National Park College (NPC) Board of Trustees discussed the impact of Nighthawk Athletics Wednesday during their regular monthly board meeting. Nighthawk Athletics coaching staff were introduced during the meeting, including head baseball coach Rich Thompson, head basketball coach Dillon Hargrove, and head soccer coach Kevin Tello. Head softball coach Jessica Taylor was unable to attend due to team schedules.
Dean of Enrollment and Athletics Director, Jason Hudnell shared an update about the growth of athletics on campus. He shared that the program began in 2017 with men’s and women’s basketball club teams and included 22 student-athletes. Today, Nighthawk Athletics is a member of the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) and has 105 student-athletes on six teams including men and women’s cross country, men and women’s basketball, baseball and softball.
Hudnell said academic success in the classroom is a top priority for NPC’s student-athletes. For fall 2020, 22 student-athletes made the president’s or dean’s list. NPC student-athletes come from eight different states. The teams have seen success on the court and the field as well, with 11 All-Region Team Awards and an All-American Award. Alumni are now competing in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 3 and Division 1 colleges across the country.
Two additional teams for men’s and women’s soccer will be added in the fall of 2021, which will total eight teams and over 150 student-athletes for the College. This will include international student-athletes for the first time.
“One of the goals that we have is not just to succeed on the field and on the court, but we want them to be successful in the classroom and to walk out of here with a degree,” said Hudnell. NPC is also investing in additional full-time coaching staff this year. “Our coaches are doing a good job of making sure that our student-athletes are going to class and doing the things that they need to do.” Data from fall 2020 showed that the teams with full-time coaches had higher grade point averages by over half a point.
NPC President, John Hogan said athletics is an important part of NPC’s overall strategic plan and high priority objectives. “We view the investment in athletics as an investment in student success.” Athletics helps increase enrollment, improve student retention, close the gap in completion rates, and increase the number of transfer students that graduate and continue on to a four year degree. “Winning is getting those students to succeed in the classroom, learning through athletics to succeed in life, and providing opportunities for student-athletes,” he said.
Board chair, Forrest Spicher recalled his experience as an athlete here on campus many years ago. Spicher played for the Garland County Community College Lakers tennis and golf teams. “Athletics here on this campus really had a profound effect on my life.” He noted that he met his wife and made many lifelong friends during that time. “Student athletics can certainly change a person’s life and I am profoundly grateful for all of that.”
