Fairfield-Echo.com

Robert "Bud" Bierly is the Pigskin-Roundball Gold Medal award winner in the Former Middie Athlete/Coach category.

Bierly was a standout basketball player for the Middies, graduating in 1970 as the third-leading scorer in school history. As a senior, he was voted the sixth-best player in Ohio by a vote of coaches.

A team captain, Bierly was a second-team, All-Southwest Ohio pick and first-team, District 15 selection as a senior. He was first-team, All-Butler County and All-Greater Miami Conference in his final two seasons as a Middie.

Bierly received a full basketball scholarship from Furman University, where he played in three NCAA tournaments, including the Sweet 16 in 1974.

At Furman, Bierly was voted the team's best defensive player for three straight seasons. He also served as team captain in 1974. Bierly was a member of three Southern Conference championship teams at Furman.

After graduating from Furman in 1974, Bierly returned to Middletown to teach seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grade geography and U.S. history.

After he left Middletown to teach at Piqua, Bierly, who received his master's degree from Xavier, returned to Butler County to work as a guidance counselor at Wilson Junior High in Hamilton.

From 1985 to 1995, Bierly served as assistant principal and principal at Hamilton High School. He was principal at Madison from 1995 to 1999 and was the superintendent at New Miami from 1999 to 2007.

Currently, Bierly is the assistant superintendent of human resources for the Clarke County School District in Athens, Ga.

Bierly has been a member of several community service groups over the years, including Salvation Army, United Way and Junior Achievement.

He and his wife, Laura, have two sons, Rob and Jason.

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