Hall of Fame Class of 2020: Gail Heisel Deese

Gail Heisel Deese was a standout in tennis and basketball as a member of the successful Spartans' teams coached by 2013 Hall of Fame inductee Ruth Bondurant in the mid-1970's.

Like Spartan teammate Elaine Lewis Van Vliet, she played high school tennis at Pinecrest and the pair often competed as partners in doubles there as well as for the Spartans. A guard in basketball, she was noted for her accurate outside shooting and earned postseason recognition as a member of the Spartans.

Deese has coached the girls' tennis team at Pinecrest since 2007. The Patriots have won the conference title each year with a conference record of 147-0 over that period. She has coached the boys team since 2005, compiling a conference mark of 166-4 with 12 conference titles.

Employed by the Moore County Schools under its program for Exceptional Children, she is also involved with her church in its Food Bank Ministry and foreign missions to Guatemala where it started a church.  

C. Bergmann