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ASUN underdogs on their way to fight for the banner
When Lipscomb men’s basketball head coach Kevin Carroll took over the program, there were just a few days left with an open transfer portal. Most of Lipscomb’s basketball players had already graduated or transferred, and Carroll was left with just seven returning players. Of those seven, only three had started or seen major minutes. The other four had either redshirted, or not seen much court time. Carroll had just a few days to find transfers in the portal, and had to take his team up to a 15-man roster. When another of the seven left, he was set with the task of finding nine men before summer training. Despite the…
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Lipscomb Baseball anticipates exciting season with promising roster
Lipscomb baseball is kicking off its season on Valentine’s weekend this year, taking to Ken Dugan field for the team’s opening series against the Dayton Flyers. The Bisons’ roster is made up of 38 players, 17 of whom are new to the team. Herd Media spoke to two of the returning players, one transfer, one freshman and head coach Jeff Forehand about the upcoming season. Though all five had different takes on this year’s team, all were looking forward to the upcoming season and getting to see the team’s potential in play. “Talent wise, with this team, I think it is top notch. I think we’ll be able to compete…
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2026 and then: Ken Dugan Field commemorated 35 years ago
Former players stood in a long line along the third-base line in 1991 as Lipscomb formally named its new baseball field for Coach Ken Dugan, honoring the coach who shaped generations of Bison players. Dugan coached at Lipscomb from 1960 to 1996, winning more than 1,000 games and leading the Bisons to NAIA national championships in 1977 and 1979. The prior home for Lipscomb baseball had been Onion Dell, where the Ezell Center now stands. The 35th anniversary anniversary is a reminder of who Dugan was – a coach whose character, faith and compassion shaped Lipscomb baseball as much as his skills did as a coach. For the Dugan family,…
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2026 and then: Student Activity Center marks 35 years of campus recreation, community service
The Student Activity Center (SAC), a vibrant hub for campus life, celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2026, marking what’s been called a “paradigm shift” in campus recreation. The late Lynn Griffith championed the creation of the campus’ first dedicated recreational facility for all students. Decades after the SAC’s opening in 1991, Griffith’s vision and the building’s evolution are remembered by Ruth Henry, a former colleague and department chair, who shared the story of how the SAC went from being a pioneering center to the physical heart of campus wellness. “Dr. Griffith was the chairman of the kinesiology department at the time the SAC was built,” Henry said. “He oversaw the construction of it.” Griffith…
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2026 and then: Draper Diamond celebrates 20th anniversary
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Draper Diamond, Lipscomb’s softball field, named after the late Lassie Draper. March 7, 2006, marked the first game on the new field, and Mary Pat Draper, the daughter of Lassie Draper, shared her experiences from that day. “There was a very lovely reception beforehand, and lots of people came – friends and family and alumni,” Draper said. “I guess I just felt really proud putting our name out there like that.” The Draper Diamond had a fitting name, as Draper Jewelry Co. sits across Granny White Pike from Lipscomb’s campus. “Andy Lane, who used to work at Lipscomb in the athletic department,…
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2025 and then: Family of first Black Lipscomb student remembers his story, honors his legacy
The year 2025 has marked 60 years since James Fitzgerald, Lipscomb’s first Black student, enrolled at the university. To honor this anniversary, Fitzgerald’s family reflected on his personal history, legacy and the importance of this milestone. Fitzgerald enrolled at Lipscomb University, then David Lipscomb College, in 1965. He came to the school to study the Bible and enhance his work as a preacher. However, it was not always a given that Fitzgerald would have the opportunity to attend college. Fitzgerald was born in Thompson Station, Tennessee, during the Jim Crow era. Like many other African Americans in the South, Fitzgerald had limited access to educational resources. While white students had…
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2025 and then: Bison Square remains ‘heartbeat of campus’ after 45 years
On any given day, the sound of footsteps and laughter echoes across the brick of Bison Square — the same place where generations of students have met for dinner, studied between classes, or lingered long after sunset. Decades ago, though, the heart of campus was nothing more than a muddy shortcut worn down by thousands of shoes. The student-built Bison Square — now considered the heart of Lipscomb’s social life — has celebrated its 45th anniversary this year. President Willard Collins smiles for a photo when Bison Square was completed (1981). The area exists thanks to the Lipscomb students of the 1970s and 1980s who helped make the square a…
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2025 and then: Former President Gerald Ford spoke to Lipscomb students 40 years ago
It’s not every day a former president of the United States comes to speak to a group of students at a university. Still, for David Lipscomb College students on Nov. 4, 1985, that just so happened to be the case. On Nov. 4, 1985, former President Gerald Ford spoke during a special 2 p.m. chapel service in McQuiddy Gymnasium at the invitation of Lipscomb donors Alvin and Sally Beaman. The entire Lipscomb community, including students from kindergarten through the graduate program, was in attendance. Ford spoke to the students about his optimism in them and how he knew they would do great things in and for the future. “Today’s young…
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2025 and then: Lipscomb celebrates MLK Day for quarter-century
Today, having a day off from classes at Lipscomb University for Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a given. But that has not always been the case. The first MLK Day in the U.S. was celebrated on Jan. 20, 1986, after President Ronald Reagan signed it into law in November 1983. Fourteen years after 1986, Lipscomb University joined in. When the recognition of the holiday was announced, student Matt Kirby, then editor-in-chief of Lipscomb’s school paper The Babbler, wrote an opinion piece. Kirby believed that the new holiday was a step in the right direction, but that the steps should not stop there. To Kirby, simply having a day off…
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2025 and then: Global Learning celebrates three decades of international academics
Lipscomb marked a milestone this fall by celebrating 30 years since launching its first global learning program in Vienna, Austria. The decision not only introduced students to a world beyond campus but also laid the foundation for the global education opportunities the university has today. What began in 1995 with a small group of two dozen students, a handful of committed faculty members, and a vision for cultural immersion has since grown into one of Lipscomb’s most enduring academic offerings. Finding a location that would provide both academic and personal growth took time and careful consideration. The study abroad faculty committee eventually landed on Vienna for several reasons, as shared…
