ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Former Eastern New Mexico University student-athlete, Larry Hays, is the newest member of the 2024 New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.

"This is an unbelievable honor to be inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame," said Larry Hays back in early 2024 when he found out about the honor. "My life was blessed to grow up in Dora, New Mexico and attend Eastern New Mexico University."

Born in Elida, N.M., Hays attended Dora High School before making his way to Lubbock Christian College and ENMU to play collegiate basketball. He earned his bachelor's from Eastern in 1966 and a master's in 1969.

At the collegiate level he has coached programs in four different sports – men's basketball, women's basketball, softball, and baseball. He served as a Lubbock Christian men's basketball assistant coach from 1969-75 and a women's coach during the 1982-83 season for LCU. He also served as the athletic director for the Chaps from 1979-86.

From 1970-86, he led the LCU baseball program to a 695-381-1 (.646) record. He then went on to become the skipper at Texas Tech where he helped the Red Raiders achieve an 813-479-3 (.629) record from 1987-2008.

Hays served as an assistant for the Chaps softball program directly after his tenure at TTU concluded and was the head coach a season later where he guided them to a 54-6 (.875) season. Since 2018, Hays has been the leader of Colorado Christian softball and has totaled a 241-62-0 (.795) record through six seasons in Lakewood, Colo.

The other honorees for the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame include George Brooks, Amber Campbell, Frank Maestas, Charlie Criss, Jim Marshall, Glover Quinn, and Klaus Weber.