THOMAS (CHIP) COULTER

WHEELING — Two record-setting high school athletes have been selected to be inducted into the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame.

Tapped for induction for the decade of the 1960s are Thomas (Chip) Coulter of Toronto and Donnie Young of Wintersville High School.

They will be enshrined at the 20th annual OVAC Hall of Fame Banquet, sponsored by Robinson Automotive Group, on August 10 at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling.

Previous announced honorees are St. Clairsville’s Scott Barnhouse and Brooke’s Darrell Cheripko for the 1970s Decade; East Liverpool’s Aric Long and Fort Frye’s Lisa Ribble Stolar for the 1980s Decade; Wheeling Park’s Rafael Cruz and Steubenville Catholic Central’s Bobby Sismondo for the 1990s Decade; Cambridge’s Ashley Dunigan and Meadowbrook’s Kinsi Tellep for the 2000s Decade; and St. Clairsville’s Dan Monteroso and Buckeye Trail’s Alexa Abrams for the 2010s Decade.

In two weeks, the honorees for the 1950s Decade will be announced.

Here are capsule summaries on Coulter and Young:

THOMAS (CHIP) COULTER

(Toronto, Class of 1964) — He was a three-sport, four-year athlete, and record-setting basketball player who played professional baseball including a brief stint in the major leagues.

The four-year Red Knight basketball regular set a school career scoring record of 1,580 points which lasted 50 years until broken in 2015 by Blaze Glenn. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Coulter was a three-time All-Eastern Ohio selection and twice mentioned for All-Ohio in the largest Class AAA by The Associated Press — 3rd Team as a senior and honorable mention as a junior. He led the Knights to the OVAC Class AA crown as a senior and was named All-OVAC.

In baseball, the three-year starting infielder and four-year letterman earned some state all-star recognition as a senior. He also lettered in track four years.

After his senior season, he signed a professional baseball contract with the St. Louis Cardinals and played six years with the Tidewater Tides and Arkansas Travelers. In 1969, the second baseman was called up to the major leagues and played six games.

He was traded to the New York Mets and played one minor league season before retiring and returning home to Toronto where he currently resides.

He was honored in the charter class (2000) of the Toronto High Athletic Hall of Fame.

DONNIE YOUNG (Wintersville, Class of 1968) — He was an Ohio Valley record-setting running back for three Golden Warrior teams which went 28-2 under Hall of Fame coach Bob Kettlewell including a 10-0 record as a senior when he set a modern OV career rushing record of 4,230 yards which lasted for 18 years. As a junior, he led the OV and the state of Ohio with 202 points in 10 games for the OVAC Class AAA title team while rushing for 1,819 yards on 218 carries. He led the OV in both scoring and rushing his last two years.

As a senior, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound back rushed for 1,489 yards on 212 carries and scored 148 points. Career-wise, he scored 416 points including 350 his last two seasons.

His senior honors included 1st Team All-Ohio largest Class AA and national recognition from Parade magazine.

Young was twice honored as 1st-Team All-Valley “Big School”, All-OVAC Class AAA, All-District, All-Eastern Ohio and captain, and was the Ohio-West Virginia All-Star football game MVP.

In addition to football, he lettered three years in basketball and two years in track.

He earned a football scholarship to Eastern Kentucky University and lettered three varsity seasons after playing on the freshman team.

After college, he coached high school football in Kentucky for 37 years and was the coach of future Pittsburgh Steeler Dermontti Dawson and world sprint champion Tyson Gay.

He passed away in 2021.