PLAINVIEW, TX — Hutcherson Flying Queens great Carmen Wynn-Parks, a three-time NAIA All-American who became one of the most accomplished players in Wayland Baptist University history, has been selected for induction into the NAIA Hall of Fame.
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced the selection of Wynn-Parks Tuesday, recognizing a four-year career that included 2,310 points, three national tournament appearances, and a place in the 1986 national championship game. The Hall of Fame Award is the association's highest honor.
"Carmen Wynn-Parks represented Wayland with excellence throughout an extraordinary career," said Dr. Donna Hedgepath, president of Wayland Baptist University. "Her accomplishments on the court place her among the greatest players in Flying Queens history, but the honor, character, and leadership she demonstrated made her an equally important representative of Wayland. We celebrate this richly deserved recognition with Carmen, her family, and all who were blessed to watch her play."
Wynn-Parks greeted the news with gratitude, excitement, and a flash of humor. "I am excited about it, and I am very humble, and I appreciate it," she said. "This is not a little feat. This is a big deal. It is to me." She joked that the next time she tells her daughter and her friends to Google her, there will be "something new to add."
The honor, she said, also reflects what she learned as a Flying Queen: leadership begins with work ethic and example. "You can inspire others and your team if you practice what you preach," Wynn-Parks said. The program's history, she added, created "so much pride that you won't let it go. Queens want to be the best that we can be."
Darla Armes Ford was a junior when Wynn-Parks joined the Flying Queens and played alongside her for two seasons. "She was one of the top players in the nation," Armes Ford said. "She started as a freshman and immediately became a leader. It is well deserved for someone who was such a part of our success on and off the court."
Sharla Harrison-Rich knew Wynn-Parks was special before they became teammates. As a Sudan High School sophomore, Harrison-Rich faced Wynn-Parks and Amarillo High School. "Even then, Carmen's reputation preceded her," she recalled. "She was a force on the court, and I knew I was in the presence of greatness."
Two years later, Harrison-Rich joined her at Wayland. Wynn-Parks taught the younger post player to read the floor, communicate, and defend the zone. "Carmen led with courage and humility," Harrison-Rich said. "Her leadership was not just about performance — it was about lifting others up and fostering unity." A 2024 NAIA Hall of Famer, Harrison-Rich still calls Wynn-Parks her hero.
Valerie Goodwin-Colbert, president of the Hutcherson Flying Queens Foundation, submitted the nomination. She said that Wynn-Parks "played the sport by honoring it with class, sportsmanship, and work ethic."
Wynn-Parks grew up in Amarillo as the oldest of three daughters raised by a single mother. A city-record sprinter, she did not take up basketball until junior high. Former Flying Queens Rosemary Brown and Pearl Worrell helped develop her into one of Texas' most heavily recruited players in 1983.
She chose Wayland for its commitment to basketball, close team, and classroom example. Staying near Amarillo also allowed her to help her mother and sisters. When coach Cathy Wilson resigned before Wynn-Parks arrived, Wayland released her from her commitment. She came anyway, convinced Plainview was where God wanted her.
For Harrison-Rich, the legacy is personal: "To me and my family, Carmen is more than a teammate — she is family. I love Carmen Wynn-Parks. We have been friends for years."
Wynn-Parks earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wayland in 1987. She and her husband, former Pioneer Michael Parks, live in Oklahoma City. Retired after more than 20 years in insurance, she volunteers at a food bank and mentors through her church.
Wynn-Parks also is a member of the Wayland Baptist Athletics, Panhandle Sports, Texas High School Basketball, and Amarillo High School halls of fame.
The NAIA Hall of Fame recognizes former student-athletes who achieved national distinction and demonstrated high moral character and leadership. Details of Wynn-Parks' formal recognition will be announced when available.
Carmen Wynn-Parks by the numbers
• 113–23 team record and three NAIA tournament appearances from 1983–87.
• Three-time NAIA and AWSF All-American; two-time Kodak/WBCA All-American.
• 2,310 points and a .560 field-goal percentage; third and eighth in NAIA history at graduation.
• Two NAIA All-Tournament selections and the 1985 NAIA Hustle Award.
• 187 blocks, including a school-record 72 in 1984–85; featured on the 1986–87 NAIA media guide cover.
About Wayland Baptist University
Established in 1908, Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging, learning-focused, and distinctively Christian environment. Headquartered in Plainview, Wayland offers degrees online and at extension campuses in Lubbock, San Antonio, Tucson AZ, and Hawaii, with additional teaching sites in Amarillo, American Samoa, Irving, Phoenix, Rio Grande Valley, Sierra Vista AZ, and Wichita Falls.
