Raised in Vass, Buie graduated from Union Pines in 1987. His baseball coach for the Vikings was the man he is replacing, Bill Medlin.
In other changes involving Viking athletics, boys' varsity basketball coach Bobby Purvis is assuming the additional duties of assistant athletic director.
Also, Leslie Fish will replace Lisa Dumas as the varsity volleyball coach, and Kevin Hayes takes over for Aaron Roach as the junior varsity and assistant boys' soccer coach.
Buie has an undergraduate degree from East Carolina and a master's degree from UNC-Pembroke.
He began his teaching and coaching career at West End Elementary before moving on to West Pine Middle School.
About to begin his second year at Union Pines, Buie is the assistant principal of student services, a position that will now include the duties of athletic director.
"Bill has been most gracious during the transition," Buie said recently. "He's really organized, which will, hopefully, make the adjustment easier.
"You look at the facilities five years ago and today and that's a compliment to him. It's fitting that we won the Wachovia Cup in his last year."
The new volleyball coach is also a product of Union Pines.
Fish replaces Dumas, who stepped down after a successful first year as coach to pursue her administrative certification.
Most of the players return from a squad that was 9-5 in the conference and won 11 matches overall.
An all-around athlete, Fish played basketball, volleyball and softball at Union Pines.
After graduating from East Carolina with a degree in exercise and sports science and physical education, she began teaching at West Pine Middle School, where she also coached successful volleyball and basketball teams.
While at ECU, she played club volleyball.
Fish is familiar with several of her soon-to-be players. She coached a club team called the Breeze this winter. Five members of that team are slated to be on the Union Pines roster.
Roach relinquished his soccer coaching duties to spend more time with his family.
Hayes rejoins head boys' soccer coach Chris Hadlock's staff after serving on it several years ago.
