Polk County couple part of new ownership group for Lenoir Legends

The Old North State League now has a Polk County connection in the ownership area.

Saluda residents Mark and Amy Emery, along with their son Brendan and fiancee Leslie Denis, have formed E4 Sports Management Group and purchased the Lenoir Legends of the ONSL.

The Old North State League is a 20-team summer collegiate baseball league located across the state of North Carolina. It has grown to be one of the largest leagues in the country. Several Polk County players have participated in the league with the Hendersonville Honeycrisps.

The Emerys have been involved with the ONSL in several areas in the past four years – player, coach and general managers.

“The Old North State League takes pride in how our teams intertwine with the community,” said ONSL commissioner Eric Sibrizzi. “The Emery family shares the same vision as the ONSL and they have proven it already with their experience in the league. We are thrilled to have them on board as the ownership group for the Lenoir Legends.”

“Lenoir is all in on the Legends,” Mark Emery said. “Mayor (Joseph) Gibbons and the Chamber of Commerce works side by side with us. The foundation was laid last summer and we want to continue to build on that foundation to be a part of the Lenoir community.”

One of the major focuses for E4 & the Legends will be about the community and different ways for involvement. “We look forward to building a connection between a local family entertainment activity and the community that enjoys it,” Amy Emery said. “We are so excited and blessed to embark on a journey involving a long loved pasttime for our family.”

Brendan Emery first started in the ONSL as a player for the Lexington Flying Pigs in 2020 and in the following year made his coaching debut with the Legends. The last two years he found himself back with the Flying Pigs as a coach and co-general manager.

“I look forward to being at the helm of where I got my start in coaching” said Brendan Emery. “It has been a great journey so far working for the Allreds and the ONSL. I’m excited to be back in Lenoir and bring high energy, competitive baseball this summer.”

“Baseball is something every single one of us is passionate about.” Denis said. “We all have the experience and knowledge to take this opportunity and make it something great. I’m excited to see what the future looks like for the Legends.”