Austin is working his 25th year as an NFL official (referee since 1990) and has received a post-season assignment every year, including three Super Bowls. The former ACC official also serves as coordinator of officials for Conference USA.  An Asheville native, Austin retired from public school administration.  He is a graduate of Western Carolina and holds a doctorate from UNC-Greensboro.

After a sterling high school career in Benson, Beasley played women’s basketball at NC State from 1977-1980.  She scored 2,367 points, and remains first in NC State history and 3rd in ACC history. Her career 1,245 rebounds is first in NC State history, and 3rd in ACC history. Beasley is second in ACC history with 1,017 field goals. She made the All-ACC Tournament teams in 1978, ’79, and ’80 and was MVP of the1980 ACC Tournament, won by NC State. Beasley earned Kodak All-America honors also.

Brennan was a member of UNC’s 1957 NCAA basketball championship team and its leading rebounder.  He led the ACC in scoring (21.3) and rebounding (11.7) his senior year (1958).  Brennan’s honors include Final Four 1st team (1957), ACC Player of the Year, Dixie Classic MVP, All-America 1st team.  He ranks third in career rebounds per game (10.5) at UNC. 

Dave Bristol never made it to the major leagues as a player, but became a manager in the Cincinnati Reds farm system in 1957.  He won the Pacific Coast League pennant as San Diego's manager at the age of 31.  He became the youngest major league manager in 1966 when he took over as skipper of the Reds.  After three and a half years, Cincinnati fired Bristol, despite winning 53% of his games.  He also managed at Milwaukee, Atlanta, and San Francisco.

Tom Butters enjoyed a prominent career in intercollegiate athletics while serving as the director of athletics at Duke University for two decades. A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan and a former professional baseball pitcher, Butters came to Duke in 1967 as director of special events. He coached the Blue Devils’ baseball team from 1968-70 and worked in several other administrative capacities before his appointment as director of athletics in 1977. By the team he retired in 1998, he had left a firm imprint on the university by raising millions of dollars to improve facilities, by instituting a scholarship endowment program that has been emulated elsewhere and by directing his department to a high level of national distinction based upon a philosophy of excellence with integrity.

 The Lincolnton native was the dominant NC State defensive lineman from 1965-67 and the Wolfpack’s first consensus football All-America (1967).   Byrd was the first three-time All-ACC player and NC State retired his #77 jersey in 2002.  He was a 1968 first round draft pick of Boston Patriots, but injuries forced early retirement.  Byrd was also named to ACC’s 50th Anniversary team in 2003.  Byrd died July 23, 2010 and will be inducted posthumously into the College Football Hall of Fame in December.

NASCAR team owner won 6 Winston Cup championships with Dale Earnhardt behind the wheel, 11 total championships, the Busch Grand National championship in 2001 and the Truck Series title in 1995.  Childress drove his own car from 1969 – 1981 and had six top-five and 76 top-10 finishes.

  He played in 4 post-season all-star games.  He played in the AFL with San Diego and led the league in interceptions in 1962.  With Oakland he led the AFL in punt returns in ’63 and ’64.  His college coaching career started with NC State in 1967 as defensive backs coach; three years as head coach at Tulsa; and 10 years as head coach at Mars Hill College.

Hardison, a Newton Grove native, was the first UNC defensive player who was not a two-way performer to earn 1st team All-America honors. In 1977 he led the Tar Heels to the number one scoring defense ranking (7.4 ppg), allowing just 10 TD’s in eleven games.  Hardison started every game during his three year UNC career.  He had a 10-year career in the NFL with Bills, Giants, Chargers, and Chiefs.

In 1974 Huff was a 1^st Team All-ACC and Consensus All-American Offensive Lineman at UNC.  He won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, Jim Tatum Medal, two time recipient of the Bill Arnold Award, Captain of the College All-Stars and came in 2^nd for the Outland Trophy Award.  Huff lead UNC to an 11-1 Atlantic Coast Conference championship and set school total offense records. In 1975 he earned a degree in Psychology and was the 3^rd pick in the first round of the NFL draft.  Huff played 11 years in the NFL and was one of the “Hogs” with the Redskins in the 1983 Super Bowl.

Guilford College’s most decorated coach, Jack Jensen has directed four of the Quakers’ five national championship teams. His 2005 and 2002 golf teams won the NCAA Division III title and the 1989 team won the NAIA crown. The 1989 team included Lee Porter, who played six years on the PGA Tour.  Jensen also won 386 games in 29 seasons as the Quakers’ head men’s basketball coach and took the 1972-73 squad to the NAIA national championship, Guilford’s first in any sport. The team featured future NBA players M.L. Carr, World B. Free and Greg Jackson. Jensen was the second person to coach two different sports to NAIA national titles.

      North Carolina’s Don McCauley led the ACC in rushing in 1969 and 1970 and was the league’s Player of the Year both seasons.

      As a senior in 1970 he ran for 1,720 yards, breaking the NCAA single-season record. He led the nation in all-purpose running, touchdowns and points. He became the first ACC running back to be named a consensus All-America.

      He saved his greatest performance for his last game in Kenan Stadium, rushing for 279 yards and scoring five touchdowns in a 59-34 win over Duke.

      McCauley is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He was an easy choice for the ACC’s Silver Anniversary team.

      He was a first-round NFL draft choice and had an 11-year career with the Baltimore Colts.

  The Elon resident began his baseball managing career in 1955 in Fayetteville and ended it in October 2005 when he retired as manager of the Florida Marlins.  He led Marlins to the 2003 World Series title at age of 74.  He won 1,146 games as a minor league manager, then had stints in the majors with Kansas City, Oakland, and Cincinnati.  He was called “Trader Jack” while the VP for baseball operations in San Diego (1980-90).

     A long-time captain of the United States Women’s National Team and standout at the University of North Carolina, Carla Overbeck is one of the most successful women’s soccer players in U.S. history. 

      Overbeck was a member of three U.S. World Cup teams, two Olympic squads and one Goodwill Games.  She was instrumental in leading the U.S. to the 1999 World Cup title.

      She played on the 2000 Olympic team, gold medal USA squad at the Goodwill Games in 1998, the gold medal team at the 1996 Olympics and led the U.S. to a 1991 World Cup title.

      An All-America at UNC, Overbeck won four National Championships.  Overbeck is currently an assistant coach on the Duke women’s soccer staff where she recently completed her 18^th season. 

Coached UNC baseball team 23 years, with 528-342 record, and won four ACC championships. On UNC staff for more than 30 years, including time as assistant baseball coach and as an assistant athletics director. Member College Coaches HOF. Died  April 4, 2006 in Chapel Hill at the age of 91.

            The head field hockey coach at the University of North Carolina since 1981, Karen Shelton has led UNC to national prominence in the form of six NCAA Championships, six NCAA runner-up finishes, 16 Atlantic Coast Conference titles and 27 winning seasons. She carries a career record of 482-133-9 and ranks fifth among NCAA coaches in career wins.

            A member of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame, Shelton was a three-time national player of the year at West Chester State and helped the U.S. team to a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

        Around the golfing community, Raleigh’s Paul Simson is recognized by two prominent trademarks -- his straw fedora and championship trophies.
    With a sharp short game and competitive fire, the 58-year old insurance executive has won about 200 titles. They include 20 Carolinas Golf Association crowns, two North-South amateurs, three North-South Senior Amateurs and two British Senior Amateurs.
    No wonder folks call "Champ."
    His success in the North-South placed him on the Wall of Fame in Pinehurst, along with famous names like Jack Nicklaus, Curtis Strange and Davis Love III.
    Simson, an All-America one season at New Mexico, competed on the professional mini tour for a short stint after college. He regained amateur status in 1978, but still plays like a pro.

White retired in 2005 after 27 years as Elon University athletic director.  He led Elon from NAIA membership through NCAA Division II status to its current NCAA Division I affiliation with the Southern Conference.  Elon teams have won 12 conference Excellence Awards and four national championships under his leadership. A 1962 graduate of Wake Forest University, he was an All-ACC halfback and the conference's leading rusher in 1961.