Adams-Ochsenreiter Lifetime
Achievement
Award
Since 2000, the Mountain Amateur Athletic Club has recognized and honored a Western North Carolina community leader involved in athletics with the Gene Ochsenreiter Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award, originally named the MAAC Lifetime Achievement Award, was renamed in 2008 to honor Ochsenreiter, a former Asheville mayor who was instrumental in creating and sustaining both the MAAC and the WNC Sports Awards Banquet, which has recognized the top area athletes and awarded scholarships since 1957. The award was again renamed in 2023 to honor sponsorship by Mike & Heidi Adams.
Matthew Bacoate, Jr
Matthew Bacoate, Jr. is the recipient of the 2025 Adams-Oschenreiter Lifetime Achievement Award.
Bacoate has been a leader in the Asheville community for many years. The 95-year-old has run the Skyview Open Golf Tournament the past 12 years and is President of the Skyview Golfing Association. He was instrumental in integrating Star Lanes Bowling Center in the 1960s.
In his long and distinguished career, Bacoate was appointed to the state’s first Minority Business Development Committee in 1969 and was invited to the White House twice in the 1970s.
Previous Award Winners
2000 – Norris Jones, football coach
2001 – Fleming Talman, civic and community leader
2001 - H.H. “Zeugie” Zeugner, civic and community leader
2002 – Dave Hart, football coach, athletic director, community volunteer
2002 – Dr. David Cappiello, football player/team physician
2002 – J.D. Jackson, community leader, volunteer
2003 – Bill Churm, football coach, volunteer
2003 – Albert (Tuck) Gudger, athlete and community leader
2004 – Joel W. Wright Jr., football player, community leader
2004 – Wilbur Eggleston, football coach
2005 – Betsy Montgomery, swimming coach
2005 – Dr. Wayne Montgomery, community volunteer
2006 – Bob Terrell, Asheville Citizen-Times journalist
2006 – Owen High girls basketball program, 1964-70 (Dynasty Award winner)
2007 – Zeb Lee, Radio broadcaster
2008 – Tom Ruffing, tennis volunteer
2009 – Bob Adams, golf volunteer
2010 – Jim Drummond, community volunteer
2014 – Keith Jarrett, Asheville Citizen-Times journalist
2015 - Jamie Blue, community volunteer2015 - Eddie Dalton, community volunteer
2016 - Mike Gore, sports information director, UNC Asheville
2016 - Steve White, sports information director, WCU
2017 - Phil Lytle, semi-pro football coach and mentor
2017 - Robbinsville High football program (Dynasty Award winner)
2018 - Gene McClure, Erwin statistician
2019 - Buddy Baldwin, T.C. Roberson coach
2019 - Gene Hammonds, Asheville High coach
2022 - Stan Pamfilis, WLOS sports journalist
2023 - Sue Moon, North Henderson Volleyball Coach
2024- Larry Pope, Asheville Citizen-Times executive editor
2025 - Matthew Bacoate, Community advocate and Skyview Open Assoc.