Appalachian Class of '78 alumnus Pat Swisher has been a lifelong supporter of his alma mater, and recently he and his wife Laura, committed to A Mountaineer Impact, A Drive for Excellence with a leadership gift supporting scholarships, facility enhancements and competitive excellence.
Swisher is a former Mountaineer football standout. He transferred to Boone from Clemson in the late 1970s, going on to become the Mountaineer's season and career record holder for kickoff returns for three decades. In addition, the Appalachian Alumni Association awarded Swisher with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1994.
“We are very thankful for Pat and Laura's continued support of Appalachian State Athletics,” Director of Athletics Doug Gillin said. “A Mountaineer Impact is so important to the future of App State Athletics. We are very appreciative of their leadership gift, as we look to continue to build on the history and tradition of App State Athletics.”
His involvement at App has always stemmed from one thing in Boone.
“The people in Boone have always been so great,” Swisher said Tuesday. “Particularly, I was very close to Coach Moore. He's one of the greatest men I've ever met. Coach Satterfield is the same way. I love seeing Appalachian grow, I love the people at Appalachian, love the atmosphere, feel like I'm giving back because somebody gave me a lot.”
Swisher set App State's kickoff return record for yards in a season in 1977, a record that stood for 30 years before Coco Hillary broke it in 2007. Swisher remembers watching Hillary break his record and then a chance encounter with him moments later that left a lasting memory.
“I was (at the game) when he broke my record,” Swisher recalled. “At halftime, I walked into the fieldhouse and he was sitting there outside of the locker room, away from the team, maybe taking in the moment (by himself). I shook his hand, introduced myself, and congratulated him. I'm sure he didn't know who I was, but it was a special moment for me.”
Swisher is the Founder, CEO, and Director of Enviro-Master International Franchise, an industry leader in hygiene services based in Charlotte. He and Laura live in Charlotte.
A Mountaineer Impact, A Drive for Excellence initiative is a vision of the Appalachian State Athletics department to provide resources for identified funding needs of over $60 million. Comprehensive in nature, the initiative is designed to impact every Mountaineer student-athlete and sports program. A Mountaineer Impact, A Drive for Excellence will construct and enhance athletic facilities, provide critical scholarship support, impact the overall athletic experience for student-athletes and fans, while strengthening campus and community. To make a gift in support of A Mountaineer Impact today, contact the Athletic Development office at 828-262-3108 or visit www.appstatesports.com.
-App State-
