BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Bellevue University was saddened to learn of the passing of former baseball student-athlete Payton Higgins on Sunday, June 4. He was 25.
Payton played at Bellevue from 2020-22 and was a two-year starter for the Bruins. He was career .280 hitter, seeing time in both the outfield and at designated hitter.
After being diagnosed with lung cancer during the fall of 2021, Payton battled admirably to make a return to the diamond on senior weekend (Apr. 15-16, 2022) where he appeared in all four games as the Bruins swept Presentation. For his efforts, he earned both the North Star Athletic Association and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Player of the Week awards.
Payton earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice and earned NSAA Scholar-Athlete honors in all three of his years at BU while collecting Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition in both the 2020-21 and 2021-22.
He is survived by his wife, Jordan, parents Shawn and Natalie, and siblings, Braxton, Camry, Jayson, and Preston.
