Hall of Fame
A native of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, William Dexter Coakley attended Wando High School where he earned four letters in football before coming to Fork Union Military Academy as a postgraduate.
He was named Most Valuable Player twice and was twice selected All-Conference as a defensive back. As a senior, Coakley was named Wando High School's Athlete of the Year.
After attending FUMA for a year, Coakley received a scholarship to Appalachian State University and won the first two Buck Buchanan Awards given each year to the nation's top Division 1-AA defensive player. He was also named All-American for three seasons, as well as Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year for two seasons.
In 1997 Coakley was drafted as a third-round pick for the Dallas Cowboys. He was a three-time Pro Bowl choice and 1999 All-Pro player. Coakley received the Cowboys' Unsung Hero Award in 2002 as selected by his teammates and fans for his determination and commitment beyond the playing field.
Coakley has also served as speaker for "Babe's Best," a program created to recognize outstanding high school athletes. Coakley also played two years for the St. Louis Rams.
In 2011, he became the first inductee into Appalachian State's Football Hall of Fame.
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