Fourth in a series
Click here to go to main Hall of Fame page
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- A pioneer in his sport who helped not only
establish Tennessee Tech as one of the best collegiate rifle
programs in the nation, Aaron Hupman's ground-breaking success in
hitting the bullseye helped lead toward the adoption of rifle as an
NCAA and Ohio Valley Conference sport. Those credentials have
landed Hupman in the TTU Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2014.
Dr. Hupman is one of five people who will be inducted at the
annual Hall of Fame Dinner, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 7, in the
Multipurpose Room of the Roaden University Center. The induction
dinner is part of Homecoming festivities. Tickets for the dinner,
or the Saturday afternoon game against Southeast Missouri, can be
purchased through the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center or by
calling (931) 372-3940.
Throughout the 1970s, 80s, and into the 90s, the Tennessee Tech
rifle team was one of the premier collegiate teams in the country.
Dr. Aaron Hupman is considered by many as one of the cornerstones
for the program and the building of its success.
Robert Aylward, a member of the TTU Sports Hall of Fame and former
teammate of Hupman, says that he was one of the best riflemen he's
ever seen.
“I would humbly say...that as good as I was while in
college, Aaron J. Hupman kicked my butt in almost every
competition,” Aylward stated in his letter nominating his
former teammate for the Hall of Fame.
Dr. Hupman lettered for rifle in 1971, ’72, and ’73.
At that time, the sport of rifle was not sponsored by the Ohio
Valley Conference. That wouldn't occur until 1980, when the NCAA
also recognized the sport under it's umbrella. Still, because of
the impact he had on a Tennessee Tech program that helped set the
standards of the sport on the collegiate level, Hupman is one of
the individuals credited with laying the foundation and helping to
gain the recognition of the sport for Tennessee Tech and eventually
the OVC and NCAA.
In the 1970s, the National Rifle Association (NRA) had oversight
of the sport of collegiate rifle. Hupman was named an NRA
All-American in 1971, ’72, and ’73, when he helped the
team win two NRA National Championships in ’71 and ’72.
Hupman was crowned NRA National Individual Champion in 1971.
Aylward, U.S. Olympic gold medalist Ed Etzel, and Ray Carter, all
teammates of Hupman while on the Golden Eagleye rifle team are all
members of the TTU Sports Hall Of Fame. Each humbly gives much
credit to Hupman for the success of the sport at Tennessee
Tech.
Following the reign on the rifle team of that dynamic trio, and
once the OVC began to recognize rifle as a conference sport in
1980, Tennessee Tech vaulted into the Top three in the nation seven
of the 10 years during that first decade, including three
consecutive NCAA National Championships in 1980, 1981, and
1982.
Dr. Hupman concentrated on more than just rifle during his time on
campus, where he was an active member of Phi Kappa Phi. Hupman
graduated from Tech in 1973 with a degree in chemistry. He followed
with medical school, and opened his own private medical practice in
Georgia, serving as a family practitioner. He is also a Volunteer
Physician at the Gwinnett Community Clinic.