The N.C. High School Athletic Association announced the 2026 inductees to the Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
Two high school sports icons from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools are part of the Hall of Fame class: Zoe Bell of Providence and Ardrey Kell, and former CMS Director of Athletics Vicki Hamilton.
Bell served as a volleyball coach at Providence and Ardrey Kell, compiling a career record of 853-229. Her impressive record included five state championships and 16 conference titles.
In addition to coaching volleyball, Bell also coached softball at Providence.
Bell is the founder and president of the N.C. Volleyball Coaches Association, and was named the 2018 American Volleyball Coaches Association National Coach of the Year.
Hamilton was the first female Director of Athletics at CMS, serving from 1994 to 2011.
In her time as the district’s athletics leader, Hamilton focused on expanding opportunities for student-athletes and strengthening Title IX compliance.
As an advocate for equity and academic standards in athletics, Hamilton implemented policies requiring student-athletes to maintain strong academic performance, while also promoting fair opportunities for women in coaching and administration.
The NCHSAA Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made significant contributions to high school athletics through leadership, service, and achievement.
A private reception for the new inductees will be held on April 21 at the NCHSAA office in Chapel Hill. The formal induction will take place on Aug. 15 at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro.
Here are the other inductees in the 2026 NCHSAA Hall of Fame class:
Michael Baker (Fairmont) 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 1994–2024 and spent 20 years volunteering with the Robeson County Special Olympics while earning numerous honors, including the NCHSAA Athletic Director Award of Outstanding Service.
Patty Evers (Elizabethtown) 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 and a longtime leader within statewide athletics.
Greg Frey (Woodstock, GA) led one of the state’s most dominant wrestling programs during his tenure at Morehead High School from 1983–2010. 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.
Beecher “B.W.” Holt (Bristol, TN) 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) 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) 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.
