–Former Owen & Enka coach honored by NCHSAA
13 August 2007NCHSAA Press Release
Chapel Hill - August 13, 2007 - Former Owen and Enka head basketball coach Bill Rucker was one of the most successful women’s basketball coaches in North Carolina prep history.
He is also one of eight outstanding names in the annals of state prep athletics that have been selected for induction into the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. Others to be selected include: Stuart Allen of Charlotte, Daryl Barnes currently of Lexington, Bob Brooks of Elizabeth City, Bill Carver of Fayetteville, Elton Hawley currently residing in Clover, SC, Fred Lanford of Hudson, and Ronald Scott of Bear Creek have been chosen as the 21st group of inductees to join the prestigious hall.
That brings to 110 the number enshrined in the NCHSAA Hall of Fame.
Rucker’s teams won a total of 638 games against 252 losses in a 37-year career. He started his career by guiding teams at Tri High, Cool Springs and East Rutherford in Rutherford County, and then coached at both Owen and Enka High Schools in Buncombe County.
The graduate of R-S Central High and Tennessee Tech also was a head football coach for 13 years, baseball for five and track for five more years. In addition to his coaching duties, he was a volleyball game official for several years.
His teams won one NCHSAA state title in women’s basketball, finished second on another occasion and captured 16 conference regular-season crowns and eight tournament titles.
Rucker is a member of the Western North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and a couple of high school sports halls.
Leave a reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
