[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7619]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING COACH BILL GUTHRIDGE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DAVID E. PRICE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 20, 2015

  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today 
to honor the memory of Bill Guthridge, long-time basketball coach at 
UNC-Chapel Hill, a skilled and dedicated mentor and leader on and off 
the court.
  Bill is best remembered for his illustrious coaching career. He won 
two national championships in three decades alongside Coach Dean Smith, 
and he was an assistant coach on the gold medal-winning 1976 Olympic 
basketball team. After Dean retired, Bill was named head coach of the 
Tar Heels and took Carolina to two Final Fours in three seasons. All 
told, he played or coached in more Final Fours than anyone else in NCAA 
history.
  Bill was content to operate behind the scenes, and he liked to tell 
the story that he and his wife Leesie enjoyed an anniversary dinner in 
Chapel Hill the night before he took over for Coach Smith without being 
recognized by a single student or basketball fan.
  But anyone who knew anything about Carolina basketball understood the 
critical contribution that Bill made to the program, and his passing on 
May 12 has brought forth a torrent of fond memories and tributes.
  Those tributes include an appreciation for the remarkable role Bill 
and Leesie have played in the community of Chapel Hill since their 
arrival in 1967. I have personally appreciated their encouragement and 
counsel, and my wife and I have admired the generosity with which they 
have extended themselves to support numerous good and visionary causes. 
As a former UNC student, I particularly appreciate their efforts to 
renovate and modernize the Undergraduate Library through the creation 
of the William W. and Elise P. Guthridge Library Fund.
  I am not alone in appreciating Bill Guthridge's contribution to our 
community. Ask anyone who knew him--and many who didn't--and you will 
hear about his quiet devotion to the students he coached, his loyalty 
to his colleagues and friends, and his commitment to community 
betterment.
  I feel very fortunate to have called Bill Guthridge a friend, and I 
am honored to pay tribute to his many contributions and the lasting 
impact they have made on the University and the community.

                          ____________________