Wallace "Wally" Bullington
Class of 2005

Wallace
Athens High School football legend Wallace "Wally" Bullington was one of four brothers raised on a farm outside of Athens. He won all-state honors two years as a center and linebacker for the All-Southern team in 1948 and played in the Alabama North-South All-Star game in 1949. He also lettered in basketball at Athens High.

"Wally could drop-kick a football 60 years plus," recalled teammate Fred Martin, Jr., who nominated him for the Hall of Fame.

He turned down a scholarship offer from Auburn University to attend Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas where he was a four-year letterman. In 1950, he helped lead the Wildcats to the only perfect record, 11-0, in school history. He was named to the All-Texas Conference football team in 1950, '51 and '52 and was selected an All-American in 1952.

Bullington graduated from Abilene Christian in 1953 with a bachelor's degree in education. He earned his master's in education there in 1956 before joining the coaching staff at Abilene High School.

While Bullington was an assistant football coach at Abilene High, the Eagles won three state championships in football. He took over as head coach in 1960 and led the team to a 40-19-1 record over six seasons at the helm. Returning to Abilene Christian in 1968, Bullington compiled a 62-32-2 record as head coach and led the team to an NAIA Division I national championship in 1973. Four of his nine teams were nationally ranked and he coached six All-American players, including future All-Pro running back Wilbert Montgomery.

Fellow coaches recognized Bullington with numerous awards during his tenure at Abilene Christian, including: NAIA Division I Coach of the Year; Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year; NAIA District IV Coach of the Year; AFCA District VI Coach of the Year; and Texas Senior College Coach of the Year. He also was named to the Abilene Christian University Hall of Fame and the Lone Star Conference Hall of Fame. In 1969, Bullington became the school's athletic director and presided over the Wildcats' transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. During his term as AD, Abilene Christian won 17 national titles, including another football championship in 1977, and 41 Lone Star Conference championships. He retired in 1988 and was inducted into the ACU Hall of Fame in 1993 for his service to the university and its athletic programs. In 1999, he was elected to the Lone Star Conference Hall of Fame. He rejoined the ACU staff last September as athletic director emeritus.

Bullington and his wife Valrie have three children, Brenda Dickson, Laurie MUllS and Brad Bullington; and six grandchildren.