Dale Steele, Campbell Athletics Hall of Fame member, former head coach and the architect of the rebirth of the Campbell football program, passed away on July 19 after a after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 70 years old.
Inducted into the Campbell Athletics Hall of Fame in 2025, Steele was named Campbell’s first head coach of its modern era in 2006 (the program had been dormant since 1950). Steele built the coaching staff and oversaw Campbell’s first six recruiting classes on the NCAA Division I level. Under his guidance, the Camels produced 33 All-Pioneer Football League performers from 2008-12 and 192 PFL Academic Honor Roll members. The team led the PFL — and ranked among the nation’s top-20 programs — in rushing for three-straight years from 2009-11. In 2011, Campbell won five consecutive games and finished with the program’s first overall (6-5) and conference (5-3) winning records.
“Campbell has lost a giant,” said Campbell Director of Athletics Hannah Bazemore. “Coach Steele’s impact on the lives of countless student-athletes, the members of our greater community and so many others is immeasurable. He built the Campbell football program from scratch, forever transforming the landscape of our campus. He poured everything he had into the people around him, especially his players. Those that knew Coach Steele were fortunate to have him in their lives. Coach Steele was not only a great football coach, but a great man whose vision, unwavering drive and dedication will continue to inspire us every day. Our hearts and our prayers are with Mrs. Pam Steele and the entire Steele family.”
He is survived by his wife Pam of 52 years, daughters Meghan Penny and her husband, Ben of Coats; Kelsey Hearrell and her husband Tony of Brigham City, Utah, and his granddaughters, Emery Penny and Fenley Hearrell; his mother, Margaret Steele of Little River, S.C.; his brothers Kevin Steele and wife Linda of Edisto Island, S.C. and Jeffrey Steele of Auburn, Ala.; his nephew, Gordon Steele, his wife Melissa and their children of Birmingham, Ala.; his niece, Caroline Steele of Auburn, Ala.; and his beloved fur babies, Chess and Finnegan.
A funeral service will be held on at 1 p.m. on Aug. 1 inside Butler Chapel on the Campbell University campus.
Read more about Steele’s career at legacy at Campbell University at gocamels.com