University of North Carolina Athletics
Shelton Inducted Into Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
November 13, 2015 | Field Hockey
North Carolina field hockey coach Karen Shelton was among 15 honorees inducted Thursday evening into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place at the Sheraton Society Hill. This is the 12th class inducted into the Hall.
The entire Class of 2015 is:
Tim Brown, football
Rich Gannon, football
Walt Hazzard, basketball
Rick MacLeish, hockey
Garry Maddox, baseball
Billy Markward, basketball
Benny McLaughlin, soccer
Bob Montgomery, boxing
Lou Nolan, announcer
Karen Shelton, field hockey
Sam Thompson, baseball
Cindy Timchal, lacrosse
Dick Vermeil, football
Dick Williams, tennis
Dave Zinkoff, announcer
“It's a tremendous honor,” Shelton said. “Philadelphia is an unbelievable sports town and for them to claim me as one of theirs is so special to me.”
Shelton moved to the Philadelphia area when she was in fifth grade, and that's where she picked up the sport that would become so important in her life. After graduating from Marple Newtown High School, she chose to stay close to home and attend West Chester State College (now University). Playing for legendary coach Vonnie Gros, who also coached the U.S. National Team, Shelton would lead West Chester to national championships in both field hockey (three) and lacrosse (one) and remains the only three-time National Player of the Year in field hockey.
Two years after she graduated with a bachelor's degree in health and physical education, and with just a year of coaching experience as an assistant at Franklin & Marshall, she was hired as the head coach at the UNC.
Over the years Shelton has returned to Philadelphia often. When she was a member of the U.S. National Team from 1977-84, the squad frequently trained in Philadelphia, particularly at the University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field. She still has family in the area, and carries fond memories of the place she spent her youth.
“The sports tradition in Philadelphia is so strong and includes so many great teams and great athletes,” Shelton said. “It's very humbling to be included in that group and I'm so honored to become a part of the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.”
