Dan McGhee was named All-Lone Star Conference four times while playing for some of the best basketball teams in HPU history. The four-year letterman scored 1,694 points over his career spanning 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70 and 1970-71. He scored a career high 40 points vs. Southwest Texas State in 1968 and grabbed a career high 18 rebounds vs. Roseland in 1970. McGhee scored 651 field goals, 392 free throws and secured 775 rebounds – marks still in HPU’s Top 10 career lists. McGhee was an all-state player at Bloomfield High in Indiana when he was recruited by Louisville. He left and joined the Navy in spite of the fact that at 6-foot-7, he was an inch taller than requirements. He served in the Navy for five years in special services and played on the All-Navy team before coming to Howard Payne. The Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association drafted McGhee in the 17th round, No. 165 overall, at the age of 27. He tried out but then turned to coaching. He coached for 28 years including at May and Hillsboro, coached two girls All-Americans and published a girls basketball magazine. He also ran convenience stores in Brownwood after leaving coaching. McGhee died in 2020.