The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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was an undersized left-handed pitcher who seemed to be too small for big-time college baseball. He spent four years at NC State and 14 seasons in the major leagues proving everyone wrong about that assessment. Who could have imagined? That thought was prominent and consistent for the second 10-member class of the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame. Nine former student-athletes and two coaches, including one member who qualified in both categories, were inducted Nov. 22 during a gala celebration at Reynolds Coliseum. The late Norm Sloan, a member of Everett Case's first recruiting class in 1946, was inducted as both a seven-time letterman in men's basketball, football, and track and field, and as a former men's basketball coach who led the Wolfpack to its first team national championship in school history. Two other late members were inducted, football coach Earle Edwards and basketball All-American Ronnie Shavlik. All three deceased members were represented by their families, including widows Joan Sloan and Beverly Shavlik and daughter Mary Ann (Edwards) McCoy. The other seven, to a person, were grateful, not just because they were being honored, but rather simply to have been given the opportunity to succeed. "I had no idea that I would even be on the team, let alone become an ACC and NCAA champion," Terkay said before the induction ceremony. "I didn't wrestle much during my senior year in high school because of a knee injury. I only lasted one semester at Chowan and had to walk on here at NC State. NC State Athletic Hall Of Fame Class of 2013 Tommy Burleson Men's Basketball, 1971-74 Mike Caldwell Baseball, 1968-71 Earle Edwards Football Coach, 1954-70 Torry Holt Football, 1995-98 Steve Gregg Men's Swimming, 1973-77 Ronnie Shavlik Men's Basketball, 1954-56 Norm Sloan Men's Basketball, Football, And Track & Field, 1946-49 Men's Basketball Coach, 1966-80 Betty Springs Geiger Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, 1979-83 Andrea Stinson Women's Basketball, 1989-91 Sylvester Terkay Wrestling, 1990-93 "I didn't know if I could contribute at all." Not only did the four-time ACC champion contribute, he had one of the more remarkable senior seasons in NC State, ACC and NCAA history in any sport: He finished 41-0 and easily won the national heavyweight championship, while also winning Academic All-America honors. "It proves that sometimes a stray dog can make a good pet," Terkay said. Holt wasn't exactly a stray dog — he just wasn't a strong test taker. He struggled to get his necessary grades, but once he did he remained committed to play for head coach Mike O'Cain and the Wolfpack. "What I got at NC State was a chance, when others weren't really willing to give me one," Holt said. "NC State stuck with me when I went to prep school and had a place for me when I was ready for college. I'd like to think that I worked hard and made the most of the opportunity the school gave me." Not only did Holt become a recordsetting receiver, an All-American and a first-round draft pick who won a Super Bowl championship as a rookie, he studied sociology and paved the way for younger brother Terrence to have an all-star career at NC State. For swimmer Steve Gregg, the table was already set for his athletics career. He was a well-decorated swimmer in his native Delaware before arriving to help coach Don Easterling's championship swimming team. "Swimming at State was great because NC State dominated on the national scene in swimming during that time," Gregg said. "There were no other great swimming programs on the Eastern Seaboard at that time. If you wanted to be good, you came to NC State. … The university believed in the idea that if you wanted to be great, you needed to be around other people who were great. "All I had to do was look around and see guys like David Thompson and Tommy Burleson already here on campus. It looked like the perfect place for me to be to be the best athlete I could be." Basketball player Andrea Stinson grew up in Huntersville, N.C., hoping to excel in (Left to right) Men's basketball star Tommy Burleson, Mary Ann (Edwards) McCoy, the daughter of the late football coach Earle Edwards, wrestling national champion Sylvester Terkay and women's basketball standout Andrea Stinson were all honored during the ceremony. Photos courtesy nc state media relations January 2014 ■ 21 20-22,24.Hall Of Fame.indd 21 12/5/13 3:35 PM