Howard Payne University will have special presentation recognizing 50 years of Yellow Jacket basketball in the historic Brownwood Coliseum on Saturday, November 23rd at the Howard Payne women’s and men’s basketball home openers versus the University of Texas at Dallas.
In the fall of 1963, the first Howard Payne basketball game was played in the Brownwood Coliseum shortly after the facility’s dedication. The Brownwood Coliseum was a result of visionary leaders of the Brownwood community and has served Brown County and Howard Payne University very well in its half century of use.
Howard Payne University has been very blessed to have a strong relationship with the City of Brownwood as the two move forward into the next 50 years.
Many amazing athletic events have been held in the Coliseum. Howard Payne has been fortunate to have the Coliseum play host to Yellow Jacket basketball and volleyball games as well as banquets, concerts and graduations.
Yellow Jacket basketball teams have won 21 conference titles from the Lone Star, Texas Collegiate Athletic Association and American Southwest Conferences while using the Brownwood Coliseum.The Brownwood community and Howard Payne University also broke a national record for the largest crowd to ever see a NCAA Division III women’s basketball game set during the 2007 NCAA Division III playoffs.
Another 50 year milestone was reached this season. Longtime voice of the Jackets, Dallas Huston, started broadcasting Yellow Jacket basketball games in HPU’s first season in the Brownwood Coliseum. Since then Dallas has been a part of all the games and conference championships that have been claimed in the historic facility. Dallas Huston is a member of the Gordon Wood Hall of Champions, the Big Country Sports Hall of Fame and Howard Payne University Sports Hall of Fame.
A ceremony will be held between games recognizing these milestones at Howard Payne University’s home opener on Saturday, November 23rd versus the University of Texas at Dallas.
The women’s game will begin at 1:00 pm and the men’s game will follow 20 minutes after the presentation following the completion of the women’s game.
