College Football News – Guilford Alumnus Jack Holley ’63 Tabbed for N.C. Sports Hall of Fame

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Guilford College alumnus Jack Holley ‘63 was recently selected for induction into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Holley joins 14 other inductees to enter the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame this year. Holley, who will be honored posthumously, is also a member of Guilford College’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

The 2018 N.C. Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held May 4 in the Raleigh Convention Center. Other members of this year’s class include professional golfer Donna Andrews, Fred Whitfield, president and chief operating officer of the Charlotte Hornets, local college football coaching legend Bill Hayes, and three-time Olympic speed-skating medalist Joey Cheek, a former Greensboro resident.

Jack Holley - Guilford 1963

Holley began his coaching career in 1963 as a student assistant at Guilford under fellow N.C. Sports and Guilford Hall of Famer Herb Appenzeller. Holley assisted Carolina Military Academy’s football team before starting on a decorated 46-year career as a high school head football coach in North Carolina. He served Tabor City High School, West Columbus High School, South Columbus High School, Hallsboro High School, Wallace-Rose Hill High School, and finally Harrells Christian Academy. Holley compiled a 412-96-9 record, the most football coaching wins in North Carolina history, and made five state championship appearances. His first and only state title came when he led Harrells Christian Academy to the 2008 N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association state championship.

Holley received numerous coaching awards over the years, including the 1982 North Carolina Associated Press Coach of the Year. He also coached in the North Carolina Coaches Association East-West All-Star Game and the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. A member of the Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame, he starred scholastically at New Hanover High School, where he played with NFL quarterback and fellow N.C. Sports Hall of Famer Roman Gabriel.

Jack Holley (player)- Guilford 1963

While at Guilford, Holley lettered four years in football and earned honorable mention All-North State Conference recognition in 1961. He also lettered for the Quakers’ basketball and baseball teams. Holley received Guilford’s 1961 Undergraduate Athletic Award and the school’s 1978 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Holley joins A.J. Carr ’65, M.L. Carr ’73, Rick Ferrell ’28, Bob Jamieson ’33, Dave Odom ’65, Ernie Shore ‘13 and Tom Zachary ’18 and as Guilford alumni among the Hall’s 336 members. Others honorees with Guilford ties include former coaches Jack Jensen and Jerry Steele, as well as former athletic directors Appenzeller and Marion Kirby.