BROWNWOOD – October 29, 2018 – Marvin “Doc” Utecht of Garland has been named to Howard Payne University’s Sports Hall of Fame. He is among eight who will be honored during HPU’s Homecoming 2018 festivities, November 2-3. Additional honorees are listed at www.hputx.edu/homecoming.
Utecht and the other honorees will be recognized during the Alumni & Sports Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, November 2, beginning at 5:45 p.m. The honorees will also be featured in the Homecoming Parade on Saturday, November 3, beginning at 10 a.m. Ticket information for the banquet and a full schedule of the weekend’s events are available online at www.hputx.edu/homecoming.
Utecht graduated from HPU in 1970 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He went on to complete a Master of Education degree from Stephen F. Austin University and received his Mid-Management Certification from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University – Commerce).
At HPU, he was a four-year basketball letterman (1965-1969), a track letterman for two years (1969-1970) and a letterman on the football team during the 1969 season. He played basketball for Coach Glen Whitis and was an integral player on some of the most recognized teams in HPU history. The 6’7” Utecht was a great shooter, known for his leaping ability.
During his basketball career, the Yellow Jackets won the Lone Star Conference championship and the teams on which he played were nationally ranked in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). After completing his eligibility in basketball, he joined the track team for the 1969 season participating in the javelin, hurdles and jumping events. He won numerous times and set the HPU record in the javelin. Utecht also set a record in the 440 intermediate hurdles with a time of 52.3.
He went on to compete at the national level at the 1970 NAIA National Championships in Billings, Montana, where he competed in the ten-event decathlon. Utecht earned the honor of being fourth in the nation just behind the eventual Olympic champion, Bruce Jenner. During that decathlon event, he broke a NAIA decathlon record in the 110-meter high hurdles with a time of 14.8.
Utecht also joined the football team during his fifth year at HPU, lettering as a wide receiver.
He has served as a teacher, administrator and as an assistant superintendent at various school districts in Texas and coached high school football, basketball, track and golf. In 2001, he retired from Garland ISD as the executive director of building and construction. He then went on to serve on the Dallas Appraisal District for Dallas County for 10 years.
“I came to HPU as a very shy young man with few experiences beyond the small town in which I lived all my life,” he said. “College opened up a whole new world of possibilities and, for the first time, I could see myself having an opportunity to be whatever I chose to be. My HPU coaches helped me to become the leader for students who I would teach and coach in the future years as I became an educator.”
He and his wife, Julie Utecht, attend First Baptist Church of Garland. They have two children and five grandchildren.
###
Cutline: Marvin “Doc” Utecht of Garland has been named to HPU’s Sports Hall of Fame.