By Jackson Keenan, Editor

On June 2, 2025, the Crusader family welcomed in the new Vice President of Athletics, Dr. Hunter Sims. Since then, he has gone to work continuing the success of former vice presidents of athletics before him.

One of the biggest changes that Sims has made to the athletic program is coming up with the slogan Armour Up.

“The term ‘Armor Up.’ You know, Ephesians 6:11 says, ‘Put on the full armor of God so you can withstand the schemes of the devil.’ And knowing, hey, that’s why we’re really here. And then we’re also here to compete,” Sims said.

Besides the new slogan, Sims has been putting an emphasis on making Belton the toughest place to play by coming together as an athletic department and as a Crusader community.

“What are we doing holistically and to remember that, when people come to Belton, that should be a very difficult place to play,” Sims said. “To have that cohesiveness together is just something that’s really important to me, that we’re not like in our own individual silos.”

Sims also believes that the athletic staff need to come together and support each other; otherwise, the rest of the community will not show.

“If we can’t show up for each other, then how can we expect others to show up for us in general?” said Sims.

While Sims has only been here for three months, he has been a part of the American Southwest Conference community since he was in college playing quarterback for the McMurry War Hawks. After graduation, he played and coached in a professional German football league, eventually landing back in Texas as a coach at Angelo State. Then he started coaching football at Howard Payne, eventually becoming the head coach. In 2016, Sims became the full-time athletic director for the Yellow Jackets.

During his tenure as athletic director at Howard Payne, Sims had a hand in the renovations to multiple athletic facilities, an apparel sponsorship with Nike and BSN Sports, and a charter bus agreement with VIP Sports Charters.

He was also the chair of the athletic directors for the ASC and sat on multiple NCAA Division III committees.

While Sims had a successful tenure at Howard Payne, he decided to make the change, becoming the VP of Athletics for the Cru because of UMHB’s standard of excellence.

“Top down, you just know that there is a standard of excellence at UMHB, and that standard of excellence is in the faith-based, spiritual side of the school and how they are committed to their faith,” Sims said.