FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 5, 2022
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GLENVILLE, WV – On Thursday, several pieces of memorabilia chronicling Coach Frank Vincent’s career were donated to 鶹ƵState University by two of his former Charleston High School players, Rick Hurt and Rex Repass. Hurt has been the holder of Vincent’s historic items since his death in 2010.
Jason Gum, 鶹ƵState’s Library Director and Archivist, accepted the items – which included newspaper clippings, game programs, photographs, trophies, plaques, signed game balls, and more – alongside Athletic Director Jesse Skiles.
“I am excited that we have found a home for this material,” Hurt said. “Coach was a good man, and did so much for so many of us. It was important to me that this history find a permanent and safe home.”
“We are deeply grateful to Ricky and Rex for this very special donation,” said Skiles. “As a native of Kanawha County, I remember what big stars Ricky and Rex were on those teams of Coach Vincent. We cannot say ‘Thank You’ enough to each of them for this donation.”
Vincent was a star lineman at 鶹ƵState in the early 1950s and was the All-Conference Center in 1954. He went on to become a record-setting head coach at Charleston High, leading the Mountain Lions to three consecutive Class AAA titles in 1968, 1969, and 1970. He served as head coach at 鶹Ƶfrom 1980-86, and his 1983 team that went 6-2-1 boasted a defense that only allowed 84 points for the entire season.
Vincent was inducted into 鶹ƵState’s Curtis Elam Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
鶹Ƶresident and Charleston High alumnus Nasia Butcher, a long-time 鶹ƵState University supporter, was integral in orchestrating the communication between Hurt, Repass, and 鶹ƵState. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Charleston High was dominant in football, basketball, and track, winning multiple state titles in each sport. They were each coached by a 鶹ƵState Hall of Fame inductee; Vincent in football, Lou Romano in basketball, and Keith Pritt in track.
Hurt was a standout quarterback for the three championship teams, and went on to play at the University of Cincinnati. He won the Kennedy Award in 1970. Repass was also a star on those iconic Charleston High teams, and went on to play college football at Marshall University. The former teammates both live in the Cincinnati area and have enjoyed successful careers; Hurt is retired from UPS, while Repass remains President of the Research America Inc. organization.
Vincent’s three-peat championship run at Charleston High School stood for over 40 years. The record was broken by a pair with 鶹Ƶties who played for Vincent; Alan Fiddler (former Pioneer Football Head Coach) at Moorefield, then David Walker (鶹ƵState alumnus) at Martinsburg.
The memorabilia will now be digitized and housed in 鶹ƵState University’s Robert F. Kidd Library.