- RAY ETHERLY, athlete: Arguably the finest high school sprinter New Mexico ever produced, Etherly’s records still stand at Albuquerque High more than a half-century later. In 2000, he was inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.
- EDDIE GROTH, sports information director and more: Groth, first at New Mexico Highlands, then at UNM, finally at NMSU, for decades got the word out with humor and unflagging goodwill.
- LINCOLN GALASSINI, coach: Galassini coached basketball and baseball at St. Pius X High School (his alma mater) from 1971-81, making many friends and touching many lives along the way.
- WILL GARCIA, coach: Before his death in October at age 39, he guided the Las Cruces High School softball team to a Class 5A state title and was named coach of the year by the New Mexico High School Coaches Association.
- LARRY TUTTLE, coach: A UNM baseball and basketball player in the late 1940s-early ’50s, he coached the Rio Grande boys basketball team from 1954-70.
