Jerry Steele
Encyclopedia
Jerry Steele was an American basketball player and coach.
Steele was a native of Elkin, North Carolina
. He played basketball at Wake Forest University
from 1958 to 1961 and in two of those years he was a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference
All Academic team.
Steele was the basketball coach at Guilford College
from 1964 to 1970.
In 1970 Steele joined the Carolina Cougars
of the American Basketball Association
as an assistant coach under Bones McKinney
.
In November 1970, after the Cougars started the season with a record of 17 wins and 25 losses, McKinney was dismissed and Steele was promoted to head coach. Steele's record for the remainder of the season matched that of McKinney: 17 wins and 25 losses. The Cougars finished the 1970-1971 season with a record of 34 wins and 50 losses, finishing in sixth place in the ABA Eastern Division and missing the playoffs.
Steele left the Cougars' head coaching position after the 1970-1971 season concluded. He was replaced by Tom Meschery
. Steele moved on to become director of player personnel for the Cougars.
In 1972 Steele became the head coach at High Point University
. Among his early players was current University of Minnesota head coach Tubby Smith
. Steele coached at High Point for 32 years, from 1972 to 2003. His record at High Point was 458-412. Steele's High Point teams won eight conference titles.
Steele retired after the end of the 2002-2003 season.
Steele was elected to the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2002 Steele was inducted into the North
Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. In 2005 Steele was inducted into the Guilford County, North Carolina
Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2007, the Steele Center was opened on the campus of High Point University, named after the Panthers' prolific coach. This facility houses locker rooms, offices and training facilities for 10 of HPU's twelve varsity sports. Ironically, the men's and women's basketball teams are those excluded from this facility, due to the large amount of office space required for the two revenue-earning sports, as well as the former athletic administration's offices' proximity to the varsity basketball arena floor and locker rooms, which the basketball coaches moved into in April 2007.
Steele was a native of Elkin, North Carolina
Elkin, North Carolina
Elkin is a town in Surry and Wilkes counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina, along the Yadkin River. Elkin shares its name with the surrounding township of Elkin Township...
. He played basketball at Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
from 1958 to 1961 and in two of those years he was a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
All Academic team.
Steele was the basketball coach at Guilford College
Guilford College
Guilford College, founded in 1837 by members of the Religious Society of Friends , is an independent college whose stated mission is to: provide a transformative, practical and excellent liberal arts education that produces critical thinkers in an inclusive, diverse environment, guided by Quaker...
from 1964 to 1970.
In 1970 Steele joined the Carolina Cougars
Carolina Cougars
Carolina Cougars was a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association that existed from late 1969 through 1974. The Cougars were originally a charter member of the ABA as the Houston Mavericks in 1967. The Mavericks moved to North Carolina in late 1969 after two unsuccessful...
of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
as an assistant coach under Bones McKinney
Bones McKinney
Horace Albert "Bones" McKinney was an American professional basketball player and coach....
.
In November 1970, after the Cougars started the season with a record of 17 wins and 25 losses, McKinney was dismissed and Steele was promoted to head coach. Steele's record for the remainder of the season matched that of McKinney: 17 wins and 25 losses. The Cougars finished the 1970-1971 season with a record of 34 wins and 50 losses, finishing in sixth place in the ABA Eastern Division and missing the playoffs.
Steele left the Cougars' head coaching position after the 1970-1971 season concluded. He was replaced by Tom Meschery
Tom Meschery
Thomas Nicholas "Tom" Meschery is a Russian American former professional basketball player. He was a power forward with a 10 year National Basketball Association career from 1961 to 1971. He played for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors and the Seattle SuperSonics...
. Steele moved on to become director of player personnel for the Cougars.
In 1972 Steele became the head coach at High Point University
High Point University
High Point University is a private liberal arts university in High Point, North Carolina, USA, affiliated with the United Methodist Church.- Beginnings :...
. Among his early players was current University of Minnesota head coach Tubby Smith
Tubby Smith
Orlando "Tubby" Smith is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the men's basketball head coach at the University of Minnesota...
. Steele coached at High Point for 32 years, from 1972 to 2003. His record at High Point was 458-412. Steele's High Point teams won eight conference titles.
Steele retired after the end of the 2002-2003 season.
Steele was elected to the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2002 Steele was inducted into the North
Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. In 2005 Steele was inducted into the Guilford County, North Carolina
Guilford County, North Carolina
Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. In 2010, the Census Bureau estimated the county's population to be 491,230. Its seat is Greensboro. Since 1938, an additional county court has been located in High Point, North Carolina, making Guilford one of only a handful...
Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2007, the Steele Center was opened on the campus of High Point University, named after the Panthers' prolific coach. This facility houses locker rooms, offices and training facilities for 10 of HPU's twelve varsity sports. Ironically, the men's and women's basketball teams are those excluded from this facility, due to the large amount of office space required for the two revenue-earning sports, as well as the former athletic administration's offices' proximity to the varsity basketball arena floor and locker rooms, which the basketball coaches moved into in April 2007.