Two to be inducted in Evangel’s sports Hall of Fame

Springfield, Mo. — Evangel University will induct two new members into the Crusader Athletic Hall of Fame on Oct. 13, 2007. The induction ceremony will take place at halftime of the Crusaders’ homecoming football game against the Baker University Wildcats. Game time is 1:30 p.m.

David FillmoreDavid Fillmore ’76

Starting his 31st year as Evangel’s sports information director, Dave Fillmore has long been recognized as one of the top sports information directors in the nation.

“Dave is being inducted because there’s no staff person who has influenced Evangel athletics over the years as much as him,” said Dr. David Stair, athletic director. “There is probably no one in our Hall of Fame who deserves it more than Dave.”

Fillmore developed the first sports information office at Evangel in 1977 — the same year that Evangel’s football team was created. He also served as the Heart of America Athletic Conference sports information director for 16 years (1988-03) and was the NAIA District 16 sports information director for nine years (1985-93).

“Not only has he served our school but he also represented Evangel in the NAIA,” Dr. Stair said. “Dave is the premiere sports information director in the NAIA.”

"Dave [Fillmore] is the premiere sports information director in the NAIA.”
— Dr. David Stair, director of athletics

Fillmore was honored in 1999 with the NAIA-SIDA’s Clarence “Ike” Pearson Award, which is an annual award presented to honor outstanding contributions to the profession. “The Ike Pearson award is very prestigious,” Dr. Stair said.

Fillmore attended Colorado State University for two years. He then served in the U.S. Army as an infantry machine gunner in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division. Following his honorable discharge from the Army, Fillmore enrolled at Evangel and graduated in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism.

Fillmore and his wife, Patricia (Culbertson ’80), live in Springfield. Their daughter, Deanna Brady, is a 2003 Evangel graduate.

James A. MittanJames A. Mittan ’88

Former Evangel baseball star Jim Mittan is also being inducted into the Crusader Athletic Hall of Fame.

“Jim Mittan was a strong team leader and leader on campus,” said Dr. David Stair, athletic director. “He set a great example of what our student athletes should be.”

Before coming to Evangel, Mittan played varsity baseball, football and basketball at Central High School in Springfield, Mo., and earned All-Star, All-Conference and All-City awards. He continued his athletic success as a first baseman on Evangel’s baseball team.

During that time, the baseball program was organized in NAIA districts, and Evangel was in District 16. Dr. Stair said this is important when considering Mittan’s awards because Evangel was in a district with several larger schools, including several state colleges, in Missouri. Evangel no longer competes against many of those teams.

Mittan was named to the NAIA District 16 team in 1986 and 1987; he was also named an All-American Scholar Athlete in each of those two seasons. In addition to athletic achievements, Mittan was on the dean’s list each semester. He graduated summa cum laude and was named the Outstanding Accounting Graduate.

“Jim Mittan was a strong team leader and leader on campus. He set a great example of what our student athletes should be.”
— Dr. David Stair, director of athletics

After a successful college career, Mittan signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves in 1987; he played in the Braves’ minor league system, the Gulf Coast League, as a first baseman and left fielder.

“He was a very fine baseball player — one of very few Evangel players who was signed in professional baseball,” Dr. Stair said.

Today, Mittan is a certified public accountant and a member of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants as well as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He currently works as the chief financial officer of Wellness International Network in Plano, Texas.

Mittan earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Evangel in 1988 and went on to earn a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas-Arlington.

He is active in ministries of his church and also volunteers as a baseball, basketball and flag-football coach.

Mittan and his wife, Susan, have three sons: Dillon, Austin and Braden.