Three new members will be inducted into the Howard Payne University Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, May 17. HPU alumni Lowell Bishop, track, and James Hall, basketball; and Dr. Larry Nickell, administrator, will be honored during the Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the Brownwood Event Center. Tickets are available and the public is invited to attend.

Bishop was a four-year track letterman, bronze medalist in the mile at the NAIA national meet in 1963 and a member of Lone Star Conference Championship track teams in 1962 and 1963. After graduating from Bangs High School, where he set a state record in the 880-yard dash in 1959, Bishop turned down Division I scholarship offers from other universities to attend Howard Payne to run for the legendary Coach Cap Shelton. In 1962, Bishop ran a 4:12.0 mile, the qualifying time for NCAA Division I and the AAU National. It was also the second fastest mile run by an HPU miler through 1963. After graduating from HPU, Bishop coached track at Gatesville, Monahans, Bangs, Abilene and Marathon. Monahans won a state title in 1973 and regional championships in 1973 and 1975 under his leadership. His teams also won 13 track and cross-country district titles in Monahans and Bangs.

Hall, from Fort Worth Trimble Tech, played for the Yellow Jackets in 1976-77 and 1977-78 after transferring from Cooke County Junior College to play for HPU Coach Bob Derryberry. Despite playing only two seasons, the 6’4″ forward was one of HPU’s most impactful basketball players. In the 1977-1978 season, he was a consensus first team All-American, Lone Star Conference Most Valuable Player in a unanimous coaches’ vote, first team NAIA District 4 and named to the LSC All-Tournament Team. Hall is in the Top 10 in HPU history in field goals made with 561, tied for the most field goals made in a season with 346 in 1977-78 and third in HPU history with 815 points in one season. One of his most memorable feats was a steal of an inbounds pass and layup with one second remaining to defeat Sam Houston State 67-66 in the final LSC regular season game in 1978.

Dr. Nickell joined Howard Payne University in 1991 as director of intercollegiate athletics and associate professor and chair of the department of exercise science. Howard Payne teams during his tenure won 30 conference championships – with every team winning at least one conference championship. The men’s basketball team reached the NAIA National Tournament and the football team hosted its first-ever NAIA football playoff game. Nickell also was named NAIA District 8 Administrator of the Year in 1993. He oversaw HPU’s move from NAIA to NCAA Division III. He raised funds to build a new baseball field and a new field house with locker rooms, offices, a weight room and athletic training room. He also taught biomechanics, physiology and leadership and grew the department of exercise science to the second largest on campus. Nickell earned a doctorate from the University of Arkansas, D.D.S from Baylor College of Dentistry and a B.A. and M.A. from Austin College. He also taught and coached in several Texas public and private schools. Nickell had dentistry practices in Wylie and Van Alstyne and taught at Baylor College of Dentistry.

Bishop, Hall and Nickell will be recognized on Saturday. A reception will begin at 6:30 p.m., dinner and program will follow at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $28 a person and can be purchased online at www.hpusports.com or by calling 325-649-8111.