CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCT) — The N.C. High School Athletic Association has awarded J.H. Rose baseball coach Ronald Vincent as its Harvey Reid Male Coach of the Year.
The announcement was made during a ceremony in June where several individuals were recognized for their accomplishments and work to further high school athletics in the state. Vincent’s honor is named in memory of legendary Fike boys basketball coach Harvey Reid.
It’s the second straight year a coach from Pitt County has won the award. Farmville Central boys basketball coach Larry Williford received the honor not long after his team won its third straight Class 2-A state title.
Vincent, a 2013 NCHSAA Hall of Fame recipient, has been a Pitt County resident his entire life, attending Pitt County Schools and graduating from J.H. Rose High School in 1965, where he played football and baseball. He attended East Carolina University from 1965-1969 and played football for the Pirates in 1966 and 1967.
This year, Vincent completed his 53rd year of coaching baseball for Pitt County Schools. He has also coached football over 30 years at Rose High School and Farmville Central High School. He’s also been a basketball and wrestling coach.
He taught at Farmville Central High School from 1969-1973 and Rose High School from 1973-2009.
Vincent holds the most wins for a high school baseball coach in North Carolina history with 985, which includes seven state championships in baseball (1975, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2021). Vincent was also an assistant football coach on five state championship teams (1975, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006).
He has also been a fixture at youth baseball games during the summer, hosting baseball camps for the City of Greenville for over 40 years. He has been on the Greenville Babe Ruth Board of Directors since 1977 and has also served as the district commissioner for Boy Scouts.
DORIS HOWARD FEMALE COACH OF THE YEAR – Joan Mabe, Chapel Hill High School
DAVE HARRIS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR – Colin Fegeley, Green Hope High School
BOB DEATON PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR – Jason Suggs, St. Pauls High School
BOB MCRAE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR – Cathy Moore, Wake County Public School System
TIM STEVENS MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR – J. Michael Blake, HighSchoolOT.com
ELTON HAWLEY ATHLETIC TRAINER OF THE YEAR – Emily Gaddy, Orange High School
DR. TIM TAFT MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR – Dr. Rick McBurney, Hudson Primary Care
