UNCG’S Ellen Griffin’40 to be Inducted into North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame:Jeff Davis(Dudley HS/Clemson), Jerry Stackhouse(Kinston/UNC-CH), Rick Barnes(Lenoir-Rhyne/Clemson) Curtis Strange(Wake Forest) and others going in

UNCG’S Ellen Griffin’40 to be Inducted into North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame

The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Reveals Class of 2023

RALEIGH, N.C. – The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame has announced its 2023 induction class. The new members, including the UNC Greensboro’s own (UNCG) Ellen Griffin’40, also include Rick Barnes, Jason Brown, Jeff Davis, Donald Evans, Tom Fazio, Tom Higgins, Clarkston Hines, Bob “Stonewall” Jackson, Trudi Lacey, Ronald Rogers, John Sadri, Jerry Stackhouse, Curtis Strange, and Rosie Thompson. Their planned induction will bring the total number of inductees to 400.

This esteemed group will be enshrined during the 59th annual Induction Celebration on the evening of Friday, April 21, at the Raleigh Convention Center, starting at 7 p.m. A news conference will be held earlier that day at 2 p.m. at the convention center.

Griffin is just the third UNCG graduate to be inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Prince Nufer Dixon and Maxine Allen were previously inducted.

A brief biography of Griffin follows; deceased inductees being inducted posthumously are indicated by an asterisk:

Ellen Griffin*—This pioneer in women’s golf was an amazing coach and instructor, as well as helped find the Women’s Professional Golf Association, the forerunner of the LPGA.

After earning a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1940, she taught the game for 28 years at her alma mater and then developed her own facility in Randleman, where she worked with amateurs and pros alike. In addition to coaching women’s golf, she was UNCG’s first coach women’s basketball team. Griffin was the 1962 LPGA Teacher of the Year and was among the first LPGA Master Professionals. She wrote golf instruction manuals and also spent time as educational director of the National Golf Association. Griffin was the first recipient of the National Golf Association’s Joe Graffis Award for service to the game.

“This year’s class joining the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame once again reflects the great variety and rich sports heritage that the hall highlights for our state,” said Dr. Jerry McGee, president of the hall’s Board of Directors. “This group and their collective accomplishments in specific areas, from great athletes to highly successful coaches to special contributors, create another exciting chapter for the hall. We are extremely excited about honoring these outstanding individuals in our induction celebration.”

Ticket information for the Induction Celebration is available at www.ncshof.org.

About the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
The N.C. Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1963. A permanent exhibit, the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame is located on the third floor of the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh and features over 200 significant objects and memorabilia donated by inductees. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

About the North Carolina Museum of History
The North Carolina Museum of History, a Smithsonian Affiliate, fosters a passion for North Carolina history. This museum collects and preserves artifacts of state history and educates the public on the history of the state and the nation through exhibits and educational programs. Admission is free. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro