Allen, McCoy, Kittley, Mumme land spots on '24 Texas Sports Hall of Fame ballot
Former Big Country greats Randy Allen, Colt McCoy, Wes Kittley and Hal Mumme are on the Texas Sports Hall of Fame’s 2024 ballot.
The four are on the primary ballot with 16 others, including former Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach and Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve.
Voting for the Class of 2024 begins in July and concludes in mid August. To become a voting member, go to www.tshof.org. Membership packages start at $25.
The 2024 Texas Sports Induction Banquet will be April 13 in Waco.
Randy Allen
Allen was a senior running back on the Abilene Cooper football team that played in the 1967 state championship game, losing to Austin Reagan 20-19 in a game that ended in controversy at Fort Worth’s Amon G. Carter Stadium.
Allen, who went to play at SMU, before a storied high school coaching career that included stops at Ballinger (1981-85), Brownwood (1986-90), Abilene Cooper (1991-98) and Highland Park (1999-present).
Allen led the Cougars back to the state championship game as a coach in 1996. Austin Westlake, led by quarterback Drew Brees, beat the Coogs 55-16.
Allen, who has won four state title at Highland Park, is one of the winningest coaches in Texas high school football at 435-93-6.
Colt McCoy
McCoy was a two-time all-state quarterback and Associated Press Offensive MVP at Jim Ned and led the team to the Class 2A state title game in 2003 – losing to San Augustine 28-7.
McCoy went on to be a standout quarterback at Texas (2005-09), and he was a third-round pick by Cleveland in the 2010 NFL Draft. McCoy currently plays for the Arizona Cardinals.
Wes Kittley
Kittley, a Rule native, won 29 national track and field titles at Abilene Christian University from 1983-99 – the most in Division I and II combined.
Kittley, who coached 12 Olympic qualifiers at ACU, has been at Texas Tech since 2000. The Red Raiders won a Division I men’s outdoor national title in 2019.
Hal Mumme
Mumme, a wide receiver at Tarleton State (1974-75), made his name as one of the founders of the Air Raid offense in a long, storied coaching career that included a stop at McMurry (2009-12), where he led the War Hawks to the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2011.
McMurry beat Trinity 25-16 before falling to conference rival Mary Hardin-Baylor 49-20.
It was the program’s first playoff appearance since 1980 and first as an NCAA member. The program’s only other playoff appearance was in 1980 in NAIA Division II.
Texas Sports Hall of Fame 2024 candidates
Primary Class
Randy Allen, football; Jose Altuve, baseball; Tim Buchanan, football; Jamaal Charles, football; Phil Danaher, football; Todd Dodge, football; Juan Gonzalez, baseball; Brittney Griner, basketball; Jon Kay, football; Wes Kittley, track and field; Mike Leach (deceased), football; Colt McCoy, football; Hal Mumme, football; Carla Overbeck, soccer; Arthur Rhodes, baseball; Jackie Sherrill, football; Leon “Red” Spencer, basketball; Matthew Stafford, football; Bubba Thornton, track and field; Christa Williams, softball
Veteran’s Ballot
Jay Buhner, baseball; Kirk Dressendorfer, baseball; Cito Gaston, baseball; Chris Gilbert, football; Roy Hofheinz (deceased), administration; Barbara Jacket (deceased) track and field; Charmayne James, rodeo; Fred Newhouse, track and field; Billy Nicks (deceased), football; Richard Ritchie (deceased), football; Ira Terrell, basketball; Wilson Whitley (deceased), football
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Four with Big Country ties on 2024 Texas Sports Hall of Fame ballot
