Dr. Nolan Estes arrived on the Island in 1948 via transfer from Decatur Junior College. From 1948-50, Estes was a tight end on the Tarpon football team while also playing center for the basketball team. In his senior season, Estes and the Tarpons finished with a sparkling 25-1 record including wins over powerhouses Oklahoma City University and Southwest Texas State.
 
Following his time as a Tarpon, Estes became an internationally renowned educational leader, serving as Associate U.S. Commissioner of Education, the General Superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District and the Director of the Cooperative Superintendent's Program at the University of Texas.

Dr. Estes was honored by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2010.