Three former McMurry University athletes are among the "Class of 2018" elected to the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame, it has been announced.  Darcell Edwards, of the women's track and field program, and former football standouts Richard "Dick" Compton and John Thomas, will be enshrined at the 17^th annual induction banquet, set for May 7 at the Abilene Convention Center.
 
Edwards had one of the most-storied track and field careers in McMurry University history.  A native of Coleman, Edwards won a total of six NCAA Division III national championships in the long and triple jumps.  Her six individual championships is the most by any female athlete in McM's storied track and field history. Overall, Edwards earned a total of 10 All-American honors during her four-year career from 2001-04.
 
Behind her efforts, the McMurry women's team had four top-20 national finishes outdoors, including a runner-up in 2002 and a fourth place in 2001.  The McM team was also 10^th at the 2004 indoor championships. Edwards was the NCAA III Athlete of the Year at the 2003 championships, as well.
 
McMurry dominated the American Southwest Conference during her tenure, as well, winning four-consecutive championships. Edwards won the ASC crowns in both the long and triple jump all four years, also adding a high jump win as a senior in 2004. That fact earned Edward four ASC Outstanding Field Athlete honors, as well as the meet's High Point Athlete award as a junior and senior.
 
Edwards set an NCAA Division III record in the triple jump, with a leap of 44-feet-2-inches in 2004. That effort also earned her an invitation to the 2004 Olympic Trials. She still holds the long and triple jump records – both indoor and outdoor – at McMurry.
 
Compton, a native of Colorado City, Texas had a standout, three-year career for McMurry from 1958-60, before signing a professional contract during what would have been his senior year (McMurry's first-ever football player to sign a pro contract). Coached by Grant Teaff, Compton was a halfback for the Maroon & White, gaining notoriety for his prowess as a kick return man, as well (with a career-best 90-yard return in 1960).


After his time at McMurry, Compton went on to a six-year career in the National Football League with the Detroit Lions (3 seasons/1962-64), Houston Oilers (1 season/1965) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2 seasons/1967-68) from 1962-68. In his NFL career, Compton had 52 catches for 733 yards (14.1 yards per catch) with four touchdowns. He also averaged 24.6 yards per return on kickoffs in his pro career.

In 1967, Compton was the offensive MVP of the Steelers and had his best season as a professional during that year with Pittsburgh (making 42 receptions for 507 yards). In 1963, his second season with the Detroit Lions, Compton was a member of the team made famous by the late author George Plimpton in his book "Paper Lion."

Compton also still holds the second-longest pass completion in Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) team history. In 1965 versus the Buffalo Bills in a game played at Rice Stadium (won by the Bills, 29-18), Compton caught a 95-yard strike from now NFL Hall of Famer George Blanda.
 
Compton was inducted into the McMurry Athletics Hall of Honor in 2017.
 
Thomas played four seasons (1958-61) for McMurry, two seasons each under coaches Tommy Ellis and Teaff. Thomas came to McM after earning two-way all-state accolades on Abilene High School's 1954 state championship team.
 
With McMurry playing as an independent during his years, Thomas still impressed opposing coaches enough to be selected as a first team all-American offensive lineman as both a junior and senior, by Williamson Mid-Bracket.
 
Thomas was picked by the Houston Oilers in the 11^th round of the 1962 NFL draft. He was the 87^th player selected, overall.
 
In all, nine individuals are included in the 2018 Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame "Class of 2018." To order tickets, go online to bigcountryhalloffame.org or call (325) 668-3685. A portion of table sponsorships will go to the college scholarship endowment. The Hall of Fame will again award 12 $1,000 college scholarships to graduating senior athletes from the Big Country. Including this year, the Hall of Fame will have given out $65,000 in college scholarships.