FALL 2008 - McMurry University

ATHLETICSFor the full athletics update, please visit us on the web athttp://athletics.mcm.edu.UPDATERowland Selected as 2008 Inductee intoCollege Football Hall of FameMcMurry’s all-time leading rusher, Brad Rowland, wasrecently inducted into the 2008 College Football Hall ofFame. Archie Manning, the chairman of The NationalFootball Foundation & College Hall of Fame announcedthe Divisional Hall of FameClass, which considers playersand coaches from the NCAAFootball ChampionshipSubdivision (formerly I-AA),Division II, III and the NAIA forinduction.Rowland played hisfinal season for McMurry in1950; however, his 4,347 rushingyards still stands as McMurry’scareer record 58 years later. TheHamlin native led the TexasConference in rushing all fourseasons and helped McMurryto three consecutive conferencetitles from 1947 to 1949.He still holds the singleseasonrushing record for a10-game season at McMurryafter running for 1,279 yards hisjunior year. That same seasonhe scored 18 touchdowns and his 108 points is a singleseasonschool record. He also holds the career record forcareer points with 258 equaling 43 touchdowns in fourseasons.Rowland was all-conference all four seasonsand was recognized for his academic success when hewas named Who’s Who Among American College andUniversity Students. He went on to a one-year career withthe Chicago Bears in the National Football League beforeserving two years in the U.S. Army. He later worked inagribusiness for 40 years. He was recognized as the firstsmall-college player to start in the East-West Shrine Gamefollowing his senior season.Roland was one of twentyinductees in this year’s class.Joining him were such well-knownfootball legends as Doug Flutie(quaterback, Boston College,1981-84 and former HeismanTrophy winner), Joe Paterno (headcoach, Penn State, 1966-present)and Ahmad Rashad (runningback, Oregan, 1969-71).This year’s class wasinducted into the CollegeFootball Hall of Fame during theEnshrinement Festival, July 18-19,in South Bend, Indiana.“The NFF prides itself onhonoring the very best in collegefootball history,” said Manning.“This year’s divisional class is noexception, and it’s our duty toreward them for their outstandingaccomplishments on the gridiron,earning them a spot among the greatest to ever play orcoach our sport.”The criteria for induction includes being nameda first team all-American, being 10 years removed fromintercollegiate football, and community contributionsamong other qualities.Rowland was a six-time all-America selectionwhile at McMurry and was a charter member of theMcMurry Athletics Hall of Honor in 1984. •22 McMurry University