Cloud County Athletic Department Unveils New Brad Lowell Family Hall of Fame Room
At a social event on July 23, the Cloud County Community College Athletic Department unveiled the new Brad Lowell Family Hall of Fame Room located above Arley Bryant Gymnasium on the college's Concordia campus. The room includes an interactive display honoring T-Bird athletes, coaches and supporters who have been inducted into the Cloud County Athletics Hall of Fame.
Former head men's basketball coach Dennis Erkenbrack, one of the first members to be inducted, along with hall of fame members Brett Erkenbrack, Matt Bechard, Zach Ferris, Jay Lowell and Jim Lowell, were all on hand for the festivities.
In December 2024, the Cloud County Community College Foundation received a generous gift from the family of the late Brad Lowell to support the development of a new Cloud County Athletics Hall of Fame room. Lowell, longtime editor and publisher of The Concordia Blade-Empire and president of Blade-Empire Publishing Co., was inducted into the Cloud County Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009. Lowell was actively involved in the promotion and success of Cloud County Community College and its athletic and educational programs. He was on the steering committee responsible for the founding of the college, and also was a founding member of the school's first athletic booster organization. Lowell taught a journalism class at Cloud County for several semesters, and he served many years on the Cloud County Community College Foundation Board of Directors.
Brad and his wife, Lee, also shared the rewarding experience of serving as host parents to dozens of Cloud County students for more than 30 years. Many of those students kept in contact through the years and were considered the children that the couple never had together.
Brad's sons, Jim and Jay Lowell, joined their father in the Cloud County Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024. Jim, a sports journalist, covered T-Birds athletics for more than 41 years. Jay, a photojournalist, covered Cloud County athletics for nearly three decades.
"The Lowell family has been an integral part of the college since its very inception," said Athletic Director Matt Bechard. "Their tremendous impact has been instrumental in shaping Cloud's success."
Inside the Brad Lowell Family Hall of Fame Room is a massive visual display of legendary T-Bird athletes: Olympic medalist Rajindra Campbell, Major League Baseball pitcher Erik Sabrowski, NJCAA All-Americans Miklannet Tennal and Maimuna Jallow, national champion wrestler Zach Ferris and Hall of Fame women's basketball coach Brett Erkenbrack. Cloud County Booster Club members will enjoy a food and beverage experience in the spacious room.
The Brad Lowell Family Hall of Fame Room is open at every home basketball game to all T-Bird Booster Club members at the Thor Spirit level and above ($250). The 2026-2027 Booster Club membership information is available online at cloudtbirds.com or by visiting the Cloud County athletic office. The membership deadline to receive consideration will be Friday, September 11, 2026.