Jerry Tolley and Tom Parham, two of Elon’s all-time greatest coaches, were formally inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame during a May 12 banquet in Raleigh. Read more about the ceremony through a recap of media coverage on the event.
The Times-News (Burlington, N.C.): “Tolley and Parham are Hall of Fame bound”
The Times-News (Burlington, N.C.): “Former Elon coach Tolley stays busy after Hall of Fame career”
The (Greensboro, N.C.) News & Record: “Elon, college and city, on center stage” (Currently available online only to N&R e-Edition subscribers) The News & Record story by sports columnist Ed Hardin centers on efforts by Elon alumnus Eddie Bridges ’57 to rally support and banquet attendance from members of the university community.
Parham and Tolley were also named in reports on other prominent North Carolina sports figures inducted this spring.
Associated Press (via the News & Observer in Raleigh): “N.C. Sports Hall hails Jarrett, Proehl”
Parham retired from Elon in 2004 and is a member of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame, the Elon Sports Hall of Fame, the Atlantic Christian/Barton College Hall of Fame, the NAIA Hall of Fame, the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame and the Wilson County Sports Hall of Fame. He guided the Elon men’s tennis team for 19 seasons (1986-2004) and the women’s squad for four campaigns (2001-04).
Tolley began his college football coaching career at Elon in 1967 as the defensive coordinator and later as assistant head coach under Shirley “Red” Wilson. When Wilson departed Elon in 1977, Tolley was elevated to head football coach. His teams advanced to the NAIA Division I playoffs on three occasions, claiming back-to-back national titles in 1980 and 1981. Tolley retired from coaching at the top of his game following the 1981 season.