KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced Tuesday morning that Tim Bishop, former Black Hills State University student-athlete, was selected to the 2020 NAIA Hall of Fame class.

Bishop is one of seven this year to be inducted, earning the highest individual honor given by the NAIA. The induction ceremony will take place at the 2020-21 NAIA Cross Country National Championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, April 8-9, 2021.

Bishop ran for the Yellow Jackets on the cross country and track and field teams from 2000-2003 during the program's NAIA era, and was a four-time National Champion and a nine-time All-American.

"I'm just humbled, it's a huge honor," said Bishop. "It's kind of surreal, it was a wonderful experience getting to run there for Scott [Walkinshaw]. It's high on my teammates as well, I ran with some great guys. In my mind, those guys are hall-of-famers as well. Running and training with them every day – without those guys, none of the accomplishments or accolades would have come."

In the Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC), Bishop won six conference titles, winning the 800 meters four times as well as the mile and 1500 meters. He was named the DAC-10 Most Valuable Senior in cross country in 2002, and in track and field in 2003 at the Outdoor Championships where he also earned Most Valuable Performer of the Championships.

"Tim is very deserving of the NAIA Hall of Fame honor based on his accomplishments athletically and academically here at Black Hills State University," said now retired head coach and 2019 NAIA Hall of Fame inductee, Scott Walkinshaw. "Tim meant so much to both the cross country and track and field programs. His competitiveness on the cross country course and track, and his willingness to work was contagious with the rest of the team."

In 2012, he was inducted into the BHSU Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 2000 National Runner-Up cross country team, and then was inducted again as an individual in 2014.

While at BHSU, Bishop appeared in the NAIA National Championships all three years in cross country and made two National Championship Meet appearances in indoor and outdoor track.

Bishop made his first National Meet appearance at the 2000 Cross Country Championship, placing 53rd. Later that season at the 2001 Indoor Track and Field National Championships, he was a member of the Distance Medley Relay. This Relay historically garnered the first National Championship for the BHSU Track and Field program. At the 2001 Outdoor National Championships, Bishop placed eighth in the 800 meters.

The next year, an injury kept Bishop from finishing at the Cross Country Nationals in 2001, but later that year, was able to win both the 1000 meters and Mile at the 2002 Indoor National Championship and again was a member of the Distance Medley Relay which placed fourth.

In his final season as a Yellow Jacket, Bishop finished 15th overall at the 2002 Cross Country National Championship and then won the 1500 meters and anchored the 4 x 800 meter relay to a third place showing at the 2003 Outdoor National Championships.

Bishop earned nine NAIA All-American honors in his time at BHSU, eight in track and field and one in cross country. He was also named NAIA Scholar Athlete five times.

At the time of his graduation in 2003, Bishop held 11 school records in track and field, seven indoor records and four outdoor.

He held indoor records in the 600 (1:21.84 - '02), 800 (1:53.87 - '01), 1000 (2:26.55 - '02), 1500 (3:53.18 - '02), mile (4:09.51 - '02), 4x800 (7:37.97 - '01) and Distance Medley Relay (9:57.91 - '01).

His outdoor records included the 800 (1:51.27 - '01), 1500 (3:49.75 - '03), 4x800 (7:38.90 - '03) and Distance Medley Relay (9:54.03 - '03).

"Tim's accomplishments speak for themselves as the first Black Hills State University track and field athlete to win an Indoor and Outdoor individual event National title, and he was on the first relay to win a National Championship," said Walkinshaw. "Tim was just as successful academically earning five NAIA All-Scholar honors."

Following his athletic career, Bishop remained at BHSU after receiving his degree, serving as an assistant coach for two years before beginning his teaching career. In the fall of 2005 he became the PE/Health teacher at Spearfish Middle School in Spearfish, S.D. where he taught from 2005-2012.

Bishop also served as assistant coach on the Spearfish High School track team, guiding numerous athletes to the state podium, and a few to state championships.

In 2008, Bishop earned the New Professional of the Year Award at the South Dakota Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (SDAHPERD) annual conference.

In 2012 he moved back to his home state of Kansas where he now teaches PE/Health at Salina South Middle School in Salina, Kan., and is also an assistant cross country and track coach at Salina South High School.

He married his wife Wesleigh in 2013 and together they have three boys, Kaden, 12, Evan, 6, and Kallen, 3.