Herb Appenzeller - (2010)

            In nearly 40 years at Guilford College, Dr. Herb Appenzeller  worked as a professor and administrator and produced countless scholars, athletes and leaders in their fields. Guilford's Jefferson-Pilot professor of sport studies emeritus, he served as a professor, coach, and, for 31 years, as the Quakers’ athletic director. During his tenure, Guilford captured national titles in men’s basketball (1973) and women’s tennis (1981). It was Appenzeller's vision that provided the impetus for the college to create one of the nation’s first majors in sport management in the early 1980s. At the time, there were roughly 20 such programs across the nation, and Guilford’s was one of the first anywhere with a focus at the undergraduate level.
           Appenzeller played football at Wake Forest for N.C. Sports Hall of Famer “Peahead” Walker and played in the first Gator Bowl where Wake defeated South Carolina, 26-14. Appenzeller came to Guilford in 1956 following eight years as a coach, teacher and director of athletics at Rolesville (N.C.) High School, Wakelon (N.C.) High School and Chowan College.  He was credited with turning four athletic programs around, winning championships at three of the four schools.  The game field of Guilford’s Armfield Athletic Center was renamed Herb Appenzeller Field in 2006.
            Appenzeller is a member of no less than seven sports halls of fame, including NACDA (National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics) Hall of Fame, NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame, Wake Forest University Athletics Hall of Fame and Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame.  In 1993 Appenzeller received the Distinguished Service Award from the North Carolina Coaches Association and Guilford College recognized his career contributions to the college with its Distinguished Service Award.  He received the received the Leadership Award from the Society for the Study of the Legal Aspects of Sport and Physical Activity (SSLASPA) in 1999, the Simon Terrell Director’s Choice Award in 2001, the SSLASPA President’s Award in 2002, the Guy M. Lewis Academic Achievement Award from the International Conference on Sport and Entertainment Business in 2002, the 2004 Outstanding Achievement Award, Sport Management Council of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, the George Whitfield Baseball Clinic Honor Award,  Presidential Award from the Safety and Risk Management Council of AAHPERD, received three presidential awards from three presidents of the SRLA (Sport and Recreation Law Association).