University of Houston Athletics
Ted Nance Endowment Established
12/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
HOUSTON - The University of Houston Athletics Department and the Houston Cougar Foundation (HCF) are proud to announce the establishment of the Ted Nance Scholarship through the creation of the Ted Nance Endowment.
Managed by HCF, the endowment will enable Houston Athletics to award a post-grad intern serving as the Ted Nance Communications Assistant in the Houston Athletics Communications department financial aid annually. The recipient will be selected by members of the HCF Scholarship Committee, which includes UH Athletics personnel.
In his 33-year association with the University of Houston, Nance witnessed several hallmark events. As the school's SID, Nance promoted Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware; Lombardi Award winner Wilson Whitley; college basketball's "Game of the Century"; college basketball's 1968 Player of the Year, Elvin Hayes, and Coach of the Year Guy V. Lewis along with a host of All-American golfers and football, basketball and baseball players.
"Ted took us through a great era for Houston Athletics. He really set the standard for SIDs and was really a forerunner in his industry," said Houston Baseball alum and Voice of the Houston Rockets Bill Worrell. "He took us into the television era with the Game of the Century, and he is how I got my start in the business. Ted had a great way with people and, with the help of Bill Yeoman, Guy V. Lewis and numerous student-athletes, really helped put Houston Athletics on the national map. Because of Ted, a lot of people know about UH."
He also witnessed Houston's 1967 upset over defending national football champion Michigan State, the Cougars' first two NCAA Final Four appearances, 13 of Houston's 16 NCAA Golf Championships and the school's first College World Series appearance.
His association with the University began as a student, when he served as the sports editor for The Daily Cougar and Houstonian Year Book. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism in 1956, Nance spent one year as a general assignment reporter in the city room before returning to UH to begin a career in sports information. He first served as an assistant under Jack Scott before serving as sports information director from 1960-79.
Nance left the University of Houston to work in the private sector and then as the executive director of the Bluebonnet Bowl. He returned to UH in 1988 and achieved what many would regard as his greatest accomplishment, promoting Ware for the Heisman Trophy a year later.
Nance targeted his campaign by comparing Ware to some of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game in weekly "Air Ware" mail outs and making Ware accessible to as many newspaper and radio interviews as his schedule allowed.
In 1992 Ted was selected Distinguished Alumnus of UH's Jack J. Valenti School of Communications. He was elected to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame and retired from UH in 1994. He was named to the University of Houston Athletics Hall of Honor in 2004.
For additional information on how you can contribute to the Ted Nance Endowment and the Houston Cougar Foundation contact CougarPride at 713-743-4684 or the Houston Cougar Foundation at info@houstoncougarfoundation.com. The mailing address for HCF is Houston Cougar Foundation, PO Box 131886, Houston, Texas 77219. The mission of the Houston Cougar Foundation is to solicit, manage and distribute private gifts and donations for the benefit of the University of Houston through athletics.
