Hall of Honors
After transferring from West Virginia for the 1962 season, Rex Anderson was one of the Greyhound swimming team’s first competitors. It turned out he was a strong foundation for the program to be built on as he won the NAIA Championship in the 50-yard freestyle and was later recognized as an NAIA All-American. The significance of that award was magnified, as Anderson was the first swimmer in the state of New Mexico to earn national accolades. Upon his return from the championships, Anderson was greeted by a police escort back to Portales. The Hounds were the NAIA runner-up at the national championships for three consecutive years 1964-66). He also was presented an award from Lieutenant Governor Tom Bolack, which named him an honorary member of the New Mexico Navy, an award which astronaut John Glenn received earlier that year. After serving as the Natatorium manager, Anderson became a full-fledged member of the Navy, which included 2.5 tours of duty in Vietnam.
