PROSPERITY, S.C. — Lonnie ‘Lon’ Armstrong is finally going into the Hall of Fame after the South Carolina Football Coaches Association announced in May 2025 that he will be apart of the 2025 Induction Class.
Armstrong was born in Eddystone, PA and attended Clemson University. He graduated from Clemson 1963 and was a member of the football and track team while attending school there. The legendary head coach began his legendary coaching career shortly after graduating from Clemson. He took over as head coach of the Mid-Carolina Rebels’ football team in 1970 and guided them to an AA state title in 1985.
He also was one of the two head coaches in 1988 South Carolina Shrine Bowl and later coached in the North-South All-Star game. He complied a lifetime record of 221-141 and still is the only head coach to win a football state championship in school history.
Armstrong called it quits after 29 years and retired in 1999.
In addition to his outstanding coaching career, Armstrong was a loving father, husband and brother. He was married to Dennis Gunter Armstrong and they shared four children and nine grandchildren together at the time of his passing.
They had two sons, Ronald and Russell, and two daughters, Amanda and Melinda. Claire, Emily, Amy Ruth, Katherine, Maricela, Abigail and Norma Armstrong and Grace and Caroline Schramka are their grandchildren.
Armstrong was so dedicated to the Mid-Carolina community that he cut the grass and was a substitute teacher until the day he passed away.
Mid-Carolina honored their legendary head coach by naming their stadium after him which still stands to this day. Congratulations to Coach Armstrong, to his family and the Mid-Carolina community!