Recognitions
From the beginning, academics was the focus of Charlotte Latin, but an early goal was to also have a healthy, well-rounded student body.
As a cost-conscious school, our founders limited the initial athletics program to what they could afford: basketball, cross-country, swimming, tennis, golf, soccer, track, and cheerleading.
Without facilities when we started, Latin's track team practiced on Saturday mornings at East Mecklenburg High School, soccer and basketball games were all away games, and cross-country ran at the newly-constructed Raintree golf course.
Despite these challenges, the 1975 track team had many successes. One of Latin's early superstars, Jon Michael, ran a 4:11:7 mile – that still stands as our school record.
Through an unwavering commitment to our mission and the understanding of the important role athletics plays in teaching students, the current Latin Athletics program consists of 69 teams who train and compete in facilities that include gyms, tracks, stadiums, weight rooms, pools, and more. Our 128 acre campus includes such specialty areas as a wooded cross-country course, SwimMAC Carolina and a state-of-the-art conditioning facility.
Hawkspys
- Hawkspys 2023
- Hawkspys 2022
- Hawkspys 2021
- Hawkspys 2020
- Hawkspys 2019
- Hawkspys 2018
- Hawkspys 2017
- Hawkspys 2016
- Hawkspys 2015
Hawkspys 2023
Miss and Mr. Latin Hawk: Mayes Fisher and Tyler Hendley
Scholar Athlete: Helen Hurden and Aaron Logan
Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year: Eleanor Poole and Davis Sayman
Performer of the Year: Ella Smith and Ned Hull
Quiet Leadership: Jane Cotchett & Mary Cate Kiser and James Van Nort
Supporting Athlete: Avery Swartz and Hampton House
Sportsmanship Award: Lilly Clark and George Smith
Varsity Coach of the Year: Mike Weiss
Newcomer Coach of the Year: Michael Chadwick
Assistant Coach of the Year: Giavonni Mack
JV Coach of the Year: Elizabeth Owen
Middle School Coach of the Year: Jeff Wolfe
Hawkspys 2022
Miss and Mr. Latin Hawk: Nina Lavelle and Daniel Haughton
Scholar Athlete: Josie Harper and Harrison Klingman
Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year: Mary Schleusner and Dave Mosrie
Performer of the Year: Megan Klingenberg & Madeleine Pease and Levani Tutovani
Quiet Leadership: Olivia Halperin and Thomas Hullinger
Supporting Athlete: Maddie Shannon and Brandon Lavitt
Sportsmanship Award: Audrey Okland and Ryan Beam
Varsity Coach of the Year: Justin Hardin
Newcomer Coach of the Year: Joey Prestidge
Assistant Coach of the Year: Gabi Gorelick
JV/Middle School Coach of the Year: Drew Dayton
Hawkspys 2021
Miss and Mr. Latin Hawk: Grace Crutchfield and Cole Lavelle
Scholar Athlete: Maria Llerenas Soto and Marshall Hanson
Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year: Hope Morrow and Dean Omirly
Performer of the Year: Lindsay Flynn and Graham Calton
Quiet Leadership: Caroline Van Nort and Ryan Lietz
Supporting Athlete: Forrest Williams and Kwame Thornhill
Sportsmanship Award: Mary Gale Godwin and Kyle Smith
Varsity Coach of the Year: David Paige
Newcomer Coach of the Year: Nancy Atwell
Assistant Coach of the Year: Dr. Ken Collins
JV/Middle School Coach of the Year: Terence Jordan and Tammi Rogers
Hawkspys 2020
Hawkspys 2019
Miss and Mr. Latin Hawk: Ruthie Jones and Rob Schleusner
Scholar Athlete: Myah Pease and Alexander Donald
Multi-Sport Performer of the Year: Cece Colombo and Walker Finke
Performer of the Year: Amy Dragelin and Kase Mermans
Quiet Leadership: Ella Lavelle and Kevens Grammont
Supporting Athlete: Grace Armstrong and Timothy Swimmer
Sportsmanship Award: Casey Thomsen and Smith O’Leary
Hawkspys 2018
Miss and Mr. Latin Hawk: Claudia Dickey and DeMarkes Stradford
Scholar Athlete: Cecelia Monnin and David Cowan
Multi-Sport Performer of the Year: Sydney Scott and Charlie Orndorff
Performer of the Year: Mary Elliott McCabe and Sam Mahoney
Quiet Leadership: Annabelle Oakes, Ben Okel and Brendan Reilly
Supporting Athlete: Julia Gass and Sam Turner
Sportsmanship Award: Ellie Perrigo and Rich Pope
Varsity Coach of the Year: Mike Weiss
Newcomer Coach of the Year: Kyle Searles
Assistant Coach of the Year: Mitch Sanford
JV/Middle School Coach of the Year: Beth Pence
Hawkspys 2017
Miss and Mr. Latin Hawk: Emma Mathews and Bates Jones
Scholar Athlete: Moon Cheong and Ikenna Eruchalu
Multi-Sport Performer of the Year: Ele McCarter and Melvin Rouse
Performer of the Year: Isabelle Sumichrast and Adam Bear
Quiet Leadership: Tory Wilkison and Michael McClelland
Supporting Athlete: Hannah Burlingame and David Baynard
Sportsmanship Athlete: Olivia Fox and Will Gardner
Varsity Coach of the Year: Patty Waldron
Newcomer Coach of the Year: David Paige
Assistant Coach of the Year: Justin Hardin
JV/Middle School Coach of the Year: Laura Thomsen
Hawkspys 2016
Miss and Mr. Latin Hawk: Kiera Dowell; Tyler Henry & Hunter Sheridan (tie)
Scholar Athlete: Kendall Phillips; Jack Ratterree
Multi-Sport Performer of the Year: Christina Glaser; Ben Scott
Performer of the Year: Rachel Mackey; Caleb Jordan
Quiet Leadership: Kassie Nielsen; Sean Bonner
Supporting Athlete: Harper McCabe; Noah Berens
Sportsmanship Athlete: Claire Kelly; Nick Bolger
Varsity Coach of the Year: Deb Savino
Assistant Coach of the Year: Pat Duffy
JV/Middle School Coach of the Year: Jeff Wolfe
Newcomer Coach of the Year: Sterling Thomas
Hawkspys 2015
Miss and Mr. Latin Hawk: Leila Evans; Toby Okwara
Scholar Athlete: Caroline Peters; Carson Song
Multi-Sport Performer of the Year: Carrie Mittl; Daniel Jones
Performer of the Year: Cydne Pennington; Kanyon Tuttle
Quiet Leadership: Kelly Thomsen; Jay Kane
Supporting Athlete: Catherine Gill; Jackson Monnin, John Oates
Sportsmanship Athlete: Lily Beck and Emily Herron; Sebastian Nabatoff
Varsity Coach of the Year: Dick Sipperly
JV/Middle School Coach of the Year: Donay Fullwood
Newcomer Coach of the Year: Melvin Leak
CLS Athletic Hall of Fame
The Charlotte Latin School Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes members of the Charlotte Latin School community who have distinguished themselves as outstanding contributors to the School's athletic program by having demonstrated exemplary sportsmanship and character. Inductees also will have established high standards of excellence in athletic achievement.
Athletic Hall of Fame Nomination Form
2024 Hall of Fame Inductees
Haylee Dawe '11
Haylee Dawe led her teams to eight state championships (4 cross country and 4 track & field) for a perfect career record. She won the 3200 meter race at every conference meet over the course of her four-year varsity career. Prior to Haylee, the Girls’ Cross Country program was the only long-running program in Latin’s history that had never won a conference or state championship. Haylee led the way in shattering that distinction and dominating the state over the course of her career. Haylee compiled the greatest career of any distance runner in school history, but also set the standard for excellence and sportsmanship in Latin distance running. Per Coach Mike Weiss, “She was driven yet unselfish, forceful yet kind, and the perfectly coachable competitor. In cross country, it was typical for Haylee to win the race, jog through the finish chute and over to the team site, and grab water bottles to hand out to teammates when they finished. She was a phenomenal, inspiring leader, and I will never coach anyone greater than Haylee.”
As a cross country and track runner, Haylee’s accomplishments were many:
- Individual state champion, Girls’ Cross Country 2010
- Member of NCISAA record (and state champion) 4x800m team 2011
- All-State in Cross Country 2007–2010
- All-State in Track 2008–2011
- All-Conference in Cross Country 2007–2010
- All-Conference in Track 2008–2011
- Charlotte Observer Runner of the Year 2009 & 2010
- South Charlotte Weekly Girls Runner of the Year 2009
- School record holder in 5K (18:01)
- Latin has named “Haylee’s Hill” on campus in her honor
Haylee earned a scholarship and matriculated to Elon University, where she competed and served as team captain in Cross Country and Track. Haylee’s coach at Elon remarked that she “completely changed the spirit of the team.” She earned the following distinctions there:
- 2011 Southern Conference All-Freshman Team for Cross Country
- 2012 Indoor Southern Conference All-Freshman (3,000m and 5,000m) for Track
- 2013 Second Team All-Southern Conference for Cross Country
- In 2011, Haylee clocked the fourth-best time in program history of 17:43.90 at the SoCon Championships and earned SoCon All-Freshman Team honors
- Team's Coach's Award
- At one point, she held the 10,000m women’s record at Elon
- Team Captain
Haylee currently lives and works in New York City, where she is a District Sales Manager for Pediatric Nutrition at Abbott.
Claudia Dickey '18
Claudia Dickey was a prominent basketball and soccer player for the Hawks. Dominating in soccer, Claudia was a goalkeeper, but she also played midfield in her junior year, scoring the game-winning goal in the 2017 state finals. At Latin, she had the following achievements in soccer:
- Four-time state champion
- All-State Soccer selection all four years
- First team All-America 2017; second team All-America 2016
- North Carolina Soccer Coaches Player of the Year 2017
- Greater Charlotte Goalkeeper of the Year three straight years 2015–2017
- Made 260 saves and averaged 4.3 saves per game
In basketball, she was the starting point guard all four years and finished her career with over 1,000 points. She averaged 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists per game in her career. She helped the Girls’ Basketball team win a conference championship and make it to the state semifinals her senior year.
Following her graduation from Latin, Claudia played soccer and basketball at UNC Chapel Hill. Midway through her sophomore year, she concentrated on soccer; she was on the U-20 team that qualified for the 2020 World Cup. As the starting goalkeeper for the Tar Heels, Claudia was responsible for the following soccer achievements:
- She made 81 appearances and 55 starts, recording 149 total saves and a 0.810 save percentage.
- She helped her team to the College Cup in each of her first three years, serving as a starter for three years and in the 2019 College Cup finals.
- She earned a First Team All-ACC selection (2020-21) after ranking first in the nation in shutouts with 15. She ranked 12th in the NCAA for goals against average, with an average of 0.45.
- She scored 4 goals on penalty kicks.
Claudia was a regular member of the U.S. National Team in Women’s Soccer at U-18 and U-20 levels in 2016 and 2017. She continued to train with the U-18, U-19, and U-20 national teams before being selected by Seattle Reign FC as the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NWSL draft on December 18, 2021; she was called up to the U-23 camp in January 2022. With Seattle Reign, Claudia has proven herself as a leader in the league, as evidenced by the following:
- She was a starter in 2023 after strong performances during the 2023 Challenge Cup.
- She did not allow a goal in all three of her starts during the 2023 Challenge Cup, leading her club to clinch the first overall seed.
- She totaled 12 starts for the club across all NWSL competitions, recording 8 shutouts and 37 saves.
- She recorded 3 shutouts in 6 regular season starts, adding 2 additional shutouts in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the 2023 NWSL playoffs.
- She was the fifth goalkeeper ever in the league to earn a shutout in her playoff debut (the third-youngest goalkeeper among the five).
- Her goals against average (0.78) was the best among all NWSL goalkeepers to appear in at least nine games between the regular season and playoffs.
- To date in 2024, Claudia has started eight games (1-3-4 record), recording 25 saves and two clean sheets.
Claudia has extended her contract with the Reign to continue playing professional women’s soccer through the 2025 season.
Joey Holder '93
Joey Holder was a major part of seven state champion teams, encompassing soccer, basketball and track; as a senior, he was a captain for his teams in all three sports. During his time at Latin, Joey played and started on the Varsity Soccer team all four years for Coach Lee Horton. According to Coach Horton, Joey was instrumental in the team’s state championship titles in 1989, 1990 and 1992. In both the ’89 and ’92 championship matches, Joey scored the game-winning goals. Joey was given the accolades of All-Conference, All-Region, and All-State during his sophomore, junior, and senior years. During Joey’s senior year at Latin, he was on the All-South team and voted MVP by the NCISAA. Overall, he had 69 career goals and 38 career assists as a soccer player.
Joey also was a member of the Varsity Basketball team for three years at Charlotte Latin for Coach Jerry Faulkner, and a member of the 1991 and 1993 state championship teams. Joey was voted the team’s “Best Defensive Player” all three years. In his senior year, he served as team captain, started as point guard, was voted All-Conference, and led the team to the state title. His junior year, the Varsity Basketball team won the 1992 conference championship.
In track & field, Joey helped the Hawks win the state title in 1991 and 1993 under Coach Larry McNulty. As a senior, he placed first in the state in the 200m, the 400m, and the mile relay (where he was the anchor).
In his senior year, Joey won the Male Athlete of the Year Award for Charlotte Latin and was ranked as being in the top 3 male athletes for all of Mecklenburg County by The Charlotte Observer.
After graduating from Charlotte Latin in 1993, Joey attended Wofford College on a soccer scholarship. In 1994, he transferred to Hampden-Sydney College. Over three seasons as a Hampden-Sydney Tiger, Joey played in 56 soccer matches, scored 27 goals, and had 23 assists. He was first-team All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference and All-Region at Hampden-Sydney during his sophomore and senior seasons. Joey also played basketball for Hampden-Sydney his senior year as a walk-on.
Joey now works as a Regional Vice President of Sales and Business Operations for CarMax. He has two children currently attending Charlotte Latin.
Lee Horton
Lee Horton coached the Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer teams from 1985 to 2022. Over the course of 37 years, he had over 1,000 wins between the two teams. He won 19 state championships (7 with the boys and 12 with the girls) and 35 CISAA conference championships. In 2010, the girls’ team went undefeated for the second year in a row and ranked number one in the nation. Horton was named the state soccer association's 3A private school coach of the year five times as the women's coach and three times as the men's coach. In 2004, he was named National Coach of the Year (Private/Parochial Boys) by the NSCAA. In service to the NSCAA, Coach Horton chaired the National High School Coach of the Year selection committee for many years. He also earned National Coach of the Year in 2017 from the United Soccer Coaches Association for his work with the Latin Girls’ Soccer team. Coach Horton has had three players go on to play professional soccer (Cannon Clough ’14, Claudia Dickey ’18, and Juan Guzman ’06).
In addition to coaching Latin soccer, Lee was very involved with the Charlotte Eagles W-League. From 1993 to 1999, he was the assistant coach for the men’s team. Horton led the Lady Eagles from the program's inception in 2000 until the discontinuation of the W-League after the 2015 season, consistently making the playoffs and earning the championship title in 2001. With the Lady Eagles, Lee was a two-time National Coach of the Year for the United Soccer League. He was inducted into the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame in 2007 and the United Soccer League Hall of Fame in 2011. He is also a five-time honoree as Coach of the Year by the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association (NCSCA).
Lee was an All-American soccer player during his high school career, and is in the Hall of Fame at Ravenscroft School. Coach Horton retired from Latin in 2022 and has been enjoying traveling with his wife Mercedes and spending time with his grandchildren. He can still be found from time to time on campus driving a bus and covering a PE class.
Daniel Jones '15
At Latin, Daniel Jones was a three-year Varsity Football letterman under Coach Larry McNulty. Daniel, who helped the Hawks to two state championship game appearances, was elected a team captain for his junior and senior years. Stellar performances both seasons earned not only championship appearances for Latin, but also the following awards for Daniel:
Varsity Football state champion in 2014 and runner-up in 2013
- First-team NCISAA All-State: 2014
- Second-team NCISAA All-State: 2013
- All-Conference: 2013, 2014
- South Charlotte Sports Report Quarterback of the Year Award
- Multi-Sport Performer of the Year: 2015 Hawkspy Awards
- Daniel departed Charlotte Latin with the following school records:
- Total offensive yards (8,344), total passing yards (6,997), single-season total yards (3,727), and single-season passing yards
- Total touchdowns (98) and single-season passing touchdowns
Although a stellar football player, Daniel also earned three letters in Boys’ Basketball, serving as a team co-captain during his senior season.
Daniel matriculated to Duke University, where he joined the football team as a walk-on. He went on to have a successful three-year career in Durham, leading the program to back-to-back bowl wins for the first time ever. Daniel currently ranks fifth in all-time passing yards and third in all-time passing touchdowns at Duke.
Daniel was selected sixth overall by the New York Giants in the 2019 NFL draft, the highest a Duke player had been taken in the draft in more than 30 years. Since then, Daniel has set the following records:
- Giants franchise records:
- Rookie season awards:
- Most games started
- Most completions and highest completion percentage
- Most pass attempts, most passing yards, most passing touchdowns, most pass yards per game, and best passer rating
- Most fourth-quarter comebacks and game-winning drives
- Longest quarterback run
- First quarterback with 2,500+ passing yards and 400+ rushing yards in a single season; first quarterback with 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing in a single game
- Most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season and in a career
- NFL records:
- Most passing touchdowns in a single game by a rookie quarterback
- First rookie to have three games with four touchdown passes and no interceptions
- First player to have 300-plus passing yards, two-plus touchdown passes, and 70-plus rushing yards (including no interceptions) in a postseason playoff game
Daniel is now in his sixth season with the New York Giants. Despite his busy schedule, he continues to visit Latin and stay connected with our football Hawks.
Tonya Phifer '97
Tonya Phifer was a three-sport athlete, excelling on the softball field, the basketball court, and the track. Basketball was Tonya’s true calling, but she still remained a member of the Girls’ Track & Field and Softball teams during her time at Latin. As a player on the Girls’ Basketball team, Tonya earned the following achievements:
- Two-time state champion (1995, 1997)
- One-time state runner-up (1996)
- Two-time All-State
- Four-time All-Conference
- Four-time Charlotte Observer All-Mecklenburg
- Charlotte Observer Player of the Year
- Mecklenburg County Player of the Year
- Averaged 21.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.0 steals as a senior at Latin
- Averaged 19.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.1 steals as a junior at Latin
- Career-high 34 points and 12 rebounds vs. Hammond School in 1997 conference championship game
- Key member of the 1996-1997 CLS Team: Conference Champs, State Champs, and Sweet 16 Champions for Charlotte Observer
After graduating from Latin, Tonya continued her athletic career at UNC Charlotte. There, she further distinguished herself:
- Four-year starter
- Conference USA Newcomer of the Year (1997-1998)
- Total career statistics: 1,500 points (the fourth-most in school history when she ended her career), 381 rebounds, 345 assists, 200 steals
- Preseason First Team All-Conference USA (first player so named for the 49ers since the school joined the conference in 1995)
- Only the fourth player in school history to score more than 1,000 points by the end of her junior year
- As a junior, finished second on the team in scoring with 13.0 points per game and led the team in assists and steals for the second straight year with 114 and 55
- As a senior, led the team in scoring and assists
Tonya remained in Charlotte after her graduation from UNCC; she is now the President and Senior Investigator at JPPI, a full-service investigative business where she specializes in criminal defense investigations, insurance fraud investigations, background checks, and due diligence. Tonya also remains committed to developing the game of basketball. She is currently an Assistant Coach at Team Curry, where she helps train and mentor young female basketball players to develop their skills, confidence, and teamwork.
2022 Hall of Fame Inductees
Chris Canty ’00
Chris Canty ’00 surprisingly began his athletic career at Latin, not on the football field, but rather on the basketball court. This eventual NFL star did not join the Varsity football team until his junior year. But when he did, he helped lead the Hawks to the NCISAA State Championship in 1999 and earned All-Conference and All-State honors as a senior tight end and defensive end. At Latin, he recorded 20 receptions for 400 yards, 89 tackles, and seven sacks bringing his prep career stats to: 161 tackles, 12 sacks, and two fumble recoveries. He was also a two-year letterman and all-conference honoree for the basketball team.
Chris earned an athletic scholarship to play football at the University of Virginia. As a Cavalier, he was a two-time second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and led all conference defensive linemen in tackles during his sophomore and junior seasons.
Chris began an 11-year career in the NFL when he was selected in the fourth round (132nd overall pick) of the 2005 draft by the Dallas Cowboys. After starting all 16 games as the Cowboys’ right defensive end three consecutive years, he became a free agent in 2009 and signed with the New York Giants. In 2011, he registered career-high marks in tackles (47) and sacks (4) and started in the Giants win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. Chris concluded his NFL career in 2015 after spending three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.
Chris currently resides in New York City, where he is a host of ESPN Radio’s Canty & Carlin. A member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, he is also the founder of the Chris Canty Foundation which strives to enhance the development of youth in our communities.
Eve Davis ’13
Eve was a 4-year starting player at Outside Hitter for the Varsity Volleyball team which won the State and Conference Championships all four years. During Eve’s career, she led the team to records of 38-1, 40-2-1, 31-3, 27-1. She was team captain both her junior and senior years.
Her awards and honors include:
- 2012 Under Armour All-American First Team
- 2012 NC Gatorade Player of the Year
- All-State 2010, 2011, 2012
- All-Conference 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
- All-American, Prepvolleyball.com 2012
- Her career stats:
- 1987 Kills (1000th kill scored on 9/7/2011)
- 1353 Digs
- 280 Aces
- 108 Blocks
Eve was consistently named to the All Charlotte Observer First team, the All South Charlotte Weekly First team, and was named the Player of the Year for both South Charlotte Weekly and Charlotte Observer in 2011 and 2012. Nationally, she was ranked in the Top 26 Freshmen and in the Top 23 Sophomores and Juniors by Prepvolleyball.com. Eve was NC Gatorade Player of the Year in 2012 and an Under Armour All American in 2012 (awarded to 24 girls nationwide).
Before going on to coach at St. Mary’s School in Raleigh, Eve played one year of Division 1 volleyball for the NC State Volleyball team.
She returned to Latin during summers after graduating to play and help train the future Latin teams during summer workouts. She also coached alongside fellow Hall of Famer Coach Suzie Pignetti at Carolina Juniors Volleyball club.
Eve lives in Charlotte where she is a realtor with Dickens Mitchener Residential Real Estate and Head Coach of the Varsity Volleyball team at Charlotte Catholic High School.
Ellen Grigg ’07
As part of Latin’s swimming program, Ellen won four consecutive state championships in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle and was part of two champion 400-yard free relay teams. Named All-Conference and All-State all four years, she was also an All-American her freshman and senior years, and named the Charlotte Weekly 2007 Swimmer of the Year.
Ellen is the current Latin record holder in the 500 freestyle (4:58.4 in 2007) and was the record holder in the 200 freestyle (1:52.72 in 2004) until 2018 when broken by Amy Dragelin ’19. Ellen’s 200 free relay team (Christa Holt ’06, Cecily Shaw ’07, and Anna Steenrod ’04) from 2004 held the Latin record until 2019.
Ellen graduated from Latin and went to Northwestern University, where she was an All-American swimmer and team captain. She set four school records at Northwestern, including breaking two school records in a single swim at the 2009 NCAA championships, and she remains in the top five fastest performers at Northwestern in five events. Ellen also competed in three events at the 2008 Olympic Trials.
As passionate about academics as she was about athletics, Ellen was inducted to Latin’s Cum Laude Society and was named Academic All-Big Ten, a Scholar All-American, and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar while at Northwestern.
Ellen lives in Madison, Wisconsin, and is proud to be inducted alongside her father, John.
John Grigg ’79
John Grigg ’79 was a multi-sport athlete at CLS. He was a member of four consecutive NCISAA state team tennis titles during the Bev Earle era and won the prestigious individual singles state championships in 1978 and 1979. He won the North Carolina Tennis Junior State Championship in Boys 18 singles and doubles in 1978, and came in #3 in singles and #1 in doubles at the southern region championships (9 states) in 1979. He went on to become captain of the UNC tennis team, which was nationally ranked and the co-ACC regular season champion his senior year. He lost only one singles match in the ACC that year.
At Latin, John was also named to the Charlotte Observer’s All Mecklenburg County basketball team in 1979. He was named to the NCISAA All-State basketball team in 1978 and 1979 and was the leading scorer in the NCISAA in 1979. John also won several track and field events as an adjunct member of the track team including coming in first at the CISAA conference meet in the 100-yard and 220-yard dash events his senior year.
John and his wife Amanda live in Charlotte. He is proud to be inducted alongside his daughter Ellen ’07. John adds that his daughters, Anne ’10 and Julia ’10, were stalwart defenders on the juggernaut CLS soccer team from 2007–10, but their legacies are blemished by their fatuous claims that they could handily beat their father across his cherished 100-yard distance during that era.
2020 Hall of Fame Inductees
- Jeff Conger ’90
- Fletcher Gregory ’04
- Coach Larry McNulty
- Coach Suzie Pignetti
- Tiffany Tisdale Rice ’94
- Holt Wrenn ’97
Jeff Conger ’90
Playing both defense and offense for the varsity football program during his sophomore, junior, and senior years, Jeff Conger was a proud member of the 1987 undefeated state championship team. His senior year, Jeff returned numerous punts for touchdowns and was named the Player of the Year in the NCISAA.
Jeff was also an exceptional baseball player and was coached by his father, Fred Conger. As pitcher and outfielder, Jeff led the Hawks to two state championships in 1989 and 1990. In the 1990 state championship game, he pitched a no hitter with 21 strikeouts, and he hit two triples and a homerun. He was named Player of the Year in both his junior and senior years in the NCISAA.
Drafted to the minors straight out of Latin, Jeff played eight years for the Pittsburgh Pirates and three years for the AA Carolina Mudcats. While with the Pirates, Jeff was often named amongst the fastest until a serious injury shortened his career.
Described by Coach McNulty as a “spectacular athlete,” Jeff ran the 100- and 200-meter races in hopes of breaking school records, which he ultimately achieved — during the baseball season!
Jeff came back to Latin during his baseball offseasons as an assistant coach for the varsity football team, fortunate enough to also be part of numerous State Championships. Once he retired his baseball career, Jeff joined his father to coach Latin’s baseball team, winning the team’s most recent state baseball championship in 2001.
Fletcher Gregory ’04
Fletcher excelled in three sports as an 11-year letterman (4 years in Varsity football and lacrosse and 3 years in Varsity basketball).
As a member of the Latin football program, he was All-Conference and All-State his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He was a two-time captain and, during his senior year, the team won the 2003 state championship, and he was nominated for the Wendy’s High School Heisman.
Much like his football career, Fletcher was All-Conference and All-State in lacrosse during his sophomore, junior, and senior years, and was captain of the team during his junior and senior years.
Basketball was Fletcher’s so-called third sport and yet, during his senior year, he led as captain, All-Conference, and the best defender on a team that won back to back state championships and lost by 1 point to the #1 high school team in the nation during the Dell Curry Shootout.
Moreover, he set the standard as a student-athlete, ultimately earning the prestigious Morehead Cain scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a roster spot on the Varsity Lacrosse team. At UNC, Fletcher was a 4-year letterman in lacrosse, and a 2-year captain of the team (junior and senior years). He was a Lowe’s Senior CLASS award national finalist which recognizes achievement in athletics, academics, and community involvement during his senior year.
Having earned his MBA at Harvard University, Fletcher resides in New York City, where he is a Growth Equity Investor at General Atlantic.
Coach Larry McNulty
Coach McNulty took the helm of the Hustlin’ Hawks Latin football program in 1985, leading the team to 11 state football championships (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2016) with three undefeated seasons (1987, 2007, 2016). In 2007, the Hawks also finished No. 1 in the Charlotte Observer Sweet 16.
Five of Coach McNulty’s former players have been or are active in the NFL: Sam Mills, Jr. (coaching), Chris Canty ’00, Brenton Bersin ’08, Ross Cockrell ’09, and Daniel Jones ’15.
Recipient of the 2016 Bronko Nagurski High School Coach of the Year award, Coach Mac was also awarded Latin’s Hawkspys Varsity Coach of the Year in both 2004 and 2011. He won the Steve Howard Excellence in Coaching Award in 2006 and the coveted Inlustrate Orbem (CLS Alumni) award in 2015.
In addition to coaching football, Coach McNulty was also a Latin track coach leading the Hawks to 15 state championships (6 for boys, 9 for girls).
He and his wife Marilyn (they were high school football quarterback and cheerleader) are the parents of three sons, Cullen ’93, Connor ’95, and Carson ’97.
Coach Suzie Pignetti
From 2001-2012, with Suzie at the helm for 12 years, the Latin volleyball team won 11 consecutive conference championships and nine consecutive state titles (29 conference titles and 15 state titles overall). Charlotte Latin Volleyball also earned the American Volleyball Coaches Team Academic Award in each of these 12 years under Coach Pignetti’s tenure. Over the course of her 35-year coaching career at Latin, Butler High School, and Charlotte Country Day School, she compiled a win-loss record of 745-150, which is the North Carolina volleyball coaching record for the most wins. She was named the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Charlotte Observer Region Coach of the Year five times during her tenure at Latin (8 times overall).
Pignetti was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s 2012 National High School Coach of the Year and coached Latin’s All-American Eve Davis and the All-America East Team in the 2012 Under Armor All-America High School match.
In 2006 Suzie received the prestigious USA Volleyball Meritorious Service Award for outstanding service to volleyball in North Carolina. Coach Pignetti, a breast cancer survivor, is the Founder and chair of the Annual Serve for the Cure Volleyball Tournament for many years hosted by Charlotte Latin School and Carolina Juniors Volleyball, the largest student-generated fundraiser benefiting breast cancer research and education in North Carolina. Since its inception 18 years ago, Serve for the Cure has raised more than $550,000.
She coached many high school players (including two All-Americans) and club players who have gone on to play at the collegiate level.
She is a founding director of Carolina Juniors Volleyball (CJV), owned by Latin parents Kelly Beck '82 and Allan Haseley, which provided many Latin students and other volleyball players in the area a place to not only train and excel in the sport of volleyball, but to also develop personal strength, determination and leadership skills. Suzie continues to serve as a Master Coach for CJV.
With all of those credits to her name it is obvious that Coach Pignetti is an expert in teaching and coaching volleyball; however, she was never complacent in her abilities. Coach Pignetti was an innovative coach who continually researched better ways and the best tools to teach and coach her sport. In 2002, she brought a new system of teaching, playing and coaching volleyball to Charlotte Latin, which was and is still being employed by the U.S. National Teams.
The true legacy Suzie Pignetti leaves is one of excellence in player leadership, accountability, and trust among the players. She has built a “program” with tradition, fostering a sisterhood among the players that extends well beyond their time at Charlotte Latin. Her former players and their parents frequently returned to support her and her teams as they competed for titles — to once again be a small part of their shared accomplishments. Coach Pignetti is remembered for the amazing career record she achieved, but her true legacy is the disciplined, confident, hardworking, and caring group of young women her program has produced.
Tiffany Tisdale Rice ’94
Tiffany was a powerhouse on Latin’s soccer field. After losing in the prior year’s state championship game to Country Day, her senior team had a winning record of 17-1-0 and went on to win the conference tournament and the state championship. A team captain, Tiffany was named All-Region, All-State first team in addition to All-South, All-American, team MVP and State Player of the Year.
A stand-out player at Ohio State University for four years, Tiffany earned the following honors and awards:
- Team captain
- Scoring leader/points leader - 1996 1997
- Academic All-Big Ten - 1996 1997
- Coaches’ Award - 1994 1996 1997
- Scholar Athlete - 1994 1995 1996 1997
- Big-Ten Conference Medal of Honor Finalist - 1997
- GTE Academic All American nominee - 1997
- Second team All-Big Ten - 1994
Upon graduation from OSU, she played with and was captain for Charlotte Speed (1997–1999) and played under Coach Lee Horton again for the Charlotte Lady Eagles (2000–2004). In 2002, Tiffany was on the W League All-Tournament Team (Final Four). For years she participated in the Charlotte Eagles Soccer Club, Missionary Athlete International soccer tours traveling to Sweden, Czech Republic, Africa, and more.
Tiffany has coached soccer on many levels in the Charlotte area — from Charlotte Soccer Academy to North Meck Eclipse Select to Davidson College. She is currently the head girls soccer coach at Carmel Christian in Charlotte.
Holt Wrenn ’97
As a three-sport athlete, Holt played football, baseball, and wrestled for the Hawks. In total, he played on 12 different Latin varsity teams, was captain of 5, and won state championships in all three sports. He was awarded Senior Male Athlete of the Year for the Class of 1997.
In football, Holt rushed for 1,133 yards his senior year, had 18 touchdowns, 135 tackles, and 8 sacks for the Hawks and helped lead the team to its historic 41-9 State Championship victory over Country Day. Holt received the NCISAA and CISAA Player of the Year Award in 1996. He was a 4-year starter and a 2-time captain. Holt was an All-State player in 1994, 1995, and 1996 on both offensive and defensive teams. He received the Pitt Rutter Award in 1997, and was a member of the 1996 Charlotte Observer All-Mecklenburg Defense team.
As a Mat Hawk, Holt started competing on the varsity team as an eighth grader. He was a team member for five seasons and served as captain for two. Holt was 34-0 his senior year and 61-3 over his last two seasons. Holt helped lead the Mat Hawks to a team State Championship his senior year, was the #215 individual state champion as well as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Holt earned All-American honors by placing seventh at the National Prep Wrestling Tournament in 1997. He was an All-Mecklenburg #215 wrestler his senior year and Conference champion for four consecutive years (1994–1997).
Holt also played baseball for the Hawks, earning All-State honors as an outfielder in 1996 and 1997. He was a member of the Hawk’s 1995 State Championship team and team captain his senior year.
Upon graduating, Holt continued to play football at UNC-Chapel Hill whose Tar Heels were ranked in the top 10 of the nation in 1997. He participated in both the Gator Bowl and Las Vegas Bowl. He was devoted to the Tar Heels football program every moment he was a part of the team.
Holt and his wife, Jennie, live in Charlotte with their children, Dewey ’29 and Birdie ’32.
2018 Hall of Fame Inductees
Rachel Lewis Anna ’97
Rachael Lewis Anna was a four-year varsity starter in both soccer and basketball
at Latin. Rachael was coached by Eric Smith in basketball and was a four-time
All-Conference, four-time All-Observer, and two-time All-State with two state championship titles. Lee Horton coached Rachael on the soccer field, where she
was four-time All-Conference, four-time All-Observer and four-time All-State
with 60 career goals, 30 career assists and three-time state runner-up. Rachael was
named the Charlotte Observer Female Athlete of the Year in 1997.
Rachael was a scholarship soccer player at Wake Forest University, where she was a four-year starter. She made the Southeast Region all-freshman team and was named part of the ACC All-Tournament team in 1999. Rachael played professionally for Santos FC (Brazil) and the Charlotte Eagles.
Rachael and her husband, David, live in Greenville, SC, with their daughter, Kyla, and son, Caden. Rachael earned her J.D. from Wake Forest School of Law and is a partner at Nexsen Pruet.
Cameron Dickerson ’88
As a member of Latin’s varsity wrestling team, Cameron won more than 20 wrestling tournaments in his career and was voted most outstanding wrestler in eight of those. Cameron was a four-time NCISAA state champion and placed second as an 8th grader. Cameron was the first 2-time All-American wrestler at Charlotte Latin, placing third
and fifth at the National Prep Wrestling Tournament in 1987 and 1988, respectively. Captain of the Mat Hawks his sophomore, junior and senior years, Cameron had an undefeated record for three years in North Carolina competitions, with his only losses coming in nationally-ranked tournaments. His 1987 state championship team placed
11th in the National Championship, held in Lehigh, PA. This same team was ranked #2 (AA class) in the state – the first independent school to rank in the top 10. Cameron’s 1988 state championship team placed 10th in the National Championship. Cameron was also the first independent school wrestler in history to be named part of the all-state team his senior year by Mat News Magazine. He is the only Latin wrestler to win the prestigious St. Albans tournament in Washington, D.C., where he was also voted the Most Valuable Wrestler. Cameron finished his wrestling career with an overall record
of 122-6.
Cameron was also a captain and starting halfback for the undefeated 1987 State Champion Varsity Football team. He was an All-Conference running back during his junior and senior years and a two-time All-State running back for independent schools. Coach McNulty describes him as one of the toughest, hard-nosed athletes, while also being a gentleman on and off the field.
Cameron received wrestling scholarship offers from UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Clarion State. He accepted the scholarship at UNC (ranked in the top 20 in NCAA) and wrestled from 1988 to 1992.
Cameron and his wife, Latin alumna Joy O’Keefe Dickerson ’88, live in Greenville, SC, with their four children, Graham, Emmy, Davis and Brady Dickerson.
Kathy Baker Guagagnino ’79
Kathy was the lone female on an all-male Varsity Golf team at Charlotte Latin, because the NCISAA did not have a Women’s Division until 2008. She overcame an 8-over-par 80 during the final round of play to capture the 1978 PGA Junior Championship, and in the spring of 1979 was named the Outstanding Woman Golfer of North Carolina.
After her Latin career, Kathy attended the University of Tulsa where she became a two-time NCAA All-American. In 1982, she won the NCAA Championship and competed on the US Curtis Cup and World Cup teams.
Kathy joined the LPGA Tour in 1983 and recorded her first victory in 1985 at the US Women’s Open, followed three years later with a victory at the Konica San Jose Golf Classic. Other career highlights include tying for 8th at the 1993 du Maurier Ltd. Classic — one of the LPGA Tour’s four major championships — posting a career-low score of 66 during the first round of the McCall’s LPGA Classic in 1994 and tying for 8th at the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic in 1997. The first athlete from Charlotte Latin to be internationally recognized, Kathy played on the LPGA Tour for 17 years until 2000, and was inducted into the South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame in 2002. Her most recent coaching role was at Florida Atlantic University, where she served as the Head Coach of the Women’s golf team from 2014 to 2018.
Kathy graduated from South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biblical Studies. She and her husband, Joe, have three children and live in Boca Raton, Florida — where they founded the Solid Rock Christian Church.
Malai Walker ’08
Once deemed the fastest woman to attend Charlotte Latin, Malai Walker held the
all-time record for the 100-meter and 200-meter dash for 10 years, before “passing the baton” to standout sprinter Sydney Scott ’18 during the 2018 track season. Malai still holds school records in the 4x100 and 4x200 meter relays.
A three-sport varsity athlete, Malai accumulated an unprecedented 22 State Championship titles as follows:
- 2005 – 100m, 4x100 and 4x200
- 2006 – 100m, 200m, 4x100 and 4x400 2007 – 100m, 200m, 4x100 and 4x200
- 2008 – 100m, 200m, 4x100 and 4x200
- Three Track & Field team titles (2006-2008)
- Four volleyball team titles (2005-2008)
In Track & Field, Malai was named All-State, All-Conference and MVP all four years. During her senior year, she was named All-American in the indoor 200m, running the sixth fastest time in the nation.
During her junior and senior years, Malai led the Hawks in blocks in volleyball and was named All-Conference and MVP in basketball. In 2008, the Charlotte Observer named her High School Female Athlete of the Year. She also received the Multi-Sport Female Performer of the Year Hawkspy award and was bestowed with Latin’s Pat Calhoun award.
Malai attended UNC-Chapel Hill on a track scholarship. While at UNC, she earned All-ACC and All-East Regional honors, was a Division 1 NCAA Championship qualifier and placed third at the prestigious 2009 Penn Relays Competition, in the 4x100m relay. Ever the student-athlete, Malai was named part of the All-ACC and All-American Academic Teams.
After graduating, Malai came back to Latin as an assistant Track & Field coach, specializing in sprints and relays. After five years of coaching, her athletes have amassed 31 All-Conference titles, 38 All-State titles and have set six new school records.
2016 Hall of Fame Inductees
- Elizabeth Barnhardt ’91
- Jimmy Broadway, former CLS Athletic Director
- Steve Howard, former Coach and Teacher
- Jon Michael ’75
- Scot Robison ’07
- Jenny Edwards Wood ’91
Elizabeth Barnhardt ’91
Elizabeth Barnhardt and her twin sister Kathryn Barnhardt Van Nort joined the Middle School swim team at Charlotte Latin as sixth graders and continued through their senior year. Under the coaching of Steve Howard, the Charlotte Latin girls’ swim team won the state title all four years of the Barnhardt twins’ varsity swimming career (1988-1991). Both girls were recognized as All-Americans for their individual and relays swims.
The Charlotte Latin swim team attended the prestigious and highly competitive Eastern Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championships at La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA. Elizabeth qualified for finals all four years in the 100 butterfly and placed second during her senior year. In 1990, she swam the 100 butterfly in 56:17, which continues to be the School record for that event, 26 years later. In 1991, Elizabeth was named North Carolina High School Female Athlete of the Year and was honored in a presentation by then Governor Jim Martin.
Elizabeth was offered a full scholarship to swim for the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and qualified for the NCAA Championships and the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1992. In 1993, Elizabeth transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a two-time letterman on the Tarheel swim team.
After graduation from UNC-CH, Elizabeth worked in politics and government, first for ten years with Congressman Robin Hayes (NC-8), and then as a lobbyist for the real estate and home-building industry in Charlotte. In 2010, she was celebrated in the Charlotte Business Journal’s “40 under 40” for her work in the Charlotte community. Elizabeth splits her time between Bemmel, the Netherlands and Charlotte, N.C.
Jimmy Broadway, former CLS Athletic Director
James Wesley Broadway, a Raleigh native, graduated from Wake Forest University in 1969 with a BA in Physical Education. At Wake Forest, Jimmy played four years of ACC basketball and coached a freshman team. From 1970-1985, Jimmy taught middle school math and served as head coach of boys’ varsity basketball, Physical Education Director and Physical Plant Director at Charlotte Country Day School.
Jimmy joined CLS in 1986 as the Physical Plant Director and Middle School boys’ basketball coach. He influenced much of Latin’s campus by initiating construction of the main entrance, the south campus road, six Lower School classrooms, the Bob Knight External Affairs Building, the E. J. Fox, Jr. Middle School building, the Media Center and the Beck Student Activities Center.
Jimmy became Athletic Director in 1993 and coached middle school basketball, Varsity softball, JV football, and Varsity girls’ basketball. Jimmy’s middle school basketball team held a streak of 69 winning games. During Jimmy’s 19-year tenure as AD, Latin won 10 Wells Fargo (Wachovia) Cups, was runner-up three times, and won 65 State Championships. “I hired people smarter than me. I hired good, caring coaches. I got out of their way and let them coach. I only stepped in when needed, which was not often!” Jimmy says of this success.
Jimmy served as Vice President of the NCISAA and President of the CISAA. He was awarded the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award by the NC Athletic Directors Association in 2010 and was inducted into the NCISAA Hall of Fame in 2013.
Jimmy’s family includes his daughter, Brandon Broadway ’95; granddaughter, Corinne Broadway; son-in-law, John Zinkan; sister, Febe, and brother-in-law, Bob Jackson, of Clemmons, N.C.; brother, Olin Broadway, and sister-in law, Sadye-Anne, of Charlotte.
Steve Howard, former Coach and Teacher
Coach Howard began his career at Charlotte Latin School in 1974. As the Varsity Swim Coach through 2007, he amassed 33 conference titles and 19 state titles with an overall record of 665–147–4. A masterful coach, his program produced 63 state champion swimmers and 27 high school All-American swimmers. Coach Howard was named Mecklenburg County Swim Coach of the Year five times, and in 2008, was honored with Latin’s Hawkspys Lifetime Athletic Achievement award.
In 2004, the Bobby Cockerham, Sr., family established an endowment that funds the Steve Howard Excellence in Coaching award. This award annually recognizes excellence in coaching as personified, modeled and practiced by Coach Howard. The Latin swim team also gives a Coach Howard Heart of Swimming award each year.
In addition to being the swim coach, Coach Howard was a Lower School physical education teacher for 37 years and a beloved bus driver for many of those. For 24 years during the summer months, he enjoyed coaching summer club swimming at Myers Park Country Club, where he won 18 league championships.
Retired from Latin in 2014, Coach Howard and his wife, Pam, live in Charlotte. They have four children, Michelle Howard Marshall ’89, Chip Crockett ’89, Mark Howard, and Jill Jacobs, as well as five grandchildren. Coach enjoys golf, spending his winter months in Florida with Pam, and of course, swimming with his grandchildren.
Jon Michael ’75
In 1971, Jon Michael began ninth grade at Charlotte Latin. He joined the School’s first track team in the spring of 1972 under the direction of Coach Wayne Bowman, a decorated hurdler also from Charlotte.
As a sophomore, Jon won the Regional Junior Olympic mile run held and qualified for nationals. As a senior, Jon won the Independent School Cross Country title and finished twenty-eighth nationally at the AAU Junior Olympic Cross Country Championship. In the winter, Jon competed in Williamsburg, VA, and Greenville, SC, in open mile competition and won both races. Jon remained undefeated in the mile, two-mile, and half-mile in the Independent School Championship held at CLS. He was also the anchor leg on the Distance Medley team and won at Florida Relays in Gainesville, FL, with teammates Doug Ausbon, Scott White and Scott Lee.
Jon graduated as valedictorian of the CLS Class of 1975. He attended The College of William and Mary where he ran cross country and was named All-Southern Conference his freshman year and competed at the NCAA
Division 1 Cross Country Championship. Jon finished his running career earning All-ACC and All-State honors while running for North Carolina State University. John logged more than 10,000 miles and graduated with a degree in electrical engineering with honors.
After college, Jon worked for General Electric in Birmingham, AL. He and his wife, Patricia, had three children before moving to Nashville, TN, with IBM. Jon went on to celebrate his sons, who were on three-time state track and cross country championship teams. Jon and Patricia are proud grandparents of twin 2-year-old granddaughters.
Scot Robison ’07
Scot was a standout swimmer at Latin, being named CISAA All-Conference and NCISAA All-State for four years. Latin’s varsity swim team won two state titles during Scot’s tenure. Individually, Scot was a state champion and School record-holder in freestyle, butterfly, backstroke and relay events throughout his CLS career. He served as a captain of his Latin team during his senior year and received the Class of 2007 Headmaster’s Quest for Character Award for
Personal Responsibility.
Post-Latin, Scot earned 21 Division I All-America honors and won 17 ACC titles at the University of Virginia. His Cavalier teams, which he captained his junior and senior years, won ACC team titles each of his four years. UVA also finished among the NCAA’s top 10 teams in each of Scot’s final three years. At graduation, he held seven ACC records. Scot enjoyed being involved in the student-athlete community at UVA and received numerous awards as a scholar-athlete and leader.
Scot was also a member of the USA Swimming National Team. Traveling to China, Mexico and Serbia, he competed in the FINA World Championships, the Pan American Games, and the World University Games. He won seven international medals for Team USA. In addition, Scot was the first alternate for the 2012 Olympic Team.
Since graduating from UVA, Scot has devoted time to founding a youth development nonprofit organization that empowers children in underserved communities in Nicaragua through the sport of swimming.
Jenny Edwards Wood ’91
Virginia (Jenny) was a three-sport athlete at Latin, playing field hockey, basketball and soccer. As a senior, Jenny was instrumental in pushing the Lady Hawks basketball to a victory over Providence Day in the state championship game. In the final two games of that tournament, she scored a combined 60 points. Jenny was named All-Conference and All-State her junior and senior years and first team Observer All-County her senior year. In field hockey, she was first-team All-State her sophomore and junior years.
According to Coach Lee Horton, Jenny (a forward) helped lead the girls’ soccer team to back-to-back state championships in 1989 and 1990. She scored 85 goals, had 35 assists in her Latin career, and was a two-time All-State player.
Upon graduation from Latin, Jenny attended Dartmouth College, where she was recruited to play women's soccer. After being a part of that team her freshman and sophomore years, she walked on to the Dartmouth Women's Lacrosse team as a sophomore – having never played the sport. As a lacrosse defensive midfielder, Jenny was named both first team All-Ivy and first team All-American during her senior year at Dartmouth. The Dartmouth Women’s team finished third in the NCAA tournament in 1995.
Jenny lives in New York City with her husband, Tom, and three daughters, Mary (11), Virginia (9) and Helen (7). She works for a hedge fund, Senator Investment Group, as Director of Client Relations. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Nightingale Bamford School where her three daughters are students. Jenny also coaches her daughters in lacrosse.
2014 Hall of Fame Inductees – Inaugural Class
- Bev Earle, former Coach
- Jerry Faulkner, former Athletic Director
- Anthony Morrow ’04
- Pender Murphy ’77
- Bob Patten, former Coach
- William Howard Pitt, Jr., founding Board of Trustees
- Dave Thompson, former Athletic Director
Bev Earle, former Coach
Bev Earle built the tennis program at Charlotte Latin, coaching Varsity Girls' and Varsity Boys' Tennis from September 1971 through June 1987. She led the Hawks boys' team to 10 state titles and the Hawks girls' team to eight state titles during her time at Latin. Coach Earle's personal playing record includes numerous junior titles, participation in prestigious national tournaments including the U.S. Open at Forest Hills, N.Y.; national rankings as high as No. 7 in women's doubles; a tennis scholarship to the University of Florida; and numerous Charlotte city titles and North Carolina state titles.
Bev also provided the Charlotte community with an excellent junior tennis program. Through her private lessons and teaching clinics Coach Earle created a veritable tennis factory that produced countless Division I collegiate tennis players. In 1983, Bev was inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame.
Bev and her husband, Fritz, live in Glade Valley, North Carolina. She has two children, Eric Cansler '82 (deceased) and Linda Cansler William '86.
Jerry Faulkner, former Athletic Director
Coach Faulkner joined Charlotte Latin in 1985 and during his tenure served as Athletic Director, physical education teacher, and coach for various teams. He most notably led the Hawks Boys' Basketball Program for 23 years before retiring in 2007. His Varsity Boys' Basketball teams posted records of 515 wins to 157 losses, earned five state championships, and had only one losing season.
Beyond wins and championships, his belief in teaching through life lessons and his emphasis on academics make a positive difference for young men and women participating in his programs. Recognized nationally for his coaching ability, Coach Faulkner was selected to coach the McDonald's All American Game East team in 2001. For more than 25 years, he spends part of his summer running the Woollen Gymnasium for the UNC Basketball Camp. Known as a great motivator, Coach Faulkner travels the country speaking for camps such as Nike and Prep Stars.
Jerry and his wife, Gail, live in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where he is in his third season as Head Basketball Coach at Hilton Head Preparatory School.
They have three children, Tara Faulkner McAlister '89, Amy Faulkner Sumner '92, and Charlie Morton '99.
Anthony Morrow ’04
Anthony Morrow '04 had an outstanding basketball career as a Hawk, including being named "Mr. Basketball" in North Carolina as a senior. He was a three-time All-State performer who led his Charlotte Latin team to North Carolina 3A Independent Schools State Championships his junior and senior years. Anthony was a four-year letterman under Coach Jerry Faulkner and served as team captain for two years.
As a senior, Anthony averaged 22.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists during Latin's 27-4 record season. He also won MVP honors in the state tournament. During his junior year, he averaged 24 points and 8 rebounds per game during Latin's 26-1 season. (The team's only loss was to Mount Zion Christian Academy in the state championship game.)
Over his college career, Anthony started in 123 games for Georgia Tech, averaging 11.4 points per game and 42% shooting for 3-point shots.
In 2008, Anthony started his first NBA game for the Golden State Warriors, scoring 37 points and setting the record for points scored by an undrafted rookie. He went on to lead the league in 3-point shooting percentage, the only rookie to ever earn that honor.
Pender Murphy ’77
Pender Murphy '77 led the Hawks to three consecutive state team tennis titles and won the individual state championship in 1977. Pender played tennis at Clemson University, where he was a four-time All- American and led the university to three ACC team titles. In 1980, he set an NCAA record by winning 35 consecutive matches. Pender served as team captain of the Clemson team in 1981 and was named team MVP.
From Clemson, he joined the U.S. Tennis Association, where he reached a career high ranking of No. 102 in the world and competed in the French Open and U.S. Open in 1983. In 2008, Pender was inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame, and in 2010 he was inducted into the Clemson Tigers Hall of Fame.
Pender and his wife, Patti, live in Charlotte and are parents to two daughters, Farrell '10 and Tricia '14.
Bob Patten, former Coach
In 1974, Coach Bob Patten left an established football program at South Mecklenburg High School for Charlotte Latin, which had neither a team nor a playable field. He enlisted students in physical education classes to clear rocks from the field to create an acceptable field. After teaching history during the day, Coach Patten was a one-man staff, serving as equipment manager, athletic trainer, and the sole football coach. He eventually recruited one volunteer assistant.
Only three years later, in the fall of 1977, Latin won its first state championship in football. The following year, Latin repeated as state champion, and also recorded the first win against Charlotte Country Day School. Coach Patten was known for involving all members of the Latin community, including members of Latin's special education class. He demanded as much of his players in the classroom as on the athletic field, setting the model for the academic/athletic balance that is so valued at Latin.
Although he retired from coaching in 1983, Coach Patten continued to serve Latin as Upper School Dean of Students and Upper School history teacher until his death in July 1990. On November 3, 1989, Latin's football field was named and dedicated the "Patten Stadium in honor of Robert Alvin Patten, Jr."
Coach Patten and his late wife, Mary Sue, are the parents of Bob Patten, Beth Patten Griffin and John Patten '83.
William Howard Pitt, Jr., founding Board of Trustees
Mr. William Howard Pitt Jr. is a member of Charlotte Latin's Founding Board of Trustees and was instrumental in all aspects of the establishment of the School's athletic programs. He made significant contributions to the development of the campus, particularly the track/stadium field where he ensured the irrigation would be set up properly by placing the water lines under the track. He is credited with hiring Coach Bob Patten and establishing the Hawks football program. Founding Board Chair Frank Thies once said that Mr. Pitt "kept things straight in meetings" and was a strong leader in the early days of the School.
An athlete himself – he was captain of the Duke University football team - his passion for the athletic programs stands out among the early leaders of the School.
Mr. Pitt lives in Charlotte. He and his late wife, Anna, are the parents of Susan Pitt Herring, Mariah Pitt Waltemyer '77, Mary Howard Pitt Lassiter '79 and Bill Pitt '86.
Dave Thompson, former Athletic Director
David (Dave) A. Thompson served as Charlotte Latin's first athletic director from the founding of the school in 1970 until 1985. During those early years in the School's history, he led the development of both the athletic department and Latin's physical education program. He also served as the Hawks Varsity Boys' Basketball Team coach for 10 seasons, garnering a winning record every year.
Dave was a co-founder and the first president of the Charlotte Independent Athletic Association. He also served as president of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association and was instrumental in building that organization. In 2010, he was inducted into the NCISAA Hall of Fame in recognition of his work organizing the association and for his service as the association's president during the formative years.
Coach Thompson died in 2012. He is survived by his wife, Rhetta, and their children, Michael Thompson '79, Rene Thompson '81, Bobby Meyer '82, Michael Meyer '83, and David Thompson.
Latin's exceptional athletes are recognized and recruited by regional and national college and universities. The College Counseling Office works cooperatively with the Athletic Director and the coaches throughout the academic year coordinating athletes' academic testing and educating them about recruiting and scholarship opportunities. A College Counselor works individually with students who sign to participate in NCAA Division I and NCAA Division III athletics.
Recent Graduates
Charlotte Latin students graduates from the last five years have participated or are currently participating in athletics at the following universities:
Amherst College, Auburn University, Baylor University, Berry College, Belmont University, Birmingham-Southern College, Boston College, Brown University, Carleton College, Clemson University, College of the Holy Cross, Colorado College, Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Davidson College, Denison University, University of Denver, Duke University, Elon University, Emory University, Franklin and Marshall College, Furman University, Georgetown College, Gettysburg College, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, University of Missouri, Morehouse College, Mount St. Mary's University, North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of Pennsylvania, Northeastern University, Oglethorpe University, Princeton University, Roanoke College, Rhodes College, Sewanee: The University of the South, Siena College, South Carolina State University, Stanford University, Syracuse University, Tennessee Technological University, Texas Christian University, the U.S. Military Academy West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, University of Virginia, Wake Forest University, Washington and Lee University, Wesleyan University, Yale University.
Alumni in Action
Charlotte Latin graduates playing professional sports:
Brenton Bersin '08 | (Wofford) NFL, Carolina Panthers (2013 - 2017) |
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Chris Canty '00 |
(Univ. of Virginia) NFL, Baltimore Ravens (2013-2015) Member of the NY Giants team that won the 2012-13 Super Bowl Championship 2010 Walter Payton Man of the Year winner (NY Giants) Drafted in 4th round of 2005 draft to the Dallas Cowboys |
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Ross Cockrell '09 | (Duke) NFL, signed by Carolina Panthers March 2018; previously with NY Giants (2017), Pittsburgh Steelers (2015-2016); drafted #109 by the Buffalo Bills in the 2014 NFL Draft |
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Juan Guzman '06 | (Liberty) USLPRO, currently with Oklahoma City Energy FC; previously with Charlotte Eagles Mens' Soccer Team |
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Anthony Morrow '04 | (Georgia Tech) NBA, currently with Portland Trailblazers; previously with Chicago Bulls (2017) and Oklahoma City (2014-2017); started NBA career with Golden State in 2008 |
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Andrew Tannenberger '08 |
(Univ. of Delaware) Charlotte Hounds Lacrosse Team (2016) |
