NICHOLS, Pam (PARKHURST) ~ Graceland's Hall of Fame

NICHOLS, PARKHURST, WELCH, MCKINZE, SANKEN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 8/25/2013 at 20:06:07

HALL of FAME

Pam Parkhurst Nichols
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

Pam PARKHURST NICHOLS was born in Leon, Iowa and attended Grand Valley High School where she excelled in basketball, softball and track and field. It was obvious to those that knew her, that Pam possessed the mental and physical skills, which would allow her continued success at the collegiate level.

When Pam came to Graceland in 1977, her impact was immediate as a standout in basketball under Head Coach Jean McKINZE. During her four-year tenure on the team, she amassed a school record career point total of 1872 and received multiple All-Conference Honors for her efforts. She was a consistent team leader in scoring and rebounding.

When the spring season rolled around, Pam kept herself plenty occupied shuttling between the softball field where she played first base for coach Judy SANKEN and the track where she threw the shot put. Pam was a solid contributor at each.

In her second year at Graceland, Pam combined her basketball quickness, keen eye at the plate and shot put strength to become a dominate player on the Graceland Field Hockey Team coached by Graceland Hall of Fame Coach Betty WELCH. In 1979, Pam's second year ever having played the sport, the team scored a record 42 goals - 19 of which were credited to Pam.

After departing from Graceland in the spring of 1981, Pam taught school in Mercer, Missouri. Now married to Kelly NICHOLS and teaching elementary school in the Norwalk, Iowa school system, Pam and her three sons live in her birth place town of Grand River, Iowa.

Pam PARKHURST NICHOLS was inducted into Graceland University's Hall of Fame in 2002.

SOURCES: gujackets.com/f/Hall_of_Fame.php

Submission by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2013