A legendary member of East Carolina Athletics and a two-time All-American, passed away on Monday, April 20, at the age of 70. Known as a standout on the “Wild Dogs” defense, Bolding left a lasting legacy at ECU.
Originally from Jamestown, N.C., Jim Bolding joined ECU in 1973 and made an immediate impact. During his freshman season, he set a then-school record with seven interceptions for 84 yards and led the team in punt returns with 20 for 164 yards. He helped the Pirates win the Southern Conference Championship that year, earned honorable mention all-conference recognition, and received the Outstanding Freshman Award.
Building on that success, Bolding was named All-Southern Conference in each of the next three seasons. As a sophomore, he started all 11 games, recording two interceptions and returning 17 punts for 110 yards.
His junior year was historic. Bolding was named to three All-America teams (Associated Press second team, RECAP second team, and Football Weekly third team), and he shattered three school records: most interceptions in a game (3 vs. Western Carolina), most in a season (10, leading the nation), and most in a career (22). That year, he posted 47 tackles, forced two fumbles, broke up five passes, and helped lead the team to an 8-3 record. He was named ECU’s Outstanding Player.
Bolding wrapped up his collegiate career by helping ECU claim another Southern Conference title with a 9-2 record. He tallied 44 tackles, forced two fumbles, picked off three passes, and added seven pass breakups. He once again earned all-conference honors and was recognized as an All-American by the Newspaper Enterprise Association, along with honorable mention by another outlet. He also played in the 1976 American Bowl in Tampa, Florida.
After graduating with a degree in business administration in 1977, Bolding pursued careers in coaching, telecommunications, and agriculture. A four-year letterwinner from 1973 to 1976, he was inducted into the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995 and honored as part of the Southern Conference 100th Anniversary Team in 2021.