On Wednesday, the N.C. High School Athletic Association revealed the individuals selected for induction into the Hall of Fame.

In August, the NCHSAA Hall of Fame will induct eight individuals. These eight inductees were selected by the NCHSAA Hall of Fame Committee, who evaluated numerous nominations earlier this year.

Every person chosen to join will be honored at a private gathering held at the NCHSAA main office in April. They will then be formally admitted into the Hall of Fame on August 17th during a gala at the Embassy Suites in Cary.

The individuals who were chosen are Ada “Cheryl” Brewer, Clyde “Herk” DeGraw, Mark Dreibelbis, Robert “Linwood” Hedgepeth, Larry McAfee, Julian “Mac” McKenzie, Les DePaul Mittman, and Roy Turner.

The NCHSAA biographies for each inductee are listed below.

Ada “Cheryl” Brewer

Cheryl Brewer held the positions of head coach for softball, women’s basketball, and women’s tennis at North Moore High School starting in 1978. She continued to expand her coaching duties, taking on cross country in 1989 and men’s golf in 1997. Throughout her 34-year career as a coach, Brewer achieved great success, including winning the State Championship in softball in 1982 and receiving three Coach of the Year awards. In addition, she was highly respected as an Athletic Director and was honored with induction into the NCADA Hall of Fame in 2006. According to Coach Brewer, her focus was always on the student-athletes rather than keeping track of her win-loss records.

Clyde “Herk” DeGraw

From 1979 to 2005, “Herk” DeGraw was the coach of the Grimsley High School men’s soccer team. He then became the head coach of the women’s team in 1984 and retired in 2014 with a combined record of 873-211-62. During his time at Grimsley, he received the Conference Coach of the Year award more than 20 times, the NCSCA Regional Coach of the Year award 20 times, and the NCSCA State Coach of the Year award three times. Under DeGraw’s leadership, his teams won over 30 conference championships and six Women’s Soccer State Championships in 12 appearances. He also made three appearances in the men’s championship game. In addition, he was named North Carolina Assistant Coach of the Year by the NC Soccer Coaches Association in 2015 and 2018. DeGraw played a significant role in bringing soccer to the East West All-Star games and continues to serve as an annual site coordinator. He was inducted into the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Greensboro College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2010, he became part of the inaugural class of the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association Field of Honor and was inducted into the Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

Mark Dreibelbis

Mark Dreibelbis retired in 2022 after serving as the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Associate Commissioner of Officials from 2005. Throughout his career as an official and administrator, he received numerous accolades, including the 2023 NFHS National Citation Award for Officiating, the 2018 NCHSAA Golden Whistle Award, and the 2016 NC Athletic Directors Association Distinguished Service Award. Dreibelbis was also responsible for assigning the first all-female crew for the NCHSAA Basketball, Soccer, and Volleyball State Championships. Along with his impressive credentials, Dreibelbis was highly regarded for his unwavering dedication, integrity, and precision in fulfilling his responsibilities. This mindset permeated all aspects of his work, ensuring a professional and top-notch experience for all involved.

Robert “Linwood” Hedgepeth

In 1964, Robert “Linwood” Hedgepeth earned a degree from Pembroke State University and was recognized as an all-region baseball player by the NAIA. After his playing career, he began coaching at Massey Hill High School in 1967 and moved to Hallsboro High School in 1969, where he led his teams to two NCHSAA State Championships and seven conference championships. From 1980 to 1989, he coached at Whiteville High School, where he achieved even more success with nine conference championships and three NCHSAA State Championships. His winning streak continued throughout his coaching career and he became known as a five-time State Championship winner. Coach Hedgepeth’s impact on the Whiteville community is still evident today. During his tenure at Whiteville, he boasted a record of 226-64 and helped around forty of his players go on to play at the college level. His achievements were recognized by Sport Magazine when they named Whiteville as “Baseball Town USA.” In 2019, Hedgepeth was inducted into the Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame and in 2023, he was honored in the UNC Pembroke Athletics Hall of Fame.

Larry McAfee

Larry McAfee has a remarkable coaching history, including 28 conference championships, 20 regional championships, and five state championships in boys’ cross country. He is particularly recognized for his creation of the McAlpine Creek Park Cross Country Course, which has had a significant impact on the sport in the state. In recognition of his contributions, the course was named after him by Mecklenburg County in 2018. McAfee has also led teams to seven state championships at East Mecklenburg High School, demonstrating his exceptional coaching abilities in various areas such as boys’ cross country, boys’ track and field, and girls’ cross country. He has also mentored notable athletes like Joan Nesbit, who won the 1980 North Carolina mile championship and competed in the 1996 Olympics, further showcasing the talent of North Carolina’s high school track and field.

Julian “Mac” McKenzie

Julian “Mac” McKenzie is a well-loved coach at North Stokes High School who has had a significant impact on many students and student-athletes. He is best known for being the first guidance counselor and assistant football coach at the school when it opened in 1964. In 1981, Coach McKenzie established the girls’ tennis program at North Stokes High School and dedicated 32 of the next 34 years to coaching it. He has been named Conference Coach of the Year 17 times and received the same honor twice while coaching the girls’ basketball team. During his 48 years as a coach, McKenzie’s teams have achieved great success, earning 20 conference championships, 12 regional championships, and seven state championships. His players have also received numerous accolades, including 69 All-Conference honors, 12 Conference Player of the Year awards, eight state championships, and four All-Northwest honors. Even after retiring, McKenzie continues to serve as a mentor and coach, impacting the lives of countless young students.

Les DePaul Mittman

From 1985 to 2008, Les DePaul Mittman established an impressive legacy as the Head Women’s Track Coach at Western Guilford. In 1995 and 1996, he also took on the role of coaching the men’s team. During his time at Western Guilford, Mittman achieved a remarkable coaching record of 261-41-2 and led his team to victory in the 3A State Championship in 1999. His success extended beyond this, as he secured thirteen conference championships, six regional championships, and ten Top-10 team finishes. As a fourteen-time Conference Track and Field Coach of the Year, Mittman continued his career at T.W. Andrews where he served as the Men’s and Women’s Head Track Coach from 2009 to 2010. During his time at T.W. Andrews, he received two more conference Track and Field Coach of the Year Awards in 2010 for his outstanding work with both the Men’s and Women’s Teams. He also guided his teams to victory in both the Men’s and Women’s Conference Championships in 2010. Mittman displayed exemplary leadership both on and off the track, serving as the first President of the North Carolina Track and Cross Country Coaches Association and organizing indoor and outdoor Track and Field events. He also held the position of Executive Director of the NCTCCCA from 2003 to 2021. In addition, he served as the NCHSAA Indoor (2002-2022) and Outdoor (1999-2021) State Meet Director. His commitment and dedication were recognized by the NCHSAA, who honored him with the Homer Thompson Award and Charlie Adams Distinguished Service awards for his exceptional career. In 2019, Western Guilford named their track after Mittman in recognition of his contributions. He has also been inducted into the Western Guilford Athletics Hall of Fame (2022), the Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame (2022), and the N.C. High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame (2022).

Roy Turner

Roy Turner has held various roles within the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association, including secretary, vice president, and president. He has also served on the Executive Board of Directors. Turner’s career began as a baseball coach at Southeast Guilford and Dudley High School from 1980 to 1997. He then became the athletic director at Dudley High School until 1997, when he moved to Southeast Guilford High School until 2006. From 2006 until his retirement in 2015, Turner worked as the athletic director at Ashley High School in Wilmington. In 2016, Turner was appointed as the executive director for the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association. He has also been the Supervisor of Officials for the Eastern Basketball Officials Association since 2015. Turner is well-respected for his contributions to interscholastic athletics and has received numerous accolades, including the NASPE National Athletic Director of the Year award and being named NCHSAA Athletic Director of the Year twice. He has also been recognized in the NCHSAA “100 to Remember” and has been inducted into both the National Interscholastic Athletic Directors Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Athletic Directors Hall of Fame.

Source: highschoolot.com