CARDINAL GIBBONS ANNOUNCES FIRST INDUCTEES TO ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME
RALEIGH — An accomplished runner, two multi-sport athletes, two long-time volunteers and a veteran coach/athletic director have been selected as the first inductees to Cardinal Gibbons High School’s (CGHS) newly-created Athletics Hall of Fame.
The six people being recognized have strong ties to the sports program at the high school. They are: Julie Shea ’77, among the state’s top high school distance runners; Bryan McGann ’79, a baseball, soccer, basketball, and golf player; Troy Butler ’82, a baseball and basketball player; Jim and Peggy Taylor, Gibbons parents and volunteers; and Dean Monroe, Cardinal Gibbons coach and athletic director.
“This first class of inductees into our Athletics Hall of Fame represents exceptional athletic achievement, service to others, and a true commitment to the mission Cardinal Gibbons High School,” said principal Jason D. Curtis. “All of these individuals are such excellent models of excellence in athletics, and have set a standard for our program.”
After considerable planning and discussion members of the school community created the Cardinal Gibbons Athletics Hall of Fame over the last year to honor alumni, coaches, athletic administrators, and friends of the school’s sports program, with its long history of excellence and success. Inductees were selected for their outstanding performance and achievement in athletics, their sportsmanship, and their consistent loyalty and respect to Cardinal Gibbons High School. As men and women of faith, service, and leadership the inductees exemplify the school’s teachings and mission.
The six inaugural inductees were nominated by their peers and selected from more than 25 nominees by a seven-member selection committee. The committee includes an alumni representative, a school administrator, a faculty/staff member, and a member of the Cardinal Gibbons school community.
There will be a dinner to honor the inductees, as well as Gibbons’ 2012 Male and Female Athletes of the year, on May 17th at 6:30 p.m. in the school’s gymnasium. The keynote speaker will be Ron Francis, director of hockey operations for the Carolina Hurricanes and National Hockey League (NHL) Hall of Fame member. Francis played 25 seasons in the NHL for the Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Following are short bios of the first class of inductees to the Cardinal Gibbons Athletics Hall of Fame:
Julie Shea ’77 is among the top distance runner in NC high school history. Her 4:415 time in the 1600-meter run in the spring of 1977 set a national high school record which remains the unbeaten state record. Julie won four high school state championships. Her collegiate career at NC State included 11 All-American Cross Country and Track titles and seven National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships. Julie was named ACC Athlete of the Year in 1980 and 1981 and is a1993 inductee into the NC Sports Hall of Fame. She won the 5,000-meter race in the 1980 Olympic Trials.
Bryan McGann ’79
Played baseball, basketball, soccer and golf at Cardinal Gibbons. He was awarded numerous honors during his four years, including Wake County 1A Player of the Year, MVP, 1st Team Al-l Conference and All-East Honorable Mention in basketball, and in baseball he was a two-time MVP, twice named 1st Team All-Conference, and represented Gibbons for three years in the American Legion League. In soccer he received All-Conference Honorable Mention recognition as a midfielder. At East Carolina University, McGann played varsity soccer and was active in AAU amateur boxing, holding an Eastern North Carolina Cruiserweight boxing title in 1980 and 1981. Currently, McGann is active in coaching youth sports, including North Raleigh Bulldogs Football, N
Troy Butler ’82 played baseball and basketball at Cardinal Gibbons. As a member of the baseball team he attained All-Conference and All-District honors. He was also a four-year letterman in basketball; and as a senior he achieved All-Conference, All-State and Catholic school All-American honors. He went on to play baseball at NC State and then transferred to UNC-Wesleyan where he played basketball. Butler works for the NC State Highway Patrol and is a leader in his community.
Jim and Peggy Taylor, CGHS Parents & Volunteers, 1982-2012, are among the earliest examples of parent volunteer participation in Cardinal Gibbons’ athletics program. Peggy has been the men’s basketball scorebook keeper for more than 25 years. Jim fills many roles, including scoreboard operator and public address announcer. He also spent a recent season as an assistant coach with Gibbons’ JV boys’ baseball team. The Taylors’ relationship with Cardinal Gibbons is linked to the school’s historical ties to Sacred Heart Cathedral School where they volunteer in much the same way in that school’s athletic program.
Dean Monroe, coach and athletic director, has been an instrumental part of the Gibbons athletics program for 22 years. As athletic director he has overseen the growth of the program and has brought it many successes, such as capturing 10 Wachovia/Wells Fargo Cups as well as 120 conference and 87 state titles. Monroe is a nationally certified interscholastic athletics administrator (CMAA). During his tenure at Gibbons Monroe has also coached numerous sports, including varsity football and the boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams with over 400 varsity basketball career wins. He also started the following sports programs: football, boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, wrestling, girls’ golf, boys’ and girls’ track & field, boys’ and girls’ swimming & diving.
We thank Cardinal Gibbons High School for providing this information.
