CofC Athletics Remembers Former Track & Field and Cross Country Head Coach Ed Ledford
4/28/2021 1:35:00 PM | General, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
CHARLESTON, S.C. – College of Charleston Athletics mourns the loss of former Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach Ed 
Ledford, who passed away at the age of 84, on April 20, 2021.
Ledford coached the men's and women's cross country teams from 1989 to 2002 and established the women's track & field program in 2001, which officially became a varsity sport in 2002-03.
Under his guidance, team captains Wes Littlejohn and Nicole Zevotek were Top 25 finishers at the Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC) meet in 1991. The most-decorated cross country student-athlete in program histrory, Micky Kawohl, was also honored as an Academic All-American in 1992 and placed second at the TAAC Championship during his time at CofC.
A former All-Atlantic Coast Conference cross country runner at Wake Forest University, he later earned his master's degree in social work from Tulane University.
"Coach Ledford was a truly remarkable person," Head Coach Amy Seago said. "He inspired all who met him. Talk about a wonderful human being. He dedicated his life to helping the underserved children in the Charleston community. He also was a fixture in the Charleston running community. Most every Saturday, you could find him logging 12 miles with his running buddies. Up until recent years, he was one of only a couple of individuals, who ran every Cooper River Bridge Run race that was ever contested. We at the College will be forever grateful to him for starting the track & field program."
Besides his work, Ledford loved running and was inducted into the Cooper River Bridge Run Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Runners Hall of Fame. He was a member of the Charleston Running Club and raced in various 5K, 10K, half marathons, and marathons setting local and state records.
Ledford also ran marathons and races in Dublin, Ireland, Stockholm Sweden, and Reykjavik Iceland. He won four Bridge Run Master titles and ran a PR of 3:01:52 for a marathon. He enjoyed any kind of dancing, gardening, fishing, travel, the mountains, bird watching, antiquing, and being with friends and family.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Jillanna Jackson Ledford, his son, William Porter Ledford, his daughter, Elizabeth Ledford Brady, six grandchildren, his sister, Betty Henderson, his brother, Jerry Ledford, as well as several nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grandnephews and cousins.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 1, 2021, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, 347 Folly Road, Charleston, SC 29412.
The Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, May 2, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. at Bethel United Methodist Church, 57 Pitt Street, Charleston, SC. The service will be live-streamed at: www.bethelcharleston.com. The burial will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Ledford's memory may be sent to College of Charleston Cross Country, 66 George Street, Charleston, SC 29429, or Jackson-Ledford Family Fund, Coastal Community Foundation, 1691 Turnbull Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405 or Carolina Youth Development Center, 5055 Lackawanna Blvd., North Charleston, SC 29405. Please note that the donation is in memory of Edward Ledford. Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at www.mcalister-smith.com
Ledford, who passed away at the age of 84, on April 20, 2021.Ledford coached the men's and women's cross country teams from 1989 to 2002 and established the women's track & field program in 2001, which officially became a varsity sport in 2002-03.
Under his guidance, team captains Wes Littlejohn and Nicole Zevotek were Top 25 finishers at the Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC) meet in 1991. The most-decorated cross country student-athlete in program histrory, Micky Kawohl, was also honored as an Academic All-American in 1992 and placed second at the TAAC Championship during his time at CofC.
A former All-Atlantic Coast Conference cross country runner at Wake Forest University, he later earned his master's degree in social work from Tulane University.
"Coach Ledford was a truly remarkable person," Head Coach Amy Seago said. "He inspired all who met him. Talk about a wonderful human being. He dedicated his life to helping the underserved children in the Charleston community. He also was a fixture in the Charleston running community. Most every Saturday, you could find him logging 12 miles with his running buddies. Up until recent years, he was one of only a couple of individuals, who ran every Cooper River Bridge Run race that was ever contested. We at the College will be forever grateful to him for starting the track & field program."
Besides his work, Ledford loved running and was inducted into the Cooper River Bridge Run Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Runners Hall of Fame. He was a member of the Charleston Running Club and raced in various 5K, 10K, half marathons, and marathons setting local and state records.
Ledford also ran marathons and races in Dublin, Ireland, Stockholm Sweden, and Reykjavik Iceland. He won four Bridge Run Master titles and ran a PR of 3:01:52 for a marathon. He enjoyed any kind of dancing, gardening, fishing, travel, the mountains, bird watching, antiquing, and being with friends and family.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Jillanna Jackson Ledford, his son, William Porter Ledford, his daughter, Elizabeth Ledford Brady, six grandchildren, his sister, Betty Henderson, his brother, Jerry Ledford, as well as several nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grandnephews and cousins.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 1, 2021, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, 347 Folly Road, Charleston, SC 29412.
The Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, May 2, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. at Bethel United Methodist Church, 57 Pitt Street, Charleston, SC. The service will be live-streamed at: www.bethelcharleston.com. The burial will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Ledford's memory may be sent to College of Charleston Cross Country, 66 George Street, Charleston, SC 29429, or Jackson-Ledford Family Fund, Coastal Community Foundation, 1691 Turnbull Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405 or Carolina Youth Development Center, 5055 Lackawanna Blvd., North Charleston, SC 29405. Please note that the donation is in memory of Edward Ledford. Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at www.mcalister-smith.com
Wednesday, May 27
Saturday, May 16
Wednesday, May 13
Wednesday, May 06
