HIGH POINT â Jerry Steele was remembered Monday as an intelligent problem solver with a humorous wit and someone who cared about his players deeply.
Steele, who became the face of High Point College and then High Point University athletics during a long tenure as head basketball coach and athletic director, died Sunday, the university announced on Monday. He was 82 and had been in declining health.
Hired in 1972, Steele spent a school-record 31 seasons as the menâs head basketball coach and served as athletics director for the first 26 of those years. Before coming to High Point, he was head basketball coach at Guilford College and on the coaching staff of the American Basketball Associationâs Carolina Cougars for two seasons.