The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team claimed the program’s second NCAA Division III National Championship with a 57-24 win over North Central College at the Stagg Bowl. UMHB totaled 596 yards of offense in the contest and set a new program record with 463 yards in the air. Quarterback Kyle King led UMHB’s passing attack, throwing for a program-record 436 yards and tying the record for passing touchdowns in a season with 35. He went 22-for-29 in the contest with three touchdowns. Defensively, Keith Gipson led UMHB with 11 tackles, followed by Mikkah Hackett with 10. Hackett added two tackles for losses, two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two interceptions in the contest. Hackett was named Most Outstanding Player of the game. The Cru ended their season with a 15-0 record in 2021. After leading the team to the NCAA Division III Championship, Pete Fredenburg announced his retirement as head football coach at UMHB. Fredenburg started the UMHB football program in 1998. The team amassed a 231-39 record during his tenure and won 17 American Southwest Conference titles. UMHB announced Larry Harmon, defensive coordinator for the last 17 seasons, is being promoted to head football coach. “Working for and learning from a legendary hall of fame coach in Pete Fredenburg has been one of the biggest blessings of my life,” Harmon said. “UMHB is home to me, and I am ready to get to work at defending our national title.”
After securing the Big 12 Championship, the Baylor University Bears won a 21-7 victory over the University of Mississippi in the Sugar Bowl. The Bears’ defense recorded three interceptions, including one by Al Walcott he returned 96 yards for a touchdown, and racked up a Sugar Bowl record 10 sacks. On offense, running back Abram Smith rushed for 172 yards on 25 carries, setting a new Baylor single-season rushing record. In Dave Aranda’s second year as head coach, the Bears finished the season 12-2, ranking No. 5 nationally in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 6 in the American Football Coaches Association Poll.
Clark Elliston, associate professor of religion and philosophy at Schreiner University in Kerrville, will deliver Howard Payne University’s 15th annual Currie-Strickland Distinguished Lectures in Christian Ethics. “Flourishing in a Technological Age: Cultivating Rest” is the theme of the lectures. They will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 3 and at 10 a.m. on Feb. 4 in the Mabee University Center’s Bullion Suites on the HPU campus. Admission to the lectures is free, but reservations are requested. Contact HPU’s School of Christian Studies by e-mail at currie-strickland@hputx.edu or by phone at (325) 649-8403.
The B.H. Carroll Theological Institute will offer a conference on “Self-harm and Suicide: Counselors and Ministers Working Together” at Southcliff Baptist Church in Fort Worth from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 28. The conference is open to counselors, ministers and chaplains working with children, teens, young adults, military and first responders, and adults of all ages. The event is offered free of charge. For counselors seeking continuing education credits, the charge is $150. To register, click here.
Anniversary
10th for Kevin Mitchell as pastor at First Baptist Church in Pecos. The church will observe his anniversary during the Jan. 16 worship service at 10:45 a.m. Ward Hayes, treasurer and chief financial officer of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and E.C. Holt, deacon chair at First Baptist, will make special presentations.
Retirement
Les Hollon after 12 years as pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio and 43 years of pastoral ministry.
Scott Sharman after 27 years as founding pastor of Alsbury Baptist Church in Burleson.
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