The North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame will induct two veteran high school coaches and a former Major League Soccer veteran goalkeeper as the Class of 2014 at the annual Hall of Fame banquet scheduled for Saturday, January 25, 2014, at the North Raleigh Hilton in Raleigh, NC.
Selected for induction are William Hesmer, former Wake Forest University All-America and goalkeeper for the Columbus Crew, as well as George Kennedy, girls head soccer coach at Bishop McGuiness Catholic High School, and Brien Braswell, boys and girls soccer coach at Ragsdale High School.
Hesmer, a native of Wilson, NC, retired from professional soccer following the 2012 season after 130 appearances with the Columbus Crew. His pro career began in 2004 with the Kansas City Wizards, who drafted him out of Wake Forest University, where he was a four-year starter for the Demon Deacons. He played in 134 professional games and was only the second goalkeeper in Major League Soccer history to score a goal.
Kennedy was the first Wake Forest University men’s head soccer coach when the Demon Deacons took the field for their inaugural season in 1980. He was named ACC Coach of the Year in 1982, and coached at WFU for six seasons. He was the boys and girls soccer coach at Western Guilford High School for 25 years and has a combined high school coaching record of 575-144-54.
Braswell, an all-state high school goalkeeper at Wake Forest-Rolesville HS, played collegiate soccer at Guilford College. He is in his 25th year as boys and girls soccer coach at Ragsdale High School, where his teams have won seven state championships, three for boys and four for girls. Braswell was named NSCAA Coach of the Year in 1993 and 2005 and was the NSCAA All-South Region Coach of the Year in 2005.
Additionally, the UNC Women’s soccer program will be honored at the HOF dinner. The Tar Heels will be the third honoree into the NCSHOF National Champions Hall of Honor, which recognizes national championship teams. The Tar Heels, who have won 21 NCAA Division I women’s soccer championships, and one AIAW national title, will be honored as a program rather than honoring any one team.
The public is invited to attend the annual HOF banquet in January. Ticket information will soon be available on the HOF website. The North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame’s website can be found at www.ncsoccerhallof fame.com
[/show_to][hide_from accesslevel=’Subscriber’]
Your subscription has expired please
Subscribe to Southern Soccer Scene to view full article and get all the news in your mailbox![/hide_from]