Harry "Sid" Varney, a member of the Elon Sports Hall of Fame who coached the Fightin' Christian football team from 1953 to 1959, died Nov. 25 in Columbia, S.C. He was 83.
Varney coached Elon to a record of 24-36-2 in his seven seasons at the helm, including an undefeated record in the 1957 season. That year, he earned North State Conference and NAIA District 26 coach of the year honors. He also was named North State coach of the year in 1954. Varney was enshrined in Elon’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, and at homecoming each year, a number of his former players gather for an annual tailgate party.
An outstanding athlete, Varney attended and played football at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he also was an All American in baseball. Before coaching at Elon, he served as an assistant a Presbyterian College in South Carolina. He received his Ph.D. from Duke University in 1968 and became a successful administrator in the University of South Carolina system for more than 30 years. For his efforts on behalf of the state of South Carolina, Varney received the Order of Palmetto in 1994.
Varney is survived by his wife, Carmen, two sons, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Click here to view Varney’s obituary in The State newspaper.