Six Roos will be inducted into the Austin College Hall of Honor during Legends weekend of 2024 (July 26-28). I happen to have ties (some big, some small) to the six 2024 inductees. Hey, that sounds like a Marc writing opportunity! So, let’s do six short stories over six days for these SIX.
The British musical Six follows the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII. They begin as tales of woe because of their infamous husband. But those tales end with each wife finding her own voice and reclaiming her own story.
Like the musical, the six Roo inductees have their own stories to tell; Marc’s musings are just a little intro to get you going. Sure, kings like Henry VIII and schools like the University of Texas are gonna get most of the spotlight. But AC deserves its moment in the sun, and so do these SIX.
Come to Legends 2024 and meet each one. Then you can get their entire stories straight from the source, as you salute their Hall of Honor induction. “They’re one of a kind, no category. Too many years, we lost their story. Now they’re free to take their crowning glory. They’re SIX.”
Day #1 of SIX: Mike Foster
Mike Foster will be inducted into the AC Hall of Honor this weekend in Sherman. Don’t know Mike Foster? You should.
Foster was a 1st Team TIAA All-Conference linebacker for the 1984 Austin College Kangaroo football team, a squad that won a TIAA conference championship. Now that’s the kind of outstanding athletic resume that will get you a Hall of Honor induction. But we’re just getting started.
Foster’s service on the Austin College Board of Trustees and his support for Roo athletics has been a huge boost for AC’s fortunes. It’s a tale important for the college, and one that deserves larger amounts of ink.
When Foster’s All-American teammate Rossi Felix tragically passed, Foster was there for Rossi’s family, his fraternity brothers, and other members of the AC community. Rossi Felix’s name now appropriately graces the Jerry Apple Stadium scoreboard.
But it is Foster’s generosity which deserves the big shout out. Private institutions of higher education in America are living through challenging times (I see you Birmingham Southern!). It should give us peace to know that AC’s future is more positive. There are many reasons for that future, and one of those reasons is the selflessness of alumni like Mike Foster.
So, how can we say thank you to Mike Foster? I have an idea.
All-American Joaquin “Dude” Johnson was a 1984 teammate of both Foster & Felix. Johnson’s passing years ago motivated teammates Matt Kyle, Jack Wylie, and Eric Ostrom to establish a scholarship in his name. I’ve been scheming with these three and Bill Ucherek II on ways to increase awareness of the scholarship.
Every fall I tell the story of a past Roo football season. I’ve written about 1981, 1988, 1968, 2000, 1920, 1935, 1979, & 1990. This fall, we’ll tell the story of the 1984 TIAA champion Kangaroos. It will be an opportunity to increase awareness of the Joaquin “Dude” Johnson scholarship, a great way to honor the memory of Rossi Felix, and a vehicle to shine a SIX-like spotlight on AC Hall of Honor inductee Mike Foster.
Congratulations Mike, #1 of the six inductees into the Hall of Honor this weekend. Like the stars of the musical SIX, I’m looking forward to hearing more of your story in Sherman “before we drop the curtain” on the “end of the show” of Legends 2024.
Up tomorrow: Lauren Wheeler Hutton, #2 of SIX.
Six Roos will be inducted into the Austin College Hall of Honor during Legends weekend of 2024 (July 26-28). I happen to have ties (some big, some small) to the six 2024 inductees. Hey, that sounds like a Marc writing opportunity! So, let’s do six short stories over six days for these SIX.
The British musical Six follows the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII. They begin as tales of woe because of their infamous husband. But those tales end with each wife finding her own voice and reclaiming her own story.
Like the musical, the six Roo inductees have their own stories to tell; Marc’s musings are just a little intro to get you going. Sure, kings like Henry VIII and schools like the University of Texas are gonna get most of the spotlight. But AC deserves its moment in the sun, and so do these SIX.
Come to Legends 2024 and meet each one. Then you can get their entire stories straight from the source, as you salute their Hall of Honor induction. “They’re one of a kind, no category. Too many years, we lost their story. Now they’re free to take their crowning glory. They’re SIX.”
Day #2 of SIX: Lauren Wheeler Hutton
My daughter Ms. M., a member of Generation Z, has numerous online friendships. I’m an old school Generation Xer who struggles with that. An online friendship can’t be meaningful like a brick-and-mortar one, amirite? My daughter needs to get out on her bike and hang with these folks.
But then I think of Lauren Wheeler Hutton.
I first wrote about Lauren in 2017, when I started writing about all things AC and she was rewriting the AC swimming record books. This, from an earlier Hutton Roo Tale:
“At Austin College, Lauren Wheeler Hutton earned an NCAA B-cut time in the 200 backstroke, placing 70th in the nation in 2013. That incredible effort just barely missed qualifying for the NCAA D3 Meet.”
“By the time she departed Sherman, Hutton was the fastest female Roo ever in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 100 butterfly, 100 medley, 200 medley, and as a part of the 200 free relay team.”
“Hutton held an amazing NINE AC swimming records, including a 2015 SCAC conference winning time of 57.99 in the 100 backstroke. Hutton was the first Roo to ever win an SCAC conference event.”
Since then, Hutton graduated from AC, completed nursing school, married Robert, and started a career out of state. She has also surpassed the five-year wait for an AC Hall of Honor nomination, has been voted in by the “A” Board, and will deservedly be inducted this weekend in Sherman. During those 7 years, I’ve written about AC swimming from time to time. Hutton is usually a part of the story.
And guess what? We still have yet to meet.
Ok Ms. M., I admit it. Gen Zers are sometimes correct and old school Gen Xers like me need to get with the program. Turns out, one CAN have a meaningful online friendship after all. Man, that was painful for a father to admit. Still, I’ll always PREFER brick-and-mortar relationships. It will be great to finally meet both Elizabeth and Robert next week in Sherman.
Congratulations Lauren, #2 of the six inductees into the Hall of Honor this weekend. Like the stars of the musical SIX, I’m looking forward to hearing more of your story in Sherman “before we drop the curtain” on the “end of the show” of Legends 2024.
Up tomorrow: Wilson Renfroe, #3 of SIX.
Six Roos will be inducted into the Austin College Hall of Honor during Legends weekend of 2024 (July 26-28). I happen to have ties (some big, some small) to the six 2024 inductees. Hey, that sounds like a Marc writing opportunity! So, let’s do six short stories over six days for these SIX.
The British musical Six follows the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII. They begin as tales of woe because of their infamous husband. But those tales end with each wife finding her own voice and reclaiming her own story.
Like the musical, the six Roo inductees have their own stories to tell; Marc’s musings are just a little intro to get you going. Sure, kings like Henry VIII and schools like the University of Texas are gonna get most of the spotlight. But AC deserves its moment in the sun, and so do these SIX.
Come to Legends 2024 and meet each one. Then you can get their entire stories straight from the source, as you salute their Hall of Honor induction. “They’re one of a kind, no category. Too many years, we lost their story. Now they’re free to take their crowning glory. They’re SIX.”
Day #3 of SIX: Wilson Renfroe
“Hopper Hysteria” arrived in force in 1979, when the AC football team roared to a 9-1 record, a TIAA conference championship, and a berth in the NAIA D2 playoffs. A key member of that 1979 squad was NAIA All-American Wilson Renfroe. Renfroe and the 1979 Roos were such a big story, I re-visited their season in a Roo Tale. And guess who was my writing co-pilot? Wilson Renfroe.
The Trinity Tigers traveled to Sherman in 1979, and the battle at Jerry Apple was probably the highlight of Wilson Renfroe’s season. AC defeated Trinity easily, 35-6, as Renfroe connected on three field goals, went 5-5 on extra points, and booted a 76-yard punt…….at that time the longest punt in the history of Austin College football.
The de-facto TIAA championship game took place at McMurry, and Renfroe shined. His TIAA-record four field goals alongside an extra point led the way to a 19-0 Roo shutout on the road. Renfroe punts kept McMurry deep in its own territory all game long, and a stifling AC defense refused to yield. Austin College clinched the TIAA crown one week later, and “Hopper Hysteria” followed.
From Wilson Renfroe:
“This team in 1979 accomplished so much, perhaps more than any other team AC has ever had considering the context of losing we were stuck in at the time. I do know one thing for sure: the 1979 Austin College football team changed not only the culture of football there, but also the campus in general. There was an excitement and electricity on the campus that I’d never seen. Faculty, students, and staff (that I didn’t know) were greeting me as I walked on campus by name as if we were old buddies. The difference was palpable.”
Wilson Renfroe helped me write the story of 1979, contributing valuable insight to every chapter of every game that year. I reviewed that story and noticed something interesting about Renfroe’s contributions: He writes at length about the exploits of his teammates. And he rarely mentions himself.
That selflessness sounds like an ideal teammate. But this weekend is Legends 2024 and Renfroe is one of the six inductees into the Hall of Honor. So, like the cast of SIX, it’s time to “switch up the flow” for All-American Wilson Renfroe and have the long overdue focus on his own story.
Congratulations Wilson, #3 of the six inductees into the Hall of Honor this weekend. Like the stars of the musical SIX, I’m looking forward to hearing more of your story in Sherman “before we drop the curtain” on the “end of the show” of Legends 2024.
Up tomorrow: Andrea Coachman, #4 of SIX.
Six Roos will be inducted into the Austin College Hall of Honor during Legends weekend of 2024 (July 26-28). I happen to have ties (some big, some small) to the six 2024 inductees. Hey, that sounds like a Marc writing opportunity! So, let’s do six short stories over six days for these SIX.
The British musical Six follows the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII. They begin as tales of woe because of their infamous husband. But those tales end with each wife finding her own voice and reclaiming her own story.
Like the musical, the six Roo inductees have their own stories to tell; Marc’s musings are just a little intro to get you going. Sure, kings like Henry VIII and schools like the University of Texas are gonna get most of the spotlight. But AC deserves its moment in the sun, and so do these SIX.
Come to Legends 2024 and meet each one. Then you can get their entire stories straight from the source, as you salute their Hall of Honor induction. “They’re one of a kind, no category. Too many years, we lost their story. Now they’re free to take their crowning glory. They’re SIX.”
Day #4 of SIX: Andrea Coachman
If you are like me, you’re a fan of AC women’s basketball (ACWBB). The first winning seasons with Maggie Roe and Kim Jacoby during my years at AC. The near-miss NAIA national title with Marisa Hesse & company in the late 1990s. Bryce Frank’s All-American domination in the late 2010s when I began writing about AC athletics. And others.
So, it’s not a surprise that the 2024 Hall of Honor class includes yet another ACWBB star to add to the list: Andrea (Bauer) Coachman (’06).
The book “Kangaroo Court: 100 Years of AC Basketball” by Roo Jim Rogers tells the story of Coachman’s four years at AC: First team All-Conference designation in 2006, when Coachmen led the team with 14.2 points per game. Back-to-back 18-8 seasons, typical for an ACWBB team fighting for conference titles. And four straight winning seasons during her time in Sherman.
Hey, Coachman knows winning.
Which raises the question. Does Coachman’s winning ways at AC extend to high school? Why, Mr. Roo Tale is just the guy with the digging skills to answer that question.
Coachman competed for four years at Sacred Heart Catholic (Muenster, TX) in the TAPPS Class 2A classification. The Tigerettes went 33-2 in 2005, winning a state title on the back of Coachman’s 13 points in the title game.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on the contest with an incredible headline: “Five-peat for Sacred Heart.” Yes, that’s right Roo fans. Andrea Coachman won a state title every year in high school.
Hey, Coachman knows winning.
Congratulations Andrea, #4 of the six inductees into the Hall of Honor this weekend. Like the stars of the musical SIX, I’m looking forward to hearing more of your story in Sherman “before we drop the curtain” on the “end of the show” of Legends 2024.
Up tomorrow: Ned Munoz, #5 of SIX.
Six Roos will be inducted into the Austin College Hall of Honor during Legends weekend of 2024 (July 26-28). I happen to have ties (some big, some small) to the six 2024 inductees. Hey, that sounds like a Marc writing opportunity! So, let’s do six short stories over six days for these SIX.
The British musical Six follows the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII. They begin as tales of woe because of their infamous husband. But those tales end with each wife finding her own voice and reclaiming her own story.
Like the musical, the six Roo inductees have their own stories to tell; Marc’s musings are just a little intro to get you going. Sure, kings like Henry VIII and schools like the University of Texas are gonna get most of the spotlight. But AC deserves its moment in the sun, and so do these SIX.
Come to Legends 2024 and meet each one. Then you can get their entire stories straight from the source, as you salute their Hall of Honor induction. “They’re one of a kind, no category. Too many years, we lost their story. Now they’re free to take their crowning glory. They’re SIX.”
Day #5 of SIX: Ned Muñoz
I have a little theory about AC athletes in smaller sports. The spotlight shines bright on them in high school, when athletics is one of very few outlets. But then AC comes along and offers Roos “the world.” Athletics, once so prominent, slowly recedes into the background. As a result, the success of these small sport athletes becomes a little Sherman secret.
Ned Muñoz and I shared similar academic interests in the early 1990s during our time at AC: political science and international studies. His family’s background in Mexico (by way of San Angelo) matched my focus on learning Spanish in Mexico. While living in Mexico City in the mid-1990s, I stopped by corporate offices on Reforma Avenue to chat briefly with Ned’s executive father. There, we talked Mexico, Spanish, AC, and how I might be able to land a job.
A job eventually took me to the East Coast in the late 1990s. The same was true for Ned. We were both working in investments for firms which would either barely survive the 2008 “Big Short” (Marc, at Putnam Investments) or would not survive at all (Ned, at Bear Stearns). From time to time, Ned would host Richard Gudmundsen and me at his Upper East Side pad in Manhattan.
I returned the hosting favor in 2000, when Ned, Rich, and I took in Election Night 2000 at our family condo in Austin, TX. Because the condo was located just blocks from the Governor’s mansion, we combined the all-night electoral confusion with live speeches from one of the campaigns. Ken Street nerds that we both were, that historic election night “tie” was raucous fun.
Which brings me back to my theory about AC athletes in small sports. Despite all this history with Ned, I had no idea he was an All-American swimmer until his induction into the Hall of Honor.
My fraternity pledge brother Barry Holcomb, a fellow All-American in the pool, confirmed to me that Ned was one of the best long-distance swimmers in AC history. I went digging and found this to be true even in San Angelo. Back in high school, the papers were already writing about the long-distance prowess of swimmer Ned Muñoz.
See, this is what AC does. Austin College offers this, that, and the other, and just like that we end up defining each other by all the non-athletic stuff we did. But thank goodness for Legends 2024. Legends allows us to “change the prefix” and focus on the overlooked part: the quiet swimming bada$$ery of Ned Muñoz.
Congratulations Ned, #5 of the six inductees into the Hall of Honor this weekend. Like the stars of the musical SIX, I’m looking forward to hearing more of your story in Sherman “before we drop the curtain” on the “end of the show” of Legends 2024.
Up tomorrow: Al Hockaday, #6 of SIX.
Six Roos will be inducted into the Austin College Hall of Honor during Legends weekend of 2024 (July 26-28). I happen to have ties (some big, some small) to the six 2024 inductees. Hey, that sounds like a Marc writing opportunity! So, let’s do six short stories over six days for these SIX.
The British musical Six follows the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII. They begin as tales of woe because of their infamous husband. But those tales end with each wife finding her own voice and reclaiming her own story.
Like the musical, the six Roo inductees have their own stories to tell; Marc’s musings are just a little intro to get you going. Sure, kings like Henry VIII and schools like the University of Texas are gonna get most of the spotlight. But AC deserves its moment in the sun, and so do these SIX.
Come to Legends 2024 and meet each one. Then you can get their entire stories straight from the source, as you salute their Hall of Honor induction. “They’re one of a kind, no category. Too many years, we lost their story. Now they’re free to take their crowning glory. They’re SIX.”
Day #6 of SIX: Al Hockaday
Officiating is a fine Austin College tradition. Byron Boston, whose 25-year NFL officiating career included multiple Super Bowls, is perhaps our most famous Roo official. The story of Byron Boston was turned into a Roo Tale.
I used to live in Boston with my fraternity brother Frank Tooley; I see Tools every year now that we are both in Texas. Frank spends his free time doing the underappreciated yeoman’s work that allows us to enjoy the sports we love: he officiates Texas high school lacrosse & football. I always tell him thanks.
Officiating is under threat, as the rhetoric that sadly affects our politics has made its way to the playing fields. Officials are leaving as a result, and finding replacements is a challenge. Those who remain are doing so because of their expertise and their commitment to the kids who play the games. We should be grateful.
Former NFL great Dante Hall said it best about football: “linemen control the game and true sports fans know that.” Al Hockaday, a two-sport star at AC, was an offensive lineman (OL) for at Austin College in the mid-1970s. Like most on the OL, he spent his career doing the most important and least appreciated part of the game. I’ve shared a photo of Al in action from the 1996 book “100 Years, 100 Yards: The Story of Austin College Football.”
Al Hockaday still plays an underappreciated role in both of his sports. Since 1968, Hockaday has officiated more than 10,000 games (!) throughout the state of Texas. I’m sure more than a few of those games have tried Al’s likely exceptional patience. He’s still at it though, after all these years. If you are at Legends this weekend, be sure to thank Mr. Hockaday for allowing us to enjoy the games we love.
Congratulations Al, #6 of the six inductees into the Hall of Honor this weekend. Like the stars of the musical SIX, I’m looking forward to hearing more of your story in Sherman “before we drop the curtain” on the “end of the show” of Legends 2024.
