Campbell University

The only player in Fighting Camel history to bat over .400 on both the junior and senior college levels, Charles Koonce was inducted into the Campbell Athletics Hall of Fame in October 1992.  A four-year starter and three-year co-captain, Koonce attended Campbell from 1960-64.
 
A lead-off batter and center fielder, Koonce was never caught stealing and committed only two errors over four seasons.  He batted over .400 as a freshman (1961) and senior (1964).
 
Koonce earned the Herbert Taylor Award as the baseball team’s outstanding player in 1963.  As a senior, he led the team in seven offensive categories.  Following graduation, Koonce went on to play semi-professional baseball for six years in the Border Belt League.
 
After he graduated in 1964 with a B.S. in applied mathematics, Koonce went on to become an educational leader in the Fayetteville area.  He earned his M.Ed. from North Carolina State University and worked for 34 years for Fayetteville Technical Community College where he retired as the Director of the Small Business Center.
 
Upon retirement, Charles went to work for Methodist University in its Professional Golf Management Program, where he served as an Associate Director and Internship Director. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for Fayetteville Technical Community College.
 
On September 19, 2016, Koonce was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine – the highest honor a citizen of North Carolina can receive.
 
Koonce was also co-founder of Mid-South Sports, Inc., a sports promotion group that aired radio broadcasts of high school football games.  He also established awards and scholarships for Fayetteville area prep football teams and individuals.