262Athletics Ted Lloyd’s record-breaking career began in 1964 when he took over the Harding track and field team. In 1968, Lloyd took over the cross-country program– and the rest was history. The Harding alumnus broke a school record by winning 40 conference championships across track and field and cross-country. His skillful mentoring produced 75 AllAmericans and six national champions during his prestigious career at Harding. Furthermore, his coaching talent was also on display at the international level. Lloyd helped manage the United States track and field teams and eventually took over the head coaching position for the country of Panama during 1969 and 1970. The historic career was recognized by local and national organizations. Lloyd was inducted into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame in 1983. Six years later, Lloyd was a part of the first class for the Harding Sports Hall of Fame. In Sept. 2023, Harding dedicated the new track and field complex to Lloyd and his wife, Marcie, for their incredible contributions to the athletic programs. John Prock began his 24-year Harding coaching career in 1964. In his first 15 seasons, Prock and the Bisons would make history within the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC). The Bisons won their first conference championship in program history in 1972 after finishing the season with a 10-1 record. The season ended with Harding’s first postseason victory, a historic 30-27 victory over Langston University at the Cowboy Bowl in Lawton, Oklahoma. The Bisons would finish the season ranked sixth in the final NAIA poll. Prock would also lead the Bisons to a second AIC title in 1976. During his illustrious career, Prock coached 10 All-Americans and 63 AllAIC honorees. Prock earned NAIA District 17 Coach of the Year in 1969, 1972 and 1976 as well as NAIA Area IV Coach of the Year in 1976. Following his retirement in 1987, Prock was the sixthwinningest coach in NAIA history with 114 wins. Prock joined Ted Lloyd as the only coaches to be inducted into the first class for the Harding Sports Hall of Fame in 1989. David Elliott began his coaching career in 1975, six years after his individual AIC championship as a player for the Harding tennis program. Elliott finished his playing career as a three-time AllAIC honoree and won the Berryhill Award in 1969 as Harding’s top senior male athlete. In his 39-year career as head coach for the men’s and women’s tennis teams, Elliott tallied 1,123 victories, the most by any head coach in Harding sports history. Harding also captured 10 AIC titles and produced over 50 winning seasons between both teams during Elliott’s historic career. In 2006, Elliott joined elite company by becoming the fourth coach in collegiate tennis history to surpass 1,000 career victories. Elliott was a part of the 1990 class for the Harding Sports Hall of Fame. In April 2019, Harding renamed the Harding Tennis Complex in Elliott’s honor. Ted Lloyd John Prock David Elliott NOTABLE COACHES Written by Nic Fraraccio
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