Salem University Athletic Hall of Fame
Born April 8, 1930, Don Christie graduated from Salem in 1952 following a playing career with the baseball and basketball teams. He was an active student while at Salem, serving as the President of the Student Federation and Treasurer of the FBLA. His commitment to academics, as well as athletics, led to his inclusion in “Who’s Who”.
Christie’s enthusiasm and energy contributed to an incredible coaching career with 37 years of combined experience at Salem High School, Salem College and Concord. He held the all-time basketball record with 216 wins at Salem during his 17-year coaching career from 1960-77, before it was broken by fellow Hall of Famer Mike Carey.
He is widely noted and respected for possessing exemplary sportsmanship. His coaching philosophy was always focused on first developing the individual and then the athlete. Coach Christie always conveyed to his players that winning was secondary to sportsmanship.
Christie went on to become the head men's basketball coach at Concord from 1978-89. In that time, he led Concord to 171 wins and West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships in 1978-79 and 1988-89. Christie then served as Concord's Director of Athletics from 1989 until his retirement in 1998. His 387 career victories rank third in WVIAC history.
Coach Christie passed away April 13, 2013 at the age of 83.
