April 9, 2001
Cullowhee, N.C. -
Jack Leggett, Brett Miller, Bruce Peterson and Karen Sanders Peterson have been selected as the newest members of Western Carolina University's Athletic Hall of Fame, it was announced today.
The Class of 2001 will be inducted during WCU's Hall of Fame weekend, Oct. 12-13, in conjunction with the Catamounts home football contest versus Wofford (Saturday, Oct. 13).
Leggett, the current head coach of the nationally-ranked Clemson Tigers, is the winningest baseball coach in WCU history with 302 victories from 1983-91. He lead the Catamounts to an unprecedented five consecutive Southern Conference Championships and five straight NCAA tournament bids from 1985-89. Two of his teams, 1985 and 1987, finished the season ranked among the nation's top 30. The 1987 squad reached the NCAA Midwest Regional championship game. Western averaged 33 wins per season during Leggett's tenure and played in the SoCon Championship game in eight of his nine seasons. In addition to his success on the field, 100 percent of the players who completed their eligibility with the Catamounts, received a degree from WCU. Three players earned Academic All-America honors under Leggett's guidance, including first-team selections David Hill and Greg Johnson.
Miller is WCU's only three-time All-Southern Conference selection in men's golf (1984-86). He finished fourth in the 1985 SoCon Championship and fifth in 1986, while placing among the top 10 in 1984. His three-day total of 223 in the 1986 Championships helped the Catamounts place second, the school's best-ever finish in the SoCon.
Peterson is one of the most versatile athletes in WCU history, holding the unique distinction of being the captain on the Catamount football (1961 and 1962), basketball (1963) and tennis (1962 and 1963) teams. He was a quarterback, halfback and defensive back on the 1960-63 football teams. He helped lead the Western basketball team to the 1963 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championship game. In tennis, he was the team's No. 1 singles player in during the 1962 and 1963 seasons, serving as coach during his senior season. Following his graduation in 1963, he served as head football coach at Cane River High School, before moving to Asheville High School, where his teams won eight conference championships. Peterson has been selected to coach both the Shrine Bowl and the East-West All-Star games. He was named North Carolina High School Football Coach of the Year twice during the 1970's and inducted North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1994. Peterson moved into high school administration after his coaching career and was subsequently tabbed Buncombe County Principle of the Year in 1991. He retired after 30-plus years as a coach, teacher and public school administrator. Peterson additionally served as WCU's offensive coordinator in 1968.
Sanders Peterson etched her named in WCU history despite there being no women's athletic teams during her collegiate career. She overcame the obstacle by becoming the only female to earn a varsity letter on a male sports team, lettering for three seasons (1962-64) on the men's tennis team. Sanders Peterson played No. 6 singles as a sophomore, No. 3 singles as a junior and split time among the top two singles' spots as a senior. She was the only female to compete on a men's varsity team in the Carolinas Conference and all research indicates she was additionally the only athlete to accomplish the feat in the NAIA.
