FLYING QUEEN TEAM HONORED

I am so excited about tomorrow!!! Its been ten years since I have seen, spoken to, or even thought my teammates from our 98-99 Season at Wayland. This weekend at Wayland is Homecoming and they are honoring the top 50 teams from the past 100 years of the Women's Basketball Program. I am proud to say that I am a member of that prestige program and our 98-99 season is being honored as the 50th team!!!! I am anxious to see everyone along w/the other Flying Queens teams being honored. You know what else is cool...there is a Lady by the name of "Cherri Rapp", who will be honored for two season 69-70 & 70-71...BUT here is the cool part, she is from Estelline...yep, she went to school in Estelline TX. Over the years I have been able to meet w/her and her sister Ann, who is a play writer, recently wrote a play about "Bob Wills" and it was performed in Amarillo, Tx. There is just a special bond when you become a Flying Queen. Yes you were there to play basketball but also to act like a lady, get an education and uphold "tradition." When you graduate from Wayland Baptist, Flying Queen, the owners of the Hutcherson Airport, Mike & Claude, would present you with a gold charm for a necklace w/the symbol of Flying Queens & on the back the year you graduated, all in 24K GOLD!!!! Never had a chance to wear it but you bet I am tomorrow!! I will also have more pics when I get in tomorrow night...might be late...be on the look out for some exciting stories and pictures.

Women’s basketball began at Wayland in the 1940’s when Harvest Queen Mill, a local grain mill still in operation, provided financial support. For that reason, Wayland’s women were known as the Harvest Queens, a moniker that stood until Claude Hutcherson entered the picture in the early 1950’s.

Hutcherson, a Wayland graduate and owner of Hutcherson Air Service, provided air transportation for the Queens to games in Mexico in 1948. That encounter blossomed into a full sponsorship of the team in 1950, a change that brought with it a new mascot - the Hutcherson Flying Queens.

The rich championship history of the Flying Queens can be attributed to the patronage of the Hutcherson family. Since 1950, the Queens have set an all-time collegiate record for the longest winning streak (131 consecutive games in the 1950’s) and have amassed a total of 10 AAU national championships and 10 AAU runner-up trophies.

Currently a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the Queens have been to the national tournament a 17 times.

To learn more about the Wayland Baptist University Flying Queens please visit www.wbu.edu.