Becoming More than an Athlete: Abram Hicks
At Nelson University, the student-athlete experience is about more than just playing a sport.
As a sophomore on Nelson’s men’s basketball team, Abram Hicks found that Nelson provided an opportunity to grow both as an athlete and as a person. Immersed in a faith-filled community, he gained a fresh perspective on life and what it means to belong.
Basketball has always been a part of Hicks’ life, beginning to play at age 4. Growing up, like most athletes, he saw the sport as more than a game. It was his life. Basketball was where he grew the most as a person; it became his identity. This idea continued into his first year at Nelson, focusing on basketball rather than the spiritual side of things.
“I feel like a lot of my character development and growth as a human being came through basketball and from basketball,” said Hicks.
Although a spiritual campus community surrounded Hicks, he wasn’t focused on what it offered.
During his first year, he viewed it more as a responsibility versus something to engage with and truly grow from. Despite that, Hicks remained open to the idea of Nelson changing his mind.
“Coming here, honestly, I was really not bought into chapel and all that stuff. I was just really focused on basketball,” said Hicks. “I will say that being around the community and the people helps you see it in a different light.”
The people around him began to play a major role in where his life was headed. Coach Delton Deal, Nelson’s head men’s basketball coach, was one of the first major influences, emphasizing the importance of character not just through his talks with the team, but also through how his players saw him live his life.
“One thing that Coach Deal repeated was that people notice you if you play sports here,” said Hicks. “Your face is recognized, and people are going to look at your actions… so your character is important. It’s definitely made me a kinder person, and I’m trying to go out and be more helpful, generous and speak life.”
Alongside Coach Deal’s leadership, Hicks found support through his teammates. Senior Jordan Jenkins and junior Cooper Meyers have walked alongside him for the past year, offering friendship and playing an important role in Hicks’ life. Through their influence, Hicks began to recognize how the people he surrounded himself with could shape his perspective and his experience at Nelson.
“I ran into those two guys, and we’ve just been building strong community this year,” said Hicks. “They are super joyful and bring so much love to life.”
As Hicks grew closer to Jenkins and Meyers, he began to build relationships beyond the basketball court.
At Bridges’ Pancake Monday, one of Nelson University dorm events, Hicks connected with sophomores Addison Standley and Taylor Felux, and junior Caroline Boone. What started as a couple of hours at a dorm event turned into deeper connections and conversations about faith. Hicks began to recognize the joy of being surrounded by people who genuinely cared for one another.
“If you can talk to people for three hours straight, that has potential. Why would you not want to be around those people more?” said Hicks. “It was just the most joy and love and community I’ve felt in my life for the past three weeks of school.”
After building these friendships, Standley, Felux, and Boone invited Hicks and Meyers to Oaks Church, a church just a few minutes from Nelson’s campus. While initially hesitant, both decided to attend. An invitation to a Wednesday night service served as a turning point for Hicks. That night he found himself fully engaged in worship. There, he recognized the joy he had been searching for, and it was an important step in his faith.
“We were worshipping for maybe an hour, and I literally just had a smile on my face the whole time,” said Hicks. “The feeling in the air was insane, and you could feel the Holy Spirit. It was crazy.”
Following that night, Hicks continued to take steps to grow in his faith. He attended another Wednesday night service at Oaks Church, where he went to the altar and felt led to be baptized. Alongside Meyers and Jenkins, Hicks decided to declare his faith and commitment to Christ publicly. What began as a desire to find the joy and community he saw in his friends became his personal commitment to pursue his faith.
“Never in my life did I think, ‘Hey, I should get baptized.’ It was just floating around in my mind, and Cooper and I thought, ‘You know what, I think we should go back,’ so we set up a time to get baptized at the Oaks,” said Hicks.
For Hicks, baptism represents a public declaration and commitment to continuing his relationship with God. Hicks hopes to use his testimony to help others and be a voice that points people towards God, just as he had those voices in his life. He wants to share the same joy and sense of community he found among his friends, teammates, and coaches to bring hope to the people around him.
“I just want to be able to bring people with me to eternal life,” said Hicks. “Why would I not want to speak the good Word? Why would I not want to bring them with me?”
On Oct. 18, 2026, Hicks was baptized alongside Meyers and Jenkins at Oaks Church, marking a milestone in each of their faith journeys. The three celebrated new life in Christ, surrounded by family, friends, and church members.
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