CHAPEL HILL — The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) is proud to announce the NCHSAA Hall of Fame Class of 2026, recognizing eight individuals whose contributions have had a lasting impact on high school athletics across the state. The 2026 class includes Michael Baker, Zoe Bell, Patty Evers, Greg Frey, Vicki Hamilton, Beecher “B.W.” Holt, Leonardo “Leo” Lockhart, and Bobby Reynolds.
These honorees represent decades of service as coaches, administrators, officials, and advocates for student-athletes. Their achievements include state championships, national coaching honors, pioneering leadership in school systems, and lifelong commitments to mentorship, sportsmanship, and community service. Collectively, their work has shaped programs, opened opportunities for students, and strengthened high school athletics throughout North Carolina.
Michael Baker, Fairmont
Michael Baker devoted more than four decades to Fairmont High School as a teacher, coach, and athletic director. As head basketball coach, he compiled a 471-206 record and led Fairmont to the 1994 state championship. Baker also served as athletic director from 1994 to 2024 and spent 20 years volunteering with the Robeson County Special Olympics while earning numerous honors, including the NCHSAA Athletic Director Award of Outstanding Service.
Zoe Bell, Charlotte
Zoe Bell built one of the most successful volleyball coaching careers in North Carolina history at Providence and Ardrey Kell High Schools. She compiled an overall record of 853-229, winning five state championships and 16 conference titles while also coaching softball at Providence. Bell is the founder and president of the North Carolina Volleyball Coaches Association and was named the 2018 American Volleyball Coaches Association National Coach of the Year.
Patty Evers, Elizabethtown
Patty Evers has built a remarkable legacy in girls’ basketball at East Bladen High School, compiling a career record of 655-159, including 580 wins with the Lady Eagles. Her teams have captured 15 conference championships, made 22 NCHSAA regional appearances, nine final fours, and five Eastern Regional Championships. Evers has taught for 26 years and also served as an athletic director, NCHSAA Board of Directors member, NCADA Board of Directors member, and a longtime leader within statewide athletics.
Greg Frey, Woodstock, GA
Greg Frey led one of the state’s most dominant wrestling programs during his tenure at Morehead High School from 1983 to 2010. Frey compiled a career record of 576-124-5 and won five NCHSAA Dual Team State Championships and three tournament titles. His wrestlers captured 23 individual state championships and earned numerous honors, while Frey himself was recognized multiple times as a conference and statewide coach of the year and was inducted into the Wrestling National Hall of Fame in 2006.
Vicki Hamilton, Charlotte
Vicki Hamilton served as the first female Director of Athletics for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools from 1994 to 2011, where she championed expanded opportunities for student-athletes and strengthened Title IX compliance. A longtime advocate for equity and academic standards in athletics, Hamilton implemented policies requiring student-athletes to maintain strong academic performance while promoting fair opportunities for women in coaching and administration.
Beecher “B.W.” Holt, Bristol, TN
B.W. Holt coached high school football in North Carolina for more than 40 years, building winning programs at Franklinton, Starmount, Rocky Mount Academy, and Rocky Mount High School. Holt finished with a career record of 347-120-2, ranking among the winningest coaches in state history. His teams were known for discipline, strong defense, and consistent playoff success.
Leonardo “Leo” Lockhart, Kinston
Leo Lockhart is a Kinston native and longtime multi-sport official who has worked NCHSAA contests in baseball, basketball, and volleyball for 27 years. He has been selected for 12 state championship assignments across those sports and twice worked all three championships in the same year. Lockhart has received multiple Dick Knox Distinguished Service Awards, the Bill Suggs Memorial Award for Baseball, the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association Official of Excellence Award, and the 2025 NCHSAA Golden Whistle Award.
Bobby Reynolds, Cherryville
Bobby Reynolds is one of the most successful baseball coaches in North Carolina history. During his high school career at Cherryville and East Rutherford, he compiled a 572-191 record with six state championships, 15 conference titles, and nine regional championships. Reynolds has also enjoyed tremendous success in American Legion baseball, winning five state championships and making two American Legion World Series runner-up appearances.
The NCHSAA Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made significant contributions to high school athletics through leadership, service, and achievement. The NCHSAA will host a private reception for the new inductees on April 21 at the NCHSAA office, and the Class of 2026 will be formally inducted during a ceremony on August 15 at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro.
