Hall of Fame
A native of Mount Holly who attended Mount Holly High School, Larry Hartsell was a key leader of the Abbey’s first team to reach the NCAA Baseball Regionals in 1968. During his career, he played catcher, third base and first base. A career .368 hitter, Hartsell batted .372 as a freshman, ranking him 17th nationally, and later earned the Marty Thomas Award. As a sophomore, he led the Abbey to the nation’s longest winning streak, recording a .310 batting average. One year later, he hit .368 in leading the Crusaders to the NCAA Regional tournament. Capping off a stellar career, he batted .398 as a senior and earned the Michael A. Nalls Athlete of the Year award. Harstell was a Dean’s List student during all of his eight semesters at the Abbey and was a member of the Epsilon Sigma Honor Society.
After graduating magna cum laude and second in his class in 1970 with a degree in Accounting, Hartsell earned a law degree from Emory University in Atlanta. Showing a love for his alma mater that has never wavered, Hartsell has generously given back to Belmont Abbey College in many ways. He has initiated several scholarships, including the J.P. Smith Scholarship. He also hosts every Abbey athletic team that travels to the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. He served on the Alumni Board from 1985-1992 and was subsequently named the Belmont Abbey Alumnus of the Year.
