Hall of Fame induction: 1999
The dean of downstate track & field coaches, Hickman coached three Cape Henlopen High School teams to victory as Division II State Champions in 1971, 1972, and 1973. The first person to receive the 1971 Delaware Sports Club “Coach of the Year”, he pioneered winter track downstate, and ran youth programs during the summer in Milton, Rehoboth and Lewes.
Among the great runners he nurtured, and in some cases discovered, were Emory Howell, who never lost a race in high school, Jerry Maull, a state champion in the high jump, and Brad Waples, who anchored Cape’s winning mile relay team. Tom discovered future great Lance White who was just a youngster running in the fields of Slaughter Neck. Other state champions were Vincent Lewis, Larry Savage, Leslie Freeman, Henry Brisco, Paul Jones, and Henry White and a host of others.
Hickman was and remains a staunch supporter of scores of ex-lower Delaware runners, and is still a modest and selfless champion for those he coached.