Herb Sampsel

Year Inducted: 2016

Herb Sampsel graduated from Middleburg High School in Pennsylvania. He went to Lenior-Rhyne, entered the military and following his service, joined SHS Staff in 1946 and coached basketball and baseball until he retired in 1981. He led the girls basketball team to 580 wins and only 102 losses, 22 regular season titles, 13 tournament titles, and a state championship trip with a 25-4 record in 1981. He was considered one of the top high school girls basketball coaches in USA.

Sampsel was bestowed a tremendous honor with the naming of Statesville High School’s gym after him, the Herb Sampsel Gymnasium.

He also coached baseball for over 20 years at the high school, Babe Ruth and American Legion levels.

In 2017, Sampsel was posthumously inducted into the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.