Gary Hopkins was one of the best players on some of the best HPU men's basketball teams in its history.
 
Hopkins, who finished his career as the fourth-leading scorer in HPU history with 1,573 career points, was twice named 1st team NAIA All-America in 1979-80 and 1980-81 and twice led his team to the Lone Star Conference regular season championship and NAIA playoffs.
 
Hopkins, who graduated from HPU in 1981, was not only a great scorer, but was the best distributor of the basketball in school history, and one of the best in the history of the LSC.
 
In four seasons, Hopkins dished out a school record 683 assists, including 273 in his junior season (1979-80), a mark that still stands as the school and Lone Star Conference single-season record.  He had 19 assists in a 1979 game against Lubbock Christian, a mark that also stands as both the HPU and LSC single-game records.  During that same season Hopkins led the nation with an average of 9.7 assists per game, another LSC record that still stands more than 35 years after it was set.
 
Hopkins was a three-time 1^st Team All-Conference honoree, three-time Lone Star Conference All Tournament honoree, three-time All NAIA District Team member, and as a senior was named Lone Star Conference Most Valuable Player.  In addition, Hopkins was a 3-time member of the Lone Star Conference All-Academic Team – making the team every year he was eligible, and finished his senior season with the highest GPA in the conference.  Hopkins was the first athlete in conference history to be named MVP while maintaining the highest GPA in the league during the same season.
 
Hopkins was later recognized as one of the Top 75 basketball players in the 75-year history of the Lone Star Conference.
 
In his professional life, Gary went on to have a long and distinguished career with the United States Department of Education in the Office of Federal Student Aid.  He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service by Secretary of Education Rod Paige in 2001, and received the White House Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Executives from President George W. Bush in 2006.  The award is considered the highest and most prestigious made to federal executives. Executives selected represent the very best in public service, innovation, and commitment to federal service.