Mountain Athletic Amateur Club announces 2026 Hall of Fame class for October

The Mountain Athletic Amateur Club has unveiled its 2026 Hall of Fame class, set to be inducted on October 4 at the Omni Grove Park Inn. The five-member class comprises former Western North Carolina coaches and athletes. Scott Conner, a former Reynolds football coach, led the Rockets for 14 seasons, securing nine conference championships and two state championship game appearances.

Tim Clifton, ex-Mars Hill football coach, had a 173-156 record in his 32-year tenure. Norm Witek, who coached Brevard College cross-country for 47 years, led his program to four consecutive national championships in the 1980s. Annette Wise and Sheila Ford Duncan, both former UNC Asheville women's basketball players, were instrumental in leading their teams to state championships.

Lifetime Achievement Award honorees include Gary Ayers, a renowned play-by-play announcer, sportswriter Pete McDaniel, and former Western Carolina and Cherokee football coach Kent Briggs. Briggs, who passed away in June, led the Braves to their first state championship in 2017. McDaniel's illustrious career in sports journalism, particularly his coverage of Tiger Woods, was recognized with inductions into two halls of fame.