athletes, coaches and officials who have significantly impacted the sports on the high school level and beyond:

—Keni Harrison (Clayton High), Olympian and 3-time World Championships medalist

-J-Mee Samuels (Mount Tabor High, Winston-Salem), 2005 Track & Field News High School Athlete of the Year

—Johnny Dutch (Clayton High), 4-time All-American, 2-time Pan Am gold medalist, national indoor 60-meter hurdle champion and 9-time state champion

—Latasha Pharr (North Rowan), 17-time state champion and 2-time All-American

—Pam Doggett (Grimsley High, Greensboro), 1984 Pan Am Junior bronze medalist and 8-time state champion

COACHES:
—E.V. Patterson, the “Father of North Carolina Track & Field” and cosch of the state’s first dynasty, now-defunct Friendship (in Burlington)

—Charlie Brown, longtime Greensboro coach, coach of two U.S. teams and longtime meet director of two of North Carolina’s longest-running cross country meets

—Alan Peoples (Polk County) has won 35 COY awards, coached athletes & teams to state titles, won numerous NCHSAA awards & served 24 years as state meet director

—Roy Cooper (Apex High), longtime Apex High coach, longtime Nike Southeast and Outdoor Nationals staff and longtime meet director of the prestigious Apex Lions Relays

The N.C. Track & Field & Cross Country Hall of Fame will announce the class of 2023 in a few days.
*Please be on the lookout
*The induction ceremony will be Jan. 28, 2023, during the Mondo Elite High School Inv. at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem

Meet one of our 2022 inductees:
GABBY MAYO, SOUTHEAST RALEIGH
*2006 Track & Field News Athlete of the year (only one other N.C. girl has ever won the award)
*2006 USATF Youth Track & Field Athlete of the Year
*3-time Track & Field News All-American in 2006 (100 meters, 200 meters and 100-meter hurdles)
*Led nation in the 100 and 200 meters, 2006
*U.S. Junior (19-under) 200-meter champion (22.88 seconds, 2006)
*2-time North Carolina Gatorade Girls' Track & Field Athlete of the Year (2006 and 2007)
*4-time NCHSAA state meet MVP (3 outdoor, 4A, 2005, 2006, 2007; 1 indoor, 2006)
*NCHSAA Female Athlete of the Year, 2007 (for all sports)
*13-time NCHSAA 4A state champion (all 13 were individual titles)
---Won 9 state outdoor track titles (100 meters in 2006, 2007; 200 meters in 2006, 2007; 100 hurdles in 2005, 2006, 2007); and 300 hurdles in 2005, 2006). She won all 4 at the 2006 4A girls' outdoor meet, 3 state titles in 2007 (100, 200, 100 hurdles) and 2 titles in 2005 (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles).
---Won 4 NCHSAA state indoor titles (55 meters, 55-meter hurdles, 300 meters all in 2006, setting state meet records in each event. She also won the 55 meters in 2007).
*In college at Texas A&M, she won 3 NCAA outdoor titles, earned 8 All-American honors, won 7 Big 12 titles (4 outdoor, 3 indoor) and 5 titles at the Prestigious Penn Relays, while also helping Texas A&M win 3 NCAA national track and field team titles, 2009, 2010, 2011. She was inducted into the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame on September 17, 2021.

Meet one of our 2022 inductees, TONY WALDROP, POLK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

*Set the world indoor mile record of 3:55.0 in 1974

*Six-time All-American at the University of North Carolina

*2-time NCAA champion (NCAA indoor 1,000-yard title, 1973; NCAA indoor mile title in 1974)

*Won gold in the 1,500 meters at the 1975 Pan Am Games while in college

*Won the mile at the prestigious Penn Relays in 1974.

*In high school, he won 3 NCHSAA state outdoor titles in the 880 yards (1969), and mile (1968 and 1970). *Before high school national meets were prevalent, his times of 1:53 and 4:18 were remarkable considering he ran those at the 1A/2A state meet and on inferior surfaces.

*After earning his undergraduate degree in political science, he earned a masters in physical education and a Ph.D. in physiology, each at UNC. After graduating with his Ph.D., he pursued an academic career, becoming a research fellow in 1982 at the University of Texas Southwetern Medical Center in Dallas in the Cardiopulmonary Division, receiving a National Institute of Health postdoctoral fellowship at the Moss Heart Center.. He also served administrative roles, most recently at the University of Central Florida (provost and executive vice-president), University of Illinois at Ubana-Champaign (vice chancellor for research) and at UNC (vice chancellor for research and economic development), before most recently serving as the University of South Alabama President.

THIRD CLASS TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE N.C.
HIGH SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY HALL OF FAME
8 headline the third class

WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA, DEC. 9, 2021 – The third class of the North Carolina High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame will honor athletes, coaches and officials who have significantly impacted the sports on the high school level.

Elected to the third class: former indoor mile world record holder and 1975 Pan Am Games 1500-meter champion Tony Waldrop (Polk Central); Olympian, 2-time World Junior Champion and six-time Track & Field News High School All-American Anna Cockrell (Charlotte Providence Day School); U.S. Junior Champion and 5-time Track & Field News High School All-Amerian Kamorean Hayes (Charlotte Harding); 2014 Track & Field News and National High School Coaches Association National High School Track & Field Athlete of the Year Trentavis Friday (Cherryville); 2006 Track & Field News High School National Athlete of the Year and 2006 USATF Youth Track & Field Athlete of the Year Gabby Mayo (Southeast Raleigh); 17-time state champion Darius Brewington (High Point Andrews); as well as DePaul Mittman (Western Guilford), who has contributed immensely to the sport as a coach and official, as well as founding and leading the North Carolina Track and Cross Country Coaches Association and serving as volunteer director/coordinator for various national meets; and Norman Trzaskoma (Winston-Salem R.J. Reynolds), a 7-time state championship coach who the Forsyth County Track & Field Championships is now named (Norman Trzaskoma Inv.).

A statewide committee of 20 track and field and cross country coaches, officials and media representatives who cover the sport extensively nominated and elected the class.

The induction ceremony will be Jan. 29 in Winston-Salem during the Mondo Elite High School Invitational at the JDL Fast Track, which will also house the Hall of Fame. Each subsequent elected class will also be held at a meet during the indoor track season at JDL Fast Track.

“North Carolina has had state championships in track and field since 1913, and has had indoor track meets since 1922, when the first meet was held at the old Star Brick Warehouse in Durham, and we’ve had cross country meets since 1929 when Winston-Salem High (R.J. Reynolds) dominated the sport, so we’re far behind on recognizing those who have accomplished so much and given so much to the sport. That’s our goal, to honor those who have helped make this sport so great in North Carolina, and these first three classes are a collection of some of the best athletes, coaches and contributors in the history of our sport.” Brett Honeycutt, N.C. High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame Founder.
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NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
AND CROSS COUNTRY HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2022

DARIUS BREWINGTON, HIGH POINT ANDREWS
*17 state titles (12 outdoors, 5 indoors), one of the most state titles by a male athlete in North Carolina history (would likely have won more, but he was injured the day before the state meet his junior year).
*4-time State Meet MVP (3 outdoor, 1990, 1991, 1993; 1 indoor, 1992)
*4 state meet records (2 in outdoor, 4x100 and 4x200) and 2 indoors (60-yards, 300-yards)
---During outdoor track, he won 12 3A state titles, with 3 in the 100 meters (1990, 1991, 1993 -- in 10.59, 10.57 and 10.54); 3 in the 200 meters (1990, 1991 and 1993 -- in 21.51, 21.23 and 21.24); 2 in the 4x100 relay (1990, 1991); 3 in the 4x200 relay (1990, 1991, 1993) and 1 in the 4x400 relay (1993), while winning the N.C. 3A state meet MVP 3 times (1990, 1991, 1993) and setting 2 state meet records (4x200, 1:25.35 in 1991; 4x100, 42.16, 1990).
---During indoor track, he won 5 all-classification NCHSAA state titles, with 1 in the 60-yard dash (1992), 1 in the 300-yard dash (1992) and 3 in the 4x400 relay (1990, 1991, 1992), while earning the all-classification state meet MVP in 1992 after setting 2 state meet records (6.34 in the 60-yard dash; 31.7 in the 300-yard dash). He also helped set a state meet record indoors in 1991, in the 4x400 relay (3:29.6).
*Helped High Point Andrews to 4 state team titles –3A outdoor track in 1990, 1991 and 1993, and all-classification indoor track in 1992.

TRENTAVIS FRIDAY, CHERRYVILLE
*National High School Coaches Association National Track & Field Athlete of the Year (2014)
*Gatorade National Track & Field Athlete of the Year (2014)
*High School Track Yearbook Track & Field Athlete of the Year (2014 - only two other N.C. boys have ever won the award).
*National High School 100-meter record holder and USA Junior (19-under) Championships record holder (10.00). Both records still stand.
*Track & Field News All-American, 100 meters (2014) and 200 meters (2014)
*Set 1 all-class NCHSAA state meet record (100 meters, 10.39)
*Set 7 NCHSAA 1A state meet records in the 100, 200 and 400, all of which still stand today.
* North Carolina Gatorade Boys’ Track & Field Athlete of the Year (2014).
*Won 8 NCHSAA Championship outdoor tack titles total; 2012 (400 meters); 2013 (100, 200, 400); 2014 (100, 200, 400, 4x400-meter relay)
*Won 3 individual NCHSAA championships two straight years: 2013 and 2014 (100, 200, 400).
*His PRs of 10.00 (100 meters) and 20.03 (200 meters) are still the all-time best performances in North Carolina history (and his 46.97 in the 400 meters is tied for 10th best all-time).
*His times of 10.17 (100 meters) and 20.33 (200 meters) were the best times in the nation during the high school regular season.
*Ran 10.00 in the 100 meters at U.S. Junior (19-under) Championships in 2014 to set the national high school record.
*NCHSAA 1A State meet MVP, 2013 and 2014.

ANNA COCKRELL, CHARLOTTE PROVIDENCE DAY SCHOOL
*6-time Track & Field News All-American in 3 events (200 meters, 2016; 100-meter hurdles, 2014, 2015, 2016; 300-meter hurdles, 2015, 2016)
*2-time World Junior (19-under) Champion (400-meter hurdles and 4x400-meter relay, as a high school senior, 2016)
*Pam Am Champion, 400-meter hurdles (as a high school junior, 2015)
*All-time World Junior (19-under) Top-10 ranking (No. 10, 400-meter hurdles, 55.20)
*All-time U.S. Junior (19-under) Top-10 ranking (No. 5, 400-meter hurdles, 55.20)
*All-time top-10 national high school ranking in 2 events (No. 3 in 400-meter hurdles; No. 10 in indoor 200 meters)
*No. 1 ranked all-time in North Carolina history in 3 events (100-meter hurdles, 13.17; 300-meter hurdles, 40.42; 400-meter hurdles, 55.20).
*16-time NCISAA state champion (100 meters, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016; 200 meters, 2016; 100-meter hurdles, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016; 300-meter hurdles, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016; 4x100-meter relay, 2013; 4x400-meter relay, 2014, 2015)

KAMOREAN HAYES, CHARLOTTE HARDING
*U.S. Junior (19-under) Champion in the shot put (2006) as a high school senior
*5-time Track & Field News All-American (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 in shot put; and 2005 in discus)
*North Carolina Gatorade Girls' Track & Field Athlete of the Year (2005)
*Led nation in indoor shot put, 2005, 2006, 2007, and outdoor shot put, 2006, 2007
*6-time high school national champion in shot put (3 outdoors, 3 indoors in 2005, 2006 & 2007)
*8-time NCHSAA outdoor track state champion (4 in the shot put, 4 in the discus, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
*2-time NCHSAA indoor track state champion (2 in the shot put, 2004, 2007)
*Still holds all-time North Carolina records in the indoor (52-6.5) and outdoor (52-2) shot put
*Still holds NCHSAA state meet records in the indoor (48-11.75) and outdoor (51-3.5) shot put
*Graduated ranked No. 1 all-time in the shot put (still No. 1) and No. 1 in the discus (162-10, still No. 3 all-time).

GABBY MAYO, SOUTHEAST RALEIGH
*2006 Track & Field News Athlete of the year (only one other N.C. girl has ever won the award)
*2006 USATF Youth Track & Field Athlete of the Year
*3-time Track & Field News All-American in 2006 (100 meters, 200 meters and 100-meter hurdles)
*Led nation in the 100 and 200 meters, 2006
*U.S. Junior (19-under) 200-meter champion (22.88 seconds, 2006)
*2-time North Carolina Gatorade Girls' Track & Field Athlete of the Year (2006 and 2007)
*4-time NCHSAA state meet MVP (3 outdoor, 4A, 2005, 2006, 2007; 1 indoor, 2006)
*NCHSAA Female Athlete of the Year, 2007 (for all sports)
*13-time NCHSAA 4A state champion (all 13 were individual titles)
---Won 9 state outdoor track titles (100 meters in 2006, 2007; 200 meters in 2006, 2007; 100 hurdles in 2005, 2006, 200); and the 300 hurdles in 2005, 2006). She won all four at the 2006 4A girls' outdoor meet and won 3 state titles in 2007 (100, 200, 100 hurdles) and 2 titles in 2005 (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles).
---Won 4 NCHSAA state indoor titles (55 meters, 55-meter hurdles, 300 meters all in 2006, setting state meet records in each event. She also won the 55 meters in 2007).

TONY WALDROP, POLK CENTRAL
*Set the world indoor mile record of 3:55.0 in 1974
*Six-time All-American at the University of North Carolina
*2-time NCAA champion (NCAA indoor 1,000-yard title, 1973; NCAA indoor mile title in 1974)
*Won gold in the 1,500 meters at the 1975 Pan Am Games while in college
*Won the mile at the prestigious Penn Relays in 1974.
*In high school, he won 3 NCHSAA state outdoor titles in the 880 yards (1969), and mile (1968 and 1970). *Before high school national meets were prevalent, his times of 1:53 and 4:18 were incredible considering he ran those at the 1A/2A state meet an on inferior surfaces.

DEPAUL MITTMAN, N.C. TRACK AND CROSS COUNTRY COACHES ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
*History teacher and coach for 23 years at Western Guilford High School.
*Served as the NCHSAA state meet director (1999-2009); currently the state meet coordinator.
*Co-founded the North Carolina Track & Cross-Country Coaches Association in 2001, serving as clinic director from its inception, until 2015
*Volunteer coordinator for national meets, including the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, USATF National Junior Olympic Championships, and 2019 AAU National Championship
*16 conference track Coach of the Year honors
*15 conference team track titles
*11 teams finished in Top 5 at the NCHSAA state meet
*NCHSAA 3A State Champion: 1999
*NCHSAA 3A State Association 3A State Runner-up 2000
*NCHSAA 1A/2A/3A indoor track runner up, 2008
*8 NCHSAA regional track titles
*2 Midwest 2A regional titles, 2004, 2005
*2 All-American track athletes
*64 all-state track athletes
*16 individual state track champions

NORMAN TRZASKOMA, LONGTIME WINSTON-SALEM R.J. REYNOLDS COACH
*Won 7 NCHSAA state titles over a large span of time (in cross country and track)
*Led teams to 5 consecutive NCHSAA cross country state titles (1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978), then back-to-back NCHSAA track and field titles in 2005 (outdoor) and 2006 (indoor)
*His longevity and varied greatness is difficult on any level for any sport
*NCHSAA Coach of the Year, 2009
*Coached in Forsyth County for nearly 40 years, with 35 years at R.J Reynolds.
*The Forsyth County Championships were renamed the Norman Trzaskoma Invitational in honor of him and his long success in Forsyth County and in North Carolina
*Inducted into Evangel University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985, and was the school’s first four-year letter winner in cross country and track and field.