Class of 2020

JOAN NESBIT MABE
EAST MECKLENBURG

A professional runner for New Balance from 1984-2000, Nesbit was a 1996 Olympian and five-time Olympic Trials qualifier (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000), 1995 World Championship bronze medalist (indoor 3000 meters), four-time World Cross Country qualifier (placing as high as sixth in 1995), two-time U.S. champion (1995 in cross country and 1995 in the indoor 3,000 meters), and three-time All-American in college at the University of North Carolina (the first UNC Tar Heel woman to earn All-American in cross country, indoor and outdoor track). She was named to the ACC’s 50th anniversary cross country team (2002). 

At one point Nesbit held University of North Carolina school records in the 1,500, 3,000, 5,000, and 10,000. She won the 1984 ACC 10,000 meters and 3,000 meters. 

In high school at East Mecklenburg, Nesbit won the 1980 NCHSAA All-Classification 1600 meters in 5:05.7, and was one of the first girls to run cross country in North Carolina, running on the boys’ cross country team before there was a state meet offered for girls.  

Nesbit, in her seventh year as head coach at Chapel Hill High School, has led the Tigers to 6 state titles (3 in girls’ cross country, 2 in boys’ cross country and 1 in girls’ indoor track). Before coaching at Chapel Hill High, she was the head men’s and women’s distance coach at the University of North Carolina (1993-1998), the only woman in the nation coaching an NCAA Division I men’s team.