Inductee Details

Owen earned letters in men’s basketball (1956-60) and track (1957-58) for the Braves.

He helped lead the men’s basketball team to a four year record of 61-36. Owen was part of two KCAC Championships and two Kansas NAIA Playoff teams. The 1957-58 teams finished the KCAC season with an undefeated conference record and won a school record 15 straight victories.

Owen was a two-time All-KCAC selection, earning First Team honors in 1959-60 and Second Team honors in 1958-59. He is ranked ninth in the OU record book in career scoring average (15.6) and set a record for the most 30 or greater points scored in a game in the 2 point field goal era.

On the track, Owen helped lead OU to the 1957 and 1958 KCAC Team Championship. He twice earned All-KCAC honors in the 440 Yard Dash and he was part of the 1958 KCAC Champion 4x440 Yard Relay team with Bill Hanson, Llewellen Walker, and Bill Rinehart.

After graduating from Ottawa University, Owen spent more than 50 years in business in the financial industry and served the State of Kansas as a State Senator and Lt. Governor. He is a past president of the Braves Athletic Hall of Fame (BAHOF) and is the BAHOF’s Scholarship Chairman. As President of the Hall of Fame Owen orchestrated the establishment and endowment of the BAHOF Scholarship Program. He also served on the Board of the Greater Kansas City Fellowship of Christian Athletes for many years and was instrumental in establishing the NAIA “Champions of Character” program at Ottawa University. He has served on the Ottawa University Board of Trustees and the President’s Council. In 2010 Ottawa University established The David C. Owen Leadership Institute in his honor.