Former High Point University men's basketball coach and Athletic Director Jerry Steele will be inducted along with four others to the Wake Forest University Sports Hall of Fame, the University announced on Friday. Steele was co-captain of Wake Forest's 1961 ACC Champion basketball team. He was head men's basketball coach at High Point University for 31 years and served as Athletic Director for 26 years.
Steele, who guided the Panthers men's basketball program from 1972-2003, amassed 458 wins during his tenure. While at High Point, Steele guided the program to eight conference titles and appearances in both the NAIA and NCAA Division II National Tournaments.
At Wake Forest, Steele was the co-captain of Wake Forest's 1961 ACC Champion basketball team. The Elkin, N.C., native played for the Deacons under Bones McKinney and he twice earned All-ACC Academic team honors.
After completing his master's degree at the University of North Carolina, Steele took over a struggling basketball program at Guilford College in 1962. Following a 5-20 record his first year, Steele led the Quakers to two conference titles, four district championships and made four appearances in the NAIA national tournament in Kansas City. In 1969-70, Steele guided Guilford to 29 consecutive wins and a 32-5 record while finishing fourth in the nation.
In 1970, Steele reunited with McKinney as an assistant coach with the American Basketball Association's Carolina Cougars. Steele succeeded McKinney as head coach midway through the season.
In 1972, Steele became the head coach at High Point University. In 31 seasons, Steele became the school's all-time winningest coach with a record of 458-412. His overall collegiate coaching record was 609-486. Steele was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1986, the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and was a member of the inaugural Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame class in 2005.
Steele's former players include current University of Minnesota head coach Orlando "Tubby" Smith, former NBA player and coach M.L. Carr and Bob Kauffman, the third player selected in the 1968 NBA draft.
Steele's wife, Kitty, presided over High Point University's women's tennis program for 14 years and was elected to the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1992.
In 2007, the Jerry and Kitty Steele Sports Center opened at High Point University. The Steele Center houses a majority of the Athletic Department administration, outdoor sports offices and locker rooms for baseball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country and track. It also has an academic study hall area, athletic team weight room, athletic training room and indoor golf hitting facility.
Along with Steele, this year's inductees to the Wake Forest University Hall of Fame include tight end John Henry Mills and punter Chuck Ramsey from the football team, track and football standout Steve Brown, and basketball player Jack Jensen.
The five will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during ceremonies at the Benton Convention Center on September 18. The class will be introduced to the public during a ceremony at halftime of Wake Forest's football game with Elon on Sept. 19.
