NM SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTS HIGH SCHOOL LEGENDS
Photos courtesy of NM Sports Hall of Fame
The New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame announced six new inductees into the Class of 2018. The list of standouts includes some New Mexico High School legends. Former Clovis High School basketball player Bubba Jennings is one of the new inductees. Jennings is considered one of the best New Mexico high school basketball players of all time. He scored 75 points in a game against Goddard High School (and that was before the three-point line). Also in this year’s class are longtime basketball coaches Jim Murphy and Mike Brown. Murphy has coached at Hope Christian for over 30 years and won 14 state titles. Brown led Albuquerque Academy to six straight state 3A basketball championships (1989-1994) and 14 district championships. Their “six-peat” from 1989-1994 is not only a state record, but it also ranks eighth nationally.
The other inductees into the Class of 2018 are former New Mexico Highlands football player Charley Cowan, Los Lunas distance runner Chuck Aragon and former UNM softball coach Susan Craig.
According to the biography descriptions on the NMSHOF website, here is a little more background information on the inductees.
Jennings was the New Mexico Player of the Year in 1980. He was named by the NHSCAA to their All-American and Academic All-American teams. He led the Wildcats to the 4A state championship in his junior year (1978-1979) and was on the First All-State team in his last 2 years.
Murphy’s teams have won 7 of the last 8 3A or 4A state titles. Murphy has coached one undefeated team (the 29-0 Class 2A state champions in 2001-02) and has just two losing seasons. His teams have won 24 District titles.
Brown’s teams appeared in nine consecutive State Championship games from 1989-1997. He had 11 trips to the state championship game and 15 straight years to the state tournament. His career record was 442 wins and 264 losses.
Cowan played 206 games over 15 seasons as an offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL from 1961 to 1975.
Aragon is New Mexico’s Fastest Sub-Four Minute Miler. His time of 3:51.6 run in the “Dream Mile” in Oslo, Norway in 1984 ranks him 14th on the all-time USA listing.
Craig started the UNM softball program and racked up 676 wins. In 17 of her 24 years with the program, her teams were nationally ranked.
The six individuals will formally be inducted at the NMSHOF’s 46th annual banquet, set for Sunday, April 7, 2019, at 5 p.m. at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
