W. Ray Hickman

Inducted: 1979

The late W. Ray Hickman, a 1915 graduate of Wayne State, has the distinction of winning more conference titles than any other coach in Wayne State history. He returned to his alma mater in 1924 to teach biology and assist in the athletic department. In 1928, he became the head football, basketball, and track coach plus director of athletics. During his tenure, WSC won at least one football crown, plus NIAA (Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Association) basketball titles in 1930, 1936 and 1937 and NIAA track titles in 1929, 1935, 1937 and 1938. In addition, the 1931 football team was undefeated (7-0-1), shut out the opposition six of eight games and only allowed 13 points that season - by far the fewest allowed by any WSC team in history. His career basketball coaching record at WSC was an impressive 93-71 in a span of 11 years beginning in 1928. For 10 of those years, Hickman was also the Wildcat football coach and compiled a record of 31-39-12. While a student at WSC from 1912-1915, Hickman participated on the football and basketball teams, plus played baseball. Not long after graduation, he joined the military, becoming a second lieutenant with the field artillery (1917-18). After leaving WSC in 1938 he was a coach and teacher at Longmont, Colo., High School, then worked for a sporting goods store and later as a Skelly Oil distributor. He was also active in his community as a member of the Kiwanis Club, the Boy Scouts, and the Longmont Chamber of Commerce. He died in 1957. Hickman was inducted into the WSC Athletics Hall of Fame October 6, 1979.