Hays tabbed for NM Sports Hall of Fame

ALBUQUERQUE – Former Eastern New Mexico University basketball player and Texas Tech baseball coach Larry Hays of Dora and former Olympic track athlete Amber Campbell of Tucumcari are among eight persons named to the 2023 class of inductees for the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.

The announcement was made on Saturday in a press conference at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Others chosen were University of New Mexico skiing coach George Brooks, former New Mexico State and NBA guard Charlie Criss, former New Mexico Highlands and University of the Southwest baseball coach Jim Marshall, Latino sportswriter Frank Maestas, ex-New Mexico football player Glover Quin and former UNM cross country ski coach Klaus Weber. The honorees are to be inducted on June 23 in a banquet at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Hays played basketball for the Greyhounds in the mid-1960s, then started his coaching career as a men’s basketball coach at Lubbock Christian before helping to reinstate the school’s suspended baseball program as head coach in 1972.

Between 1972 and 1986 he was 695-381, including the 1983 NAIA national championship.

Moving to Tech the following year, he amassed an 814-479-3 record over 22 seasons to become only the fourth college baseball coach to reach the 1,500-win milestone (1,509-860-3). After retiring from Tech in 2008, he took over the LCU softball program and led the Lady Chaps to a national championship in 2010.

In 2018, he became the softball coach at Lakewood, Colo.-based Colorado Christian and helped the Cougars capture the past two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament titles.

“This is an unbelievable honor to be inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame,” Hays said. “My life was blessed growing up in Dora, and attending Eastern New Mexico University.”

Hays was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1992, the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001 and the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012. He had his uniform number retired by Tech while the baseball facility at LCU is named after him and his family.

“On behalf of ENMU, I add our congratulations to the many I’m sure Mr. Hays will receive,” ENMU chancellor James Johnston said. “What an incredible career, and well-deserved recognition. ENMU is proud to have been part of his journey, and we wish him continued success.”