Sports Hall of Fame

Not many people can claim that their success led to the creation of a brand-new collegiate sports team, but Craig Lauderdale can do just that. 

Lauderdale represented Northeast Mississippi Community College by himself at the 1990 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III golf tournament in Arizona.

He was recognized as an NJCAA All-American after finishing in 14th place overall with a four-day total of 321. It was the third best score of any entrant from the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC). 

His award-winning season resulted in the decision by legendary Northeast athletic director W.B. “Bill” Ward to sponsor an entire team one year later. Hundreds have since followed in Lauderdale’s footsteps by donning the black-and-gold on courses across America.

The men’s golf program is now in its 28th season of existence. The Tigers have won one state championship and a pair of region titles while sending 15 players to nationals as individual qualifiers.

Lauderdale has been around for each of Northeast’s major milestones. He is the longest tenured head coach in program history and also served as a volunteer assistant during the 2020-21 campaign when his son, Austin, and the Tigers captured the conference crown.

The elder Lauderdale got to advise Austin from on the links. He tied for eighth at the state competition in Meridian before eventually concluding his Northeast career at the national tournament just like his dad.

Lauderdale started his eight-year stretch as leader of the Tigers in 2004. He guided Northeast to back-to-back NJCAA Region 23 championships and subsequent berths to the Division III nationals from 2007-08.

His 2008 group carded an eighth place showing during their trip to Jamestown, N.Y., at the Chautauqua Golf Club. Chase Williams came in third individually to become the Tigers’ inaugural first-team NJCAA All-American.

Lauderdale supervised Northeast’s transition back to an NJCAA Division II affiliate in 2009. The Tigers still found prosperity with a runner-up performance in their initial appearance back at that level.

Northeast rose to as high as No. 13 in the national rankings the following year. All-conference golfers Blake Hatfield and Daniel Singh helped the Tigers finish second at both the MACJC and NJCAA Region 23 postseason events.

Hatfield had a special sophomore campaign under the watch of Lauderdale. He secured medalist honors at the MACJC Tournament on the way to earning first-team All-American distinction after ending in a tie for third at nationals.

Lauderdale originally arrived at Northeast as a men’s basketball signee for another hall of fame instructor in Harvey Childers. He was part of the Tigers’ undefeated regular season during the 1987-88 school year.

He is currently in his second stint as a basketball coach at his alma mater of Jumpertown High School. Lauderdale has more than 400 combined victories and six divison titles between his boys and girls teams. 

Lauderdale, who has also worked with Booneville Golf and Country Club in various roles, was the 2007 NJCAA Region 23 Coach of the Year. His wife, Tara, and daughter, Maria, were both members of Northeast’s women’s basketball program.

Bruse Loyd’s football journey brought him to the campus of then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College twice over the course of three years.

Loyd’s original arrival in the fall of 1980 after graduating from Alcorn Central High School coincided with what is still one of the most successful seasons in modern-day program history. 

The Tigers won nine consecutive games on the way to achieving a number one national ranking for the first time ever. Northeast defeated its opponents by an average margin of victory of 17 points.

Loyd’s job as an offensive lineman was to protect quarterback Mike Steenson and open up holes for All-American running back Anthony Norman. He performed his duties well as Norman set the school record for rushing touchdowns in a single season with 12.

The list of firsts that Loyd and the Tigers accomplished that year also includes the inaugural north half championship, perfect division record and home state playoff contest. 

Northeast finished with a 9-2 overall mark with final ratings of seventh from the Junior College Gridwire publication and 12th by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

The Tigers posted 35 or more points three times, including a season-high 45 points in a shutout win over Mississippi Delta Community College. Northeast bested rivals Itawamba Community College and Northwest Mississippi Community College by a combined score of 51-7.

Loyd transferred to Delta State University at the conclusion of his freshman campaign.  However, he eventually accepted an offer to return to Northeast from legendary head coach W.B. “Bill” Ward after taking a redshirt while with the Statesmen in 1981.

The decision to rejoin the Tigers paid off for Loyd. The Corinth native ended up getting recruited by more than a dozen NCAA Division I institutions throughout his sophomore season.

Loyd chose Rice (Texas) University inside the now-defunct Southwest Conference (SWC) as his final destination on the gridiron. He was a two-year starter for the Owls that earned all-newcomer honors in 1983.

He made the Space City his permanent home after obtaining a Bachelor’s degree from Rice. Loyd went to work for Xerox for five years before enrolling in the South Texas College of Law.

Loyd has been a practicing lawyer now for nearly three decades. His position has kept him involved in the sport he once played by representing athletes and staff members in both the NCAA and the NFL.

He has worked with national print and television outlets, including ABC, CBS, ESPN, USA Today, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, to ensure that his clients receive fair media coverage.

Loyd is also experienced in the areas of business, employment, fiduciary, gas, oil and whistleblower litigation. He is married to Margo and the couple has two children, Nicholas and Reese.

His philanthropic efforts include giving back to his alma mater. Loyd donated $5,000 towards the construction of the new Tiger Fieldhouse, which opened in 2013 and quadrupled the amount of locker and weight room space for Northeast’s student-athletes.

The Northeast Mississippi Community College baseball program received plenty of publicity in 2012 by signing highly touted local recruit Will Robertson. 

Robertson had already established himself as a dual threat at the plate and on the mound for Class 1A runner-up Falkner High School. His name pops up in both the national and state record books several times.

A majority of his historic accomplishments came during a division game against Jumpertown High School in 2011. He connected on three home runs in the same inning, which is tied with seven other standouts nationally for the most ever at the prep level.

Two of those homers were grand slams, which matched the national mark as well. His nine RBIs that inning were a new state record and only one off the pace from around the country.

Robertson also registered the fourth most punch outs in a season with 216 as a senior. He had a pair of 19-strikeout performances, which is two off the state record, versus Thrasher and Wheeler high schools.

He earned all-conference honors during each of his years with the Tigers. His efforts helped Northeast capture its first Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division title in more than two decades.

The Tigers also won 30-plus games for just the third time in program history and advanced to the MACJC Tournament following a play-in series with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College during Robertson’s sophomore campaign.

Robertson at one point led all National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II members in RBIs. He finished the season in the top 10 countrywide in both RBIs with 55 and on-base percentage at .531.

The 5-10, 215-pound outfielder topped the Tigers with 178 plate appearances, 138 at bats, 58 hits, 47 runs scored, 17 doubles, 31 walks, a .667 slugging percentage and a .420 batting average as well.

Robertson had a 13-game streak of reaching base safely that started at the end of March and continued through April 20th. He posted 19 multi-hit contests and eight outings with at least three RBIs.

He was recognized as the MACJC Player of the Week after batting .643 with nine hits, two doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs and five walks in doubleheaders against Holmes Community College and Mississippi Delta Community College.

Robertson completed his decorated on-field career at tradition-rich Delta State University. He added to his legacy as a senior with numerous awards while guiding the Statesmen to a Gulf South Conference (GSC) championship.

He was a finalist for the prestigious C Spire Ferriss Trophy and Perfect Game USA’s Josh Willingham Award, which was presented to the most valuable player (MVP) inside the NCAA’s Division II. 

Robertson also obtained All-American accolades from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).

He was first in the GSC and top five nationally in doubles with 28 and RBIs at 78. Robertson had a .399 batting average that year with 91 hits, 55 runs, eight home runs plus 32 free passes between walks and hit by pitches.

Antoine Wilkerson was part of a very prolific one-two scoring threat for the Northeast Mississippi Community College men’s basketball team in the late 1990s alongside teammate Tim Cole.

Wilkerson handled his business in the paint while Cole could shoot the three-pointer and work inside for a flashy dunk as needed. The result was both Tigers receiving All-American recognition.

He was the first of the dynamic duo to obtain All-American honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Wilkerson is one of only five freshmen in program history to secure this prestigious distinction.

The Atlanta, Ga., native averaged a double-double that year with 21.9 points and 11.1 rebounds. Wilkerson had a 64-percent success rate from the floor and committed fewer than two turnovers per game. 

Wilkerson made his collegiate debut in the Northeast Tipoff Classic. He had 18 points in the Tigers’ season-opening win over Copiah-Lincoln Community College and posted his first double-digit rebounding performance the next day against Motlow State (Tenn.) Community College.

His inaugural double-double came just under two weeks later at the ICC Classic. Wilkerson accumulated 16 points and 10 boards as Northeast broke the clock for the second straight contest with a 100-89 decision over the now-defunct Mary Holmes College.

Wilkerson turned things up another notch at the beginning of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division schedule. He scored 20 or more points in 13 of the Tigers’ final 14 regular season matchups.

The 6-5, 200-pound forward had six 30-point outings in that stretch. Wilkerson tied a career-best twice with 36 points in Northeast victories versus Coahoma Community College and Mississippi Delta Community College. 

Wilkerson played a key role during the highest scoring game ever in the Tigers’ 75-year history. He had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Northeast in a 138-133 overtime thriller against Pearl River Community College in the first round of the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament.

His efforts helped the Tigers capture the 1998 MACJC North Division championship and return to Mississippi College’s A.E. Wood Coliseum for regionals. Northeast went 39-17 overall with Wilkerson in the starting lineup for head coach Mike Lewis. 

Wilkerson’s offensive production dipped slightly as a sophomore. He accounted for 14.2 points with a season-best of 27 points in a triumph over rival Itawamba Community College in the division tournament.

However, his rebounding numbers did not waver in the least. Wilkerson matched a season-high with 17 boards during back-to-back wins by the Tigers against Coahoma and Mississippi Delta.

Wilkerson totaled more than 1,000 points in a black-and-gold uniform. His averages across 57 appearances at Northeast are 18 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks and 29.8 minutes.

His name is in the Tigers’ record book three times, including for the sixth most blocks in a single season with 42. Wilkerson had 28 double-doubles and shot 63-percent from the free throw line.

Wilkerson earned a scholarship to Gardner-Webb (N.C.) University after his prosperous tenure at Northeast. He was selected to the All-South Atlantic Conference (SAC) second-team following the 1998-99 campaign.

Johnny Payton made the transition from W.P. Daniel High School in New Albany to then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College alongside his hall of fame coach, Harvey Childers, in the fall of 1985.

The duo were the key pieces to a flawless 36-0 season by the Bulldogs the winter before that ended with a Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 3A state championship.

Payton was rewarded for his efforts with a spot in the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) North-South All-Star Game. He was voted as the Most Outstanding Offensive Player after producing a game-high 24 points.

Childers and Payton found themselves as state champions once again during their inaugural year with the Tigers. They ended up making three additions to Northeast's trophy case over the course of their last two seasons together.

Payton's career at Northeast intersected with a significant change in the sport. The three-point line was legalized by all governing bodies of collegiate basketball ahead of his sophomore campaign.

Ironically, Payton had a higher scoring average without the long distance shot at his disposal. He tallied 18.1 points per contest as a freshman compared to 14.7 points following its institution one year later.

The Tigers defeated Mississippi Delta Community College to capture the north division crown on their path to the state title. Payton was one of five double-digit scorers for Northeast with 13 points in the decisive win over the Trojans.

Payton posted a career-high 38 points on the strength of 11 made field goals and a sensational 16 of 22 showing at the charity stripe earlier that season versus then-Shelby State (Tenn.) Community College.

He showed out during his debut in the black-and-gold with 26 points against Jackson State (Tenn.) Community College. Payton matched that in the Tigers' next matchup with the now-defunct Mary Holmes College.

Payton reached double figures in 19 of his first 20 appearances at Northeast and 46 times overall. He totaled 885 points over 55 games for the Tigers, which comes to 16.1 points per contest.

Northeast broke a three-decade drought between national tournament berths during the 1986-87 campaign. Payton had 14 points to help the Tigers get past then-Jones County Junior College for the region championship.

Payton had a pair of double-digit performances for Northeast at nationals in Hutch with 12 points against Southern Union State (Ala.) Community College and 17 points versus the College of Southern Idaho.

He had a season-best 25 points against archrival Itawamba Community College. Payton shot roughly 52 percent from the floor and was described by Childers as one of the Tigers' top defenders as well.

Payton also distributed the ball to his talented teammates effectively that year. He averaged 6.4 assists per game, which is tied for the second most in a single season in program history.

He signed a basketball scholarship with the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). Payton started for Childers at guard for six straight years between Northeast and W.P. Daniel.

Just like his brother and fellow hall of famer Maurice, success has followed Fred Stafford wherever the sport of basketball has taken him throughout life.

That trend started in earnest as a student-athlete at Northeast Mississippi Community College where he was part of the special 1989 region champion and national runner-up team under coach Harvey Childers.

Stafford reached double figures during 27 of the Tigers' 35 games that season. He added eight 20-plus point efforts, including in back-to-back triumphs by Northeast over Coahoma Community College and Jackson State (Tenn.) Community College.

He saved his best performances for matchups with Copiah-Lincoln Community College, which eliminated the Tigers from two postseason events and ended a three-year winning streak inside legendary Bonner Arnold Coliseum during Stafford's freshman campaign.

Stafford dropped 24 points as part of Northeast's come-from-behind 104-96 win in the championship game of the Wolves' invitational tournament in November. He then scored a career-high 30 points in their next meeting midway through the season.

The Tigers concluded their revenge tour against Co-Lin with a back-and-forth 111-100 victory in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 23 finals. Stafford was the low scorer among Northeast's starters, but still chipped in a solid 19 points.

Northeast officially secured its fourth all-time trip to the national tournament with an 83-74 decision at Alabama conference winner Southern Union State Community College. Stafford had 17 points, including an 8 of 11 showing from the free throw line.

He averaged 9.3 points inside the historic Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kan., including three consecutive double-digit outings leading up to the title contest against Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College.

Stafford and the Tigers were the north division champs one year prior in 1988. He had a season-best 29 points on 11 made field goals in a victory over East Mississippi Community College.

The Rienzi native totaled 822 points over 66 appearances in a black-and-gold uniform, which comes to 12.5 points per game. Northeast went a combined 59-7 during Stafford's tenure, including a perfect 24-0 regular season record during the 1987-88 campaign.

While Stafford missed out on capturing a national championship with the Tigers, he did not let a second opportunity go to waste two years later while at the University of North Alabama.

Stafford led a second half surge by the Lions, who finished off the University of Bridgeport (Conn.) by a score of 79-72 at the Springfield Civic Center to win the NCAA Division II title. He was the CBS Player of the Game with a team-best 24 points.

He also obtained all-tournament honors after helping North Alabama average 91 points during its five NCAA Tournament contests. Stafford posted 11.4 points during that memorable senior year.

Stafford has spent the last three decades in the coaching profession. He was part of three state championships at his alma mater of Biggersville High School in the 1990s with two coming as the headman for track and the other as assistant boys basketball instructor.

He collected division coach of the year awards in 2016 at Corinth High School and most recently last winter at H.W. Byers High School. Stafford was selected to coach in the 2023 Northeast Mississippi Basketball Coaches Association (NEMBCA) All-Star Games.

Brynden Trawick made history as the first former Northeast Mississippi Community College football player to compete in the Pro Bowl game.

Trawick landed his spot in the National Football League's (NFL) annual all-star event at the end of the 2017 season by becoming an elite defender in kickoff and punt return coverage for the Tennessee Titans.

He topped the Titans, who qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2008, with a career-high 15 tackles on special teams that year. Three of those stops came during Tennessee's road win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild card round.

Trawick recorded one takedown as his American Football Conference (AFC) team defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) by a 24-23 score on January 28, 2018 in Orlando, Fla., at Camping World Stadium.

He spent seven seasons in the NFL, which is the third most among all Northeast alumni behind only Mario Addison and Jerome Woods. Trawick made four playoff appearances, including in his final year as Baltimore captured the 2019 AFC North Division championship.

Trawick's most productive game came on New Year's Day 2017. He tallied a career-best 10 tackles, one pass break up and an interception as his Oakland Raiders wrapped up the regular season at Denver.

The Marietta, Ga., native participated in 97 NFL games excluding the preseason with 47 of those coming in a Ravens uniform. His cumulative statistics include 87 takedowns, three quarterback hits, two pass break ups and two tackles for loss.

Trawick opened his collegiate career at Michigan State University before transferring to Northeast for his sophomore campaign. He helped the Tigers finish tied for runner-up in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division.

He started in all nine games for head coach Ricky Smither in the fall of 2010. Trawick earned second-team all-conference honors after accumulating 62 tackles, including three for loss, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

The 6-3, 230-pound safety returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown during Northeast's week four victory at Holmes Community College. He was also credited with four pass break ups while with the Tigers.

Trawick continued his journey on the gridiron at Troy (Ala.) University. He was an All-Sun Belt Conference (SBC) recipient following both of his seasons with the Trojans after becoming a reliable presence on their defensive unit.

He led the Sun Belt and was among the top 20 tacklers at the NCAA Division I level as a junior with a total of 123. Trawick was the only athlete in the league to average double-digit stops with 10.2 per contest.

Trawick had the sixth most solo stops nationally as well with 75. He posted a career-high 20 takedowns plus grabbed a loose fumble in a matchup at Western Kentucky University on November 26, 2011.

He had nine double-digit tackling performances out of 24 games at Troy. Trawick was recognized as the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week after racking up a season-best 15 stops at the University of North Texas during his senior campaign.

Trawick had a 70-yard pick-six as part of his last homecoming contest with the Trojans versus Arkansas State University. He represented Troy one final time at the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star Game in February 2013.

His overall college statistics between Michigan State, Northeast and Troy includes 270 takedowns, 13 pass break ups, 11 tackles for loss, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one sack.

Basketball brilliance runs in the family of Tim Cole. The cousin of current University of Memphis (Tenn.) head coach and National Basketball Association (NBA) standout Penny Hardaway, Cole showcased his talents at Northeast Mississippi Community College. 

Cole will forever be known as one of the most prolific scorers in the Tigers' tradition-rich history. He still holds the program record for most points in a single game with 64 against Pearl River Community College. 

He made 13 total field goals, six treys and was 20 of 23 at the free throw line during that overtime thriller with the Wildcats, which Northeast won by a 138-135 margin in the quarterfinals of the 1997 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 23 Tournament. 

That game set the stage for what turned out to be a brilliant sophomore campaign for Cole. He averaged 28.4 points, which was third best in the entire country, and 7.2 baskets per contest that year under the direction of head coach Mike Lewis. 

Cole was also near the top of the charts for the Tigers in blocks, steals and rebounds. He had 20-plus points in all but two of his appearances during the 1997-98 season and more than 30 points in 15 games. 

He saved his best performances for nationally ranked Northwest Mississippi Community College. Cole had a season-best 42 points in an 88-83 pre-Christmas break victory over the Rangers and a 37-point effort in the third of four meetings that year between the two rivals. 

Cole led Northeast to the 1998 Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division regular season championship. The Tigers claimed the title with an 83-72 win over East Mississippi Community College. 

The Memphis, Tenn., native had 33 points in the decisive matchup with the Lions on the strength of four three-pointers. Cole posted 28.6 points during division contests after the holiday break. 

Cole garnered NJCAA All-Region 23 Tournament recognition after racking up 32 points, including a 10 of 17 showing at the charity stripe, during his final outing in a black-and-gold uniform versus Meridian Community College. 

He followed in the footsteps of his teammate Antoine Wilkerson in earning NJCAA All-American distinction. Cole also received NJCAA All-Region 23 and All-MACCC first-team honors after his last year at Northeast. 

The Tigers were the division runner-up and a region semifinalist during his freshman campaign. Northeast compiled an overall record of 40-17 over the course of two seasons with Cole on its roster. 

The Northside (Tenn.) High School graduate made his collegiate debut on November 4, 1996 against Copiah-Lincoln Community College. He accounted for 22 points in a triumph over the Wolves as part of the two-day Northeast Tip-Off Classic. 

The 6-4, 205-pound guard produced his initial 30-point game in a neutral site matchup with Cowley (Kan.) College. He drained a career-best 14 buckets twice that year versus Northwest Alabama Community College and Three Rivers (Mo.) College. 

Cole reached double figures in 55 of his 57 appearances with the Tigers. His career averages at Northeast include 27.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 2.2 assists along with a 46.7 field goal percentage. 

The 827 points that Cole scored as a sophomore are the fourth most in a season in school history. He also owns the second and third most three-point makes at Northeast with 91 in his final campaign and 75 as a newcomer.

Robert Gordon continued what became a playing and coaching career in the sport of baseball that spanned more than 35 years as a student-athlete at Northeast Mississippi Community College in the early 1990s. 

Gordon arrived on the Booneville campus with a decorated resume. He received an invitation to both the Crossroads Diamond Club and Northeast Mississippi Coaches Association for Better Baseball (NEMCABB) all-star games after earning the title of Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his W.P. Daniel High School team. 

He made his debut with the Tigers on February 27, 1992 during a doubleheader at Jackson State (Tenn.) Community College. Gordon recorded his first multi-hit contest in a black-and-gold uniform six days later in a 5-4 victory over the same Generals ball club. 

Gordon's inaugural home run at Northeast came during a 7-2 win at Shelby State (present-day Southwest Tennessee) Community College. He also had three hits and three RBIs that evening against the Saluqis. 

The Tigers got hot and so did Gordon down the home stretch. Northeast captured its final eight regular season games to secure its first then-Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division crown in over two decades. 

Gordon lifted the Tigers to a thrilling 3-2 come-from-behind triumph over East Mississippi Community College in the middle of that winning streak. He tied the contest with a two out triple and scored moments later on a RBI single by Brian Olson. 

Northeast hosted the state championship series versus Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College at Harold T. White Field before participating in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 23 Tournament for the first time in program history. 

The New Albany native was one of the Tigers' top performers as a freshman with a .306 batting average, four triples and 16 RBIs. However, Gordon's productivity increased even more during his final campaign at Northeast. 

Gordon, who was the only returning position player in 1993, led the Tigers in most every major offensive statistical category. He had a .344 batting average with nine doubles, three home runs and 32 RBIs. 

He added five triples, which is still tied for the second most in a single season at Northeast. Gordon was recognized by head coach Ray Scott with the team MVP and best batting average awards. 

Gordon was also selected for the Tiger Award for his leadership and positive attitude on-and-off the diamond. He obtained NJCAA All-Region 23 distinction as a sophomore and was a two-time all-conference recipient. 

He completed his on-field career by clinching the 1996 Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference (TCAC) championship at Union (Tenn.) University. Gordon procured NAIA All-American, NAIA All-Region and All-TCAC honors as a senior. 

Gordon has spent essentially his entire tenure in education at Myrtle High School. He was the head baseball coach for 25 years and won 10 division crowns, two north half titles and the 2002 state championship. 

He also directed five state championship teams in 16 seasons with Myrtle's slowpitch softball program. Gordon's coaching record between baseball, softball and volleyball, which he started from scratch in 2019, is 800-387-1. 

Gordon was picked to coach in the NEMCABB All-Star Game three times and at the Crossroads All-Star Game in 2003. He was acknowledged as the NEMCABB Class 1A-2A Coach of the Year in both 2001 and 2010.  

He remains at Myrtle as its athletic director in charge of 11 varsity sports. Gordon is married to Brooke and the couple has two children, Paxton and Kinsley. 

Lisa Jansen is one of several international standouts that helped the Northeast Mississippi Community College softball program develop a solid foundation during its first decade after the switch from slowpitch to fastpitch competition. 

Jansen came to the United States from the town of Dietzenbach, which is a suburb of Frankfurt in the German state of Hesse. She instantly made an impact for head coach Jody Long's Tigers with her powerful left arm. 

She obtained first-team all-conference distinction as a freshman with a 10-8 mark in the circle. Jansen had a team-best 122 strikeouts in 113.2 innings of work with a 4.37 earned run average (ERA). 

One of her top performances that season came in the opener of a doubleheader sweep over rival Itawamba Community College. She scattered seven hits while striking out 13 batters in a complete game effort. 

Jansen's numbers improved significantly during her second campaign at Northeast. Her ERA dropped to 3.02 while giving up 30 fewer hits and 16 less earned runs in 14 more innings of action.  

The 196 strikeouts that she threw that year ranked ninth in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and was second best in the league. That still stands as the second most punch outs in a single season in program history. 

She went 13-6 in 29 appearances during the Tigers' run to the 2008 Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division championship. Jansen received NJCAA All-Region 23 and all-conference honors for her role in Northeast's seventh all-time divisional title.  

Her 318 strikeouts are the second most ever over a career at Northeast. Jansen's other cumulative statistics while with the Tigers include a 23-14, 241.1 innings and a 3.66 ERA in 62 outings. 

Jansen not only remained in America after graduating from Northeast. She stayed inside the borders of the Magnolia State by signing a scholarship to continue playing softball at Mississippi Valley State University. 

The move paid dividends for Jansen. She was selected as both the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Newcomer and Pitcher of the Year after leading the Devilettes to their best season in school history. 

Jansen lifted Mississippi Valley State to the 2009 SWAC Tournament crown and a trip to the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional. She was the pitcher of record in a thrilling 1-0 decision over the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, which was the Devilettes' first NCAA Tournament win in five years.  

She also garnered Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Southeast Region first-team recognition after helping Mississippi Valley State compile a 38-16 ledger. Jansen paced all SWAC hurlers during the regular season with 117 strikeouts and 12 victories. 

The Devilettes repeated as SWAC Eastern Division champions during Jansen's senior campaign. She was once again named to the All-SWAC first-team after accumulating a league-best 14 wins, 144 punch outs and a .213 batting average by her opponents. 

Jansen still owns the Devilettes' record for most shutouts in a season with eight as a junior. She was a two-time recipient of Mississippi Valley State's Female Athlete of the Year award. 

Jansen also represented her home country on its national team during the 2009 European Championships in Valencia, Spain. She tossed 13.2 innings over four games in that prestigious tournament with 10 strikeouts compared to five walks and a 3.59 ERA. 

She transitioned from athlete to coach as an assistant at Hampton (Va.) University and West Texas A&M University. Jansen guided the Buffs to the 2013 NCAA Division II South Central Regional as an at-large selection with a 44-13 overall record.  

Jansen continued her education and now holds four degrees, including most recently a doctorate from the University of Arkansas. She has completed postdoctoral research at Boston Children's Hospital.

Eric Batchelor led the Northeast Mississippi Community College men's basketball program to multiple championships at the turn of the century on the strength of his red-hot shooting touch. 

Batchelor played a key role for the Tigers, who were coached by hall of famer Mike Lewis, as they ran the tables through the north half, state and regional competitions to clinch a berth to the prestigious national tournament in Kansas. 

He contributed in every major game on the "Road to Hutch." He was one of three Northeast standouts to score more than 20 points in a 98-81 win against Northwest Mississippi Community College in the division title tilt. 

The two teams met once more on February 22, 2000 inside legendary Bonner Arnold Coliseum with the then-Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) championship on the line. Batchelor topped all players with 33 points in the Tigers' 109-92 decision over the Rangers. 

Northeast proceeded to claim its first National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 23 crown in five years with an 88-68 victory versus Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College at Mississippi College's A.E. Wood Coliseum. 

Batchelor went toe-to-toe with Jaeson Maravich, who is the son of basketball legend "Pistol" Pete Maravich, in that particular contest. Maravich may have ended up with a game-best 34 points, but Batchelor posted 21 of his 31 points in the second half and drained seven big treys. 

He reached double figures in three of the Tigers' four matchups at "The Tournament." Batchelor opened the event with a 12-point effort in Northeast's loss to eventual national champion Southeastern (Iowa) Community College. 

Batchelor and the Tigers bounced back to eliminate Cochise (Ariz.) College and Brevard (Fla.) Community College, which is now Eastern Florida State College. He had 32 points and 10 made three-pointers against Brevard.  

Those wins moved Northeast into the consolation bracket finals versus Northeastern (Colo.) Junior College. Batchelor accounted for a team-high 17 points, but the Tigers fell in heartbreaking fashion to finish eighth in the country with a 30-6 overall record. 

Batchelor became the 14th NJCAA All-American in program history following his sensational sophomore campaign. He signed a scholarship to continue his career at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). 

The Memphis, Tenn., product was equally as good as a freshman at Northeast. He received first-team All-MACJC, NJCAA All-Region 23 and NJCAA All-Region 23 Tournament honors after racking up 22.1 points per game. 

Batchelor nailed 84 percent of his free throws and shot 62 percent inside the arc and 42 percent from long distance during the 1998-99 season. He also averaged 4.5 rebounds that year. 

Among his top performances as a newcomer with the Tigers were back-to-back 30-plus point nights in double-digit triumphs over East Mississippi Community College and rival Itawamba Community College. 

The Westview (Tenn.) High School graduate started in 47 of his 61 appearances at UAB from 2000-02. He had career averages with the Blazers of 10 points and 3.6 rebounds per outing.  

Batchelor was UAB's third leading scorer as a senior at 11.5 points. He placed third in Conference USA (C-USA) in three-point makes with 71 and second in attempts with 216 one year earlier.  

He helped the Blazers advance to the second round of the 2001 C-USA Tournament with 10 points versus the University of Louisville (Ky.). Batchelor had 20 points and eight boards during UAB's win at Texas Tech University on November 28, 2000.

Jerry "Lefty" Harrelson's life was filled with sports essentially from the beginning. He grew up in rural Prentiss County and participated in youth baseball programs in Baldwyn, Corinth and Tupelo. 

Harrelson was a sharp shooting basketball player that stood out on the diamond as well at Wheeler High School. He earned a spot on the North Mississippi All-Star team following his senior season on the court in 1962. 

He accepted scholarship offers to continue his athletic career at then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College. Harrelson suited up for multi-time hall of fame headman Bonner Arnold on the hardwood and for coach Hal Hughes on the baseball team. 

Harrelson helped the men's basketball program capture the then-Mississippi Junior College Conference (MJCC) north half championship during the 1963-64 campaign. The Tigers defeated Holmes Community College by a score of 62-48 in the title contest. 

He was listed as a "stocky" guard and forward. Harrelson had a season-high 11 points during his sophomore year in a 100-71 victory by Northeast over rival Northwest Mississippi Community College. 

Harrelson was stellar both at the plate and on the mound for the Tigers. He topped Northeast in 1963 with a .381 batting average, which included a three-hit effort in an 8-4 triumph over Northwest.  

He was one of the aces of Northeast's pitching staff one year later. Harrelson collected a pair of wins versus Holmes, including a five-hitter in an 8-2 decision by the Tigers in their home opener.  

Harrelson spent the majority of his professional career as a coach and an educator. He held various positions for baseball, boys basketball, girls basketball and football teams at Burnsville, Iuka and Jumpertown schools over the course of 16 years.  

He resigned from his coaching duties in 1987, but continued to teach for nearly two more decades at Colbert County (Ala.) High School, Hardin County (Tenn.) Middle School and Iuka Middle School. 

The subjects he instructed included drivers education, history, physical education, social studies and special education. Harrelson officially retired in 2006 with a total of 35.5 years in the public school system between his five stops in the tri-state area. 

Harrelson's impact on local sports extended well after he blew his final whistle in the 1980s. He served Iuka High School as a bus driver for its athletic programs and was the public address announcer for the baseball team from 1987-92. 

He was the basketball game clock operator for Tishomingo County High School after the school districts consolidated in the early 1990s. Harrelson also umpired baseball at the prep level for many years and received several postseason assignments. 

Harrelson proudly followed his son Richy Harrelson, who is now the head baseball coach at Northeast, around the state and the Southeast in general during his record-breaking playing career at Iuka, Tishomingo County and the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). 

He was in attendance for many of Richy's milestone moments, including the 2006 state championship at Lafayette County High School and the 2009 trip to the College World Series (CWS) with the University of Southern Mississippi. 

Harrelson was sent to Germany after being drafted by the United States Army in 1966. He graduated from Mississippi State University and married his wife of 45 years, Lana, in the summer of 1971. 

He is also a member of the Northeast Mississippi Coaches Association for Better Baseball (NEMCABB) Hall of Fame. Harrelson, whose most important title was "popaw" to grandchildren Gage and Mary Cille, died in October 2016.

Tim McDonald won a division, state and regional championship during the first two seasons of Harvey Childers' historic tenure as head coach of then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College's men's basketball program in the 1980s. 

The Tigers averaged north of 90 points per game with a field goal percentage of approximately 53 as a unit during his freshman campaign. McDonald added to Northeast's depth at the point guard position. 

Northeast marched through the regular season with a 20-2 record. The Tigers first captured the then-Mississippi Junior College Athletic Association (MJCAA) North Division title with a victory over Holmes Community College. 

McDonald and the Tigers hosted the MJCAA Tournament by virtue of their north half crown. Northeast defeated Southwest Mississippi Community College and nationally ranked Copiah-Lincoln Community College to hoist the state championship trophy. 

The three-point line was instituted in college basketball during the 1986-87 campaign. McDonald thrived with the game-changing addition and moved into a starting role for the Tigers. 

The Blue Springs native closed gaps in several games for Northeast with his long distance makes. McDonald was described by Childers as one of the best outside shooters that he had ever seen. 

McDonald led the Tigers to a 13-2 mark before the Christmas break. Northeast also broke into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) rankings during the month of December at No. 17. 

The Tigers were once again the number one seed out of the MJCAA North Division heading into the postseason. Northeast went on to win the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament and advance to the national tournament in Hutchinson, Kan., for the first time in more than three decades.  

He was named to the NJCAA All-Region 23 Tournament team. McDonald, who had shooting percentages of 51.5 overall and 46.1 from three-point range as a sophomore, never lost a game inside legendary Bonner Arnold Coliseum. 

McDonald was successful outside of the gymnasium as well. He was selected by his peers as Mr. Northeast for 1987 and also earned Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges distinction. 

He signed a scholarship to continue his career under the watch of headman Joe Dean, Jr., at Birmingham-Southern (Ala.) College. McDonald is recognized in the Panthers' record book three times.  

McDonald is listed twice for a sensational performance against Kennesaw State (Ga.) University on November 23, 1988. His .875 three-point percentage and seven treys against the Owls are tied for second and seventh best, respectively, in a single game in program history. 

He still holds the school record at Birmingham-Southern for top three-point percentage. McDonald compiled a stellar .519 clip after making 123 out his 237 attempts from beyond the arc. 

McDonald returned home in 2005 to be the head boys basketball coach at his alma mater of East Union High School. He represented the Urchins in the state all-star game following his senior season in 1985. 

He has served as a committee member for the Northeast Mississippi Basketball Coaches Association (NEMBCA). McDonald started his professional career as an assistant for legendary coach Elvis Thomas at Myrtle High School in 1992.

Mario Stevenson was an incredibly gifted athlete that came to Northeast Mississippi Community College along with his brother Matthew. The two ended up starting on opposite sides of the football with Mario at defensive back and Matthew at quarterback. 

Stevenson helped the Tigers capture their first then-Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division championship in 22 years during his freshman campaign in 2002. 

Northeast won its first three contests that season against East Central Community College, East Mississippi Community College and Pearl River Community College all by one possession. 

A four-game winning streak during the month of October lifted Stevenson and the Tigers to the top of the division standings. Northeast secured its first playoff berth since 1987 and the second north half title in program history with a thrilling 7-6 victory over Holmes Community College. 

Stevenson was part of a talented unit at Northeast, which was directed by head coach Bobby Hall, that finished the regular season with a number one ranking in total defense inside the MACJC. 

The Memphis, Tenn., native blossomed under the leadership of new headman Andy Greening in 2003. He was rated as the top cornerback in the entire country ahead of his sophomore year with the Tigers. 

Stevenson lived up to his rating by receiving first-team All-MACJC honors after grabbing three interceptions for Northeast. He inked a scholarship with Louisiana State University (LSU) during the mid-year signing period. 

He joined coach Nick Saban's Tigers during their preparations for the 2004 national title game against the University of Oklahoma. LSU defeated the Sooners by a score of 21-14 in the Nokia Sugar Bowl to claim the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) crown. 

The 6-2, 200-pounder made his official debut with the Tigers on September 11, 2004. He recorded two tackles and a pass break up in LSU's home triumph over Arkansas State University. 

The Tigers rose to as high as No. 3 in the Associated Press (AP) poll and qualified for the Southeastern Conference (SEC) title contest as the Western Division co-champion during Stevenson's senior campaign. 

The Melrose (Tenn.) High School alumnus appeared in only seven games in a purple-and-gold uniform due to lingering injuries. He made 15 total tackles at LSU, including a career-high four stops versus both Arizona State University and the University of Tennessee. 

He started a fourth quarter rally at Arizona State with a 55-yard blocked field goal return for a touchdown. The come-from-behind win sparked by Stevenson's score resulted in the Tigers earning National Team of the Week recognition from the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. 

Stevenson has been in the coaching ranks for over a decade. He started in the Memphis metro area as headman at Booker T. Washington (Tenn.) High School and defensive coordinator for White Station (Tenn.) High School. 

He was selected to instruct the defensive backs during the 10th edition of the Autozone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game on December 10, 2011 at Memphis (Tenn.) University School. 

Stevenson is currently in his second season as the assistant football strength and conditioning coach at the University of Nevada. The Wolf Pack went 7-2 and won the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl during his inaugural year on the staff.

Anthony Gamble was an integral part of one of the most exciting teams in the tradition-rich history of the Northeast Mississippi Community College men's basketball program. 

Gamble led the Tigers to a runner-up finish in the 1989 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I National Tournament at the legendary Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kan.

Northeast opened the national championship game against Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College on a 16-7 run. But the Norsemen came from behind to down the Tigers by a final score of 83-76 despite Gamble's team-best 27-point effort. 

Gamble was one of two Northeast standouts to receive a spot on the NJCAA Division I All-Tournament team along with Clay Johnson. He was the top scorer and the second leading rebounder of the entire event with sensational averages of 31.3 points and 11.1 boards.

The duo of Gamble and Johnson concurrently became the Tigers' ninth and tenth NJCAA All-Americans. They remain just the second tandem of players in program history to earn All-American honors in the same season along with Gene Garrett and Kenneth Lindsey from the 1949-50 campaign. 

Gamble consistently scored 30 points on any given night during his sensational sophomore year in which Northeast compiled a 30-5 overall record and won the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament championship prior to its journey to the Sunflower State. 

The Wheeler High School graduate opened the season by accounting for 31 points in a 115-93 victory over Jackson State (Tenn.) Community College. Gamble followed that with a 34-point effort in a road triumph at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. 

Gamble and the Tigers upped their mark to 12-0 after opening Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division play with a 96-88 win versus Holmes Community College. He continued his assault on the nets with a game-high 37 points.

Northeast wrapped up the first semester with a 15-1 record and a No. 14 ranking from the NJCAA. The Tigers gained revenge from their lone loss of the fall with a 98-76 decision over Walker State (Ala.) College, which is now part of the Bevill State (Ala.) Community College system, in early January after Gamble tallied 21 points. 

The Tigers were just as good during Gamble's freshman campaign. Northeast won its initial 27 games, which included a perfect 24-0 ledger during the regular season and the MACJC North Division title.

The 6-4 post player helped the Tigers reach the state and regional championship contests, but Co-Lin emerged as the victor in both tilts. Gamble had a team-high 18 points during the MACJC title matchup inside historic Bonner Arnold Coliseum. 

Gamble, who was instructed by Hall of Fame coach Harvey Childers, had stellar performances following the Christmas break with 22 and 20 points against Mississippi Delta Community College and Holmes, respectively. 

He recorded his inaugural 30-plus point outing on November 14, 1987. Gamble notched 32 points that evening in a come-from-behind 93-81 triumph over Mississippi County (Ark.) Community College, which is now Arkansas Northeastern College.

Gamble signed with the University of North Alabama following his sensational career in the City of Hospitality. The Lions went 20-8 during the 1989-90 campaign under the watch of headman Gary Elliott.

The Booneville native was selected as the Gulf South Conference (GSC) Player of the Week on February 27, 1990 after guiding North Alabama to a thrilling 107-102 win versus rival Troy (Ala.) University one day earlier.

Shirley Hall White helped to lay the foundation for what has become one of the most successful women's basketball programs in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

White was a member of Northeast Mississippi Community College's first two teams following an 18-year layoff after the sport was discontinued by each of the Magnolia State's two-year institutions in 1955.

She was part of an inaugural group of 13 Lady Tigers, or Tigerettes as they were originally called at that time, that was comprised solely of women from the college's traditional five-county district.

Northeast won its initial matchup back from the hiatus on November 6, 1973 by a score of 58-53 at Meridian Community College. The Tigerettes were victorious in their home opener as well against that same Meridian squad one week later.

White and the Tigerettes dashed through the months of November and December without a loss. Northeast went 7-0 before the Christmas break, which included a sweep of East Mississippi Community College.

The Tigerettes ran their unbeaten streak to 11 straight games following the holiday hiatus with a 60-50 victory versus visiting Mississippi State University and a 60-53 decision over Northwest Mississippi Community College.

Northeast ended White's freshman campaign with a solid 12-4 record after falling to Hinds Community College and host Meridian on the same day in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) State Tournament.

White was recognized with MACJC All-State honors after leading the Tigerettes with approximately 18 points per game. She was also picked by her peers for the Best Offensive Player Award.

She was one of seven returning players for Northeast during the 1974-75 campaign. The Tigerettes picked up where they left off the previous year with a season opening 77-60 triumph over Blue Mountain College in which White contributed nine points.

The Ingomar High School graduate found her shooting touch once again in the Tigerettes' next outing. White poured in a team-best 30 points in a heartbreaking 78-76 setback to Lambuth (Tenn.) University inside legendary Bonner Arnold Coliseum. 

White, who wore jersey No. 31 while under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Millard Lothenore for two years, completed her tenure at Northeast with wins over Jackson State (Tenn.) Community College and Blue Mountain during the spring semester.

She repeated as a MACJC All-State selection and again received the Best Offensive Player Award. White also earned the prestigious Tiger Award for women's basketball after displaying quality characteristics such as leadership and sportsmanship throughout her sophomore season. 

The New Albany product handled her business outside the gymnasium as well. White was one of 35 individuals from Northeast to gain distinction as a "Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges" in 1975.

White also secured a spot on the Dean's List after excelling in her major of health and physical education. She continued her career on the court and eventually obtained a Bachelor's degree at Blue Mountain.

William "Billy" Southward was tasked with multiple responsibilities over a distinguished coaching and teaching career that spanned across parts of four decades at Northeast Mississippi Community College.

 He originally arrived on the Booneville campus in 1974 to assist legendary Northeast headman W.B. "Bill" Ward as a defensive coach. Southward worked with the linebackers, defensive backs and defensive ends in his inaugural season with the Tigers.

Southward worked under five different head coaches at Northeast, including Ward from 1974-82, David Carnell from 1983-85, Johnny Plummer from 1986-89, Hubert Tucker from 1990-94 and Gunter Brewer in 1995.

His 22 seasons with the Tigers make him the second longest tenured football coach in school history. Only Carnell's 23 combined years as an assistant and head coach rank longer than Southward's service.

Five National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Americans played for Northeast during Southward's time with the team, including defensive backs Barry Todd in 1977 and Maury Hill in 1979 plus defensive lineman Paul Rhodes in 1980.

Southward was on the sidelines for several of the most successful campaigns in program history. He saw the Tigers rise to No. 1 in the entire country in the J.C. Gridwire poll and No. 2 in the NJCAA rankings during the 1980 season. 

Northeast captured its inaugural Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division championship that year after winning nine straight outings. The Tigers also hosted a playoff game for the first time ever. 

The Tishomingo native helped Northeast return to the state playoffs twice more in 1983 and 1987 after finishing as the MACJC North Division runner-up during both of those seasons.

The Tigers captured one of their biggest marquee wins ever during Southward's next-to-last campaign on the gridiron. Northeast upset defending national champion Mississippi Delta Community College by a score of 14-12 on October 20, 1994. 

He joined his colleagues Carnell and Ward in earning MACJC Coaching Staff of the Year laurels following the successful 1980 season. Southward was selected to coach in the 1977 MACJC All-Star Classic as well. 

Southward took control of the baseball team from Carnell in the spring of 1975. He gave the program some needed stability after the Tigers featured seven different head coaches in the previous 14 years.

He also guided Northeast through a period of transition on the diamond. The Tigers expanded their schedule from playing fewer than 15 games before Southward's arrival to competing in more than 30 contests in his final season of 1985.

Several of his former Northeast student-athletes signed scholarships with four-year institutions, including Tim Kent, Jerry Long and David Wilkerson with the University of North Alabama. 

Southward spent 11 total seasons at the helm of the baseball team. He is one of only two men to serve as head coach of the Tigers for more than a decade along with Ray Scott, who holds the school record at 15 years. 

He remained at Northeast for an additional nine years as a physical education instructor after transitioning out of the athletic department. Southward officially retired from the college in 2005.

Southward starred on the gridiron himself at Mississippi State University from 1969-72. He was a three-year letter winner that started at both linebacker and defensive back for the Bulldogs. 

Mississippi State went 6-5 during Southward's sophomore campaign, which included big victories over the University of Georgia, Oklahoma State University and Texas Tech University all at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson.

Southward and the Bulldogs, who were under the watch of coach Charley Shira, remained competitive during his junior and senior seasons with wins over the University of Florida in the state capital and the University of Houston (Texas).

He stayed in Starkville to open his coaching career as a graduate assistant for Mississippi State in 1973. The Bulldogs compiled a 4-5-2 overall record in Southward's lone year on the staff.

The Tishomingo High School alumnus was previously inducted into the Northeast Mississippi Coaches Association for Better Baseball (NEMCABB) Hall of Fame in 2000.

Brandon Farley was the second member of Northeast Mississippi Community College's 2009 baseball team that was selected in the Major League Baseball (MLB) first-year player draft.

Farley was the 1,18th overall pick in the 33rd round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants following two successful seasons with the Tigers and another pair of campaigns at Arkansas State University.

He became just the fourth former Northeast standout to be drafted by a MLB affiliate. Farley followed in the footsteps of former teammate Phillip Chapman, who was taken by the Minnesota Twins one year earlier after concluding his collegiate career at the University of Memphis (Tenn.).

Farley helped the Tigers set a new program record for most victories in a single year during his freshman campaign with 33. Northeast also hosted a postseason series for the first time since 1992 after finishing as the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division runner-up. 

The Cookeville, Tenn., native made himself right at home during his inaugural games in the City of Hospitality. He had four hits, including two doubles, and a sacrifice fly in the Tigers' sweep of Arkansas Baptist College on the opening day of the 2009 season.

Farley's initial appearance on the mound at Northeast went just as well. He was credited with the win as the Tigers pulled away late in harsh weather conditions to take an 11-5 triumph at Northwest-Shoals (Ala.) Community College.

His luck in the neighboring Yellowhammer State remained good during his second outing for Northeast. Farley once again was the pitcher of record in a tightly contested 3-2 victory at Calhoun (Ala.) Community College. 

He played a pivotal role for the Tigers during the Warhawks' return trip to Harold T. White Field as well. Farley connected on one of his three total home runs on the season to help Northeast complete a home sweep and win the yearly series from Calhoun.

The 6-2, 200-pounder wrapped up the regular season by capturing his fifth victory in a 15-6 decision at Coahoma Community College. That tied him for the most individual wins alongside Brad Luna and Jon Andy Scott, who is currently an assistant coach for the Tigers.

Northeast lost to Jones College in its state playoff series, but Farley tried to keep his squad alive. He started a come-from-behind attempt by the Tigers in the seventh inning of game two, which was moved to Jackson's Smith-Wills Stadium due to inclement weather on the Booneville campus, with a double and later scored on a triple from Jake Mills.

Farley wielded a solid 3.32 earned run average (ERA) in 43.1 innings of work for Northeast as a freshman with only 11 walks allowed. He batted .340 offensively with 32 hits, including 13 for extra bases, with 22 RBIs.

Those numbers got even better during Farley's sophomore year. His strikeout total nearly tripled from 24 to a team-best 67 punchouts while becoming the ace of the Tigers' staff with a 2.79 ERA in 67.2 logged innings.

Farley's on-base percentage improved to .430 on the strength of 39 hits plus 16 free passes. He compiled a .351 batting average with six doubles, two triples, two home runs, 28 runs scored and 22 RBIs.

He opened his final campaign at Northeast with a statement victory on the hill versus Panola (Texas) College, which entered the matchup ranked No. 19 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I poll. Farley had nine strikeouts and allowed only five hits in the complete game shutout of the Ponies at the Wes Cliburn Memorial Tournament in Raymond.

Farley pieced together a pair of great performances against East Mississippi Community College that year. He had a four-hit day, including a double and triple, in the nightcap at Scooba and then conceded just four hits and two runs at home to finish a four-game season sweep of the Lions.

He ended his tenure with the Tigers in the 2010 state playoffs at Hinds Community College. Farley, who garnered MACJC All-State honors for his efforts throughout the campaign, had RBI singles during both postseason contests.

Farley moved from a starting role to the bullpen for the remainder of his career on the diamond. He topped all relievers and placed fourth overall among Arkansas State's hurlers with 40 strikeouts during his senior season.

The right-handed pitcher averaged over a strikeout an inning during his two-year stint in Jonesboro, Ark., with 62 punchouts in 59.1 frames. He was a key piece in the Red Wolves' 2012 campaign that featured 34 wins and a berth to the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) Tournament championship game. 

Farley was recognized as part of the InsidePitching.com National Pitching Staff of the Week following Arkansas State's SBC sweep of the University of South Alabama. He worked the eighth inning of the first two matchups of the series and did not give up a run.

He was the winning pitcher three times with the Red Wolves, including twice against Western Kentucky University. Farley also picked up saves versus Florida Atlantic University and Southern Illinois University as a junior and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock during his senior campaign.

Farley was assigned to San Francisco's rookie level affiliate in Scottsdale, Ariz., in the summer of 2012 after graduating from Arkansas State. He went 2-1 during the short season Arizona League with a sensational 1.19 ERA in 23 outings.

The Cookeville (Tenn.) High School graduate was transferred to the Class A level in Augusta, Ga., following spring training in 2013. He lifted the GreenJackets to the South Atlantic League (SAL) Southern Division championship with a 4-4 record in 28 appearances with 39 strikeouts compared to 23 walks.

Farley retired from professional baseball after splitting time between Arizona and Augusta in 2014. He was 1-1 with four saves and a 4.45 ERA in 22 games during his last year as a member of the Giants organization.

His final Minor League Baseball (MiLB) statistics include a 7-6 overall record with five saves in 108.2 frames of action. Farley was used as a reliever in 73 contests with 90 strikeouts, 40 walks and a stellar walks plus hits per innings pitched (WHIP) of 1.44.

Millard Lothenore holds the distinction of being the only individual in the rich history of the Northeast Mississippi Community College athletic department to hold the title of head coach over four different sports programs.

Lothenore first entered into the athletic realm in the fall of 1973 at the request of legendary athletic director and coach Bonner Arnold. He was tasked with putting together a women's basketball team at Northeast for the first time in 17 years.

Women's basketball was discontinued as an intercollegiate sport by each of the two-year colleges across the state after the 1954-55 season. Lothenore's outstanding work set the stage for a combined 30 national, regional, state and division championships that have followed in the decades since its reestablishment.

He constructed a 13-member roster comprised solely of ladies from Northeast's local five-county district for that initial season. The Tigerettes as they were called then won their first game back from the hiatus at Meridian Community College on November 6, 1973 by a score of 58-53.

Northeast also defeated Meridian in its inaugural home contest one week later by a 53-44 margin. The Tigerettes started the year on a six-game winning streak that included a 60-57 triumph over Northwest Mississippi Community College.

Janie Ham and Sue Love were selected to the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) All-State team from Lothenore's first squad. The Tigerettes also bested Mississippi State University during the 1973-74 campaign.

Northeast won a second consecutive season opener with a 77-60 decision over Blue Mountain College to begin its 1974-75 slate of games. The Tigerettes went on to beat the neighboring Lady Toppers a second time in January and took an impressive 43-point victory from Jackson State (Tenn.) Community College as well.

Lothenore is also the only person in school history to serve as a head coach of the same sports program in two separate stints. His initial duties with the Tigerettes ended in the spring of 1976 when fellow Northeast Sports Hall of Famer Jim Lamb took control of the team.

However, Lothenore returned to the Lady Tigers and ironically replaced Lamb prior to the 1979-80 campaign. He instructed Northeast for two additional years before Ricky Ford began his storied hall of fame career in 1981.

Lothenore accepted the position of assistant athletic director shortly after leaving the women's basketball team and embarked on yet another ambitious task. He started Northeast's softball program from scratch in 1982.

His inaugural team, which played against slow-pitch competition, compiled an 11-13 record. The Tigers swept Itawamba Community College in their first-ever doubleheader and later took games from four-year institutions such as Blue Mountain and the University of North Alabama.

Northeast wrapped up its initial season under Lothenore at the MACJC State Tournament. The Tigers went 2-2 in the event with triumphs over Copiah-Lincoln Community College and Pearl River Community College.

Lothenore's Tigers made history in just their second year of existence by capturing the 1983 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 23 Tournament championship in Meridian.

Northeast by virtue of its regional title clinched a berth to the NJCAA National Tournament, which was held that year in Cullman, Ala. The Tigers ended that campaign with a stellar 24-7 record.

Lothenore and the Tigers continued their success by winning back-to-back MACJC North Division championships from 1984-85. Northeast went a combined 36-15 during that two-year period.

 Softball was temporarily disbanded at Northeast following the 1989 season. Lothenore transitioned to another sport one year later and took over the tennis program from Northeast Sports Hall of Fame instructor Emma Braddock.

Lothenore once again found instant success in his new post. Northeast finished as both the state and regional runner-up to secure a spot in the NJCAA National Tournament.

The women's duo of Jodi Dansereau and Kathi Merwin won two consecutive state and regional titles while under the watch of Lothenore. The duo qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament in Tyler, Texas, and had an impressive 23-3 record over their pair of seasons together.

 Lothenore oversaw changes in the tennis program from a co-ed squad to separate men's and women's teams in 1994. Shannon Stevens represented the Lady Tigers that year by reaching the number three singles title match at the MACJC State Tournament.

 The men's unit had two straight phenomenal campaigns from 1995-96 with 21 wins compared to just six losses in that stretch. Chris Austin and Brandon Hankins capped the magnificent run by the Tigers with a number two doubles state championship.

He relinquished his role with the tennis programs in 1996 and at the same time concluded 20 years of coaching between the four sports. Lothenore remained at Northeast as a member of the health and physical education department until his retirement in 2003.

Lothenore earned an Associate's degree from Northeast, Bachelor's degree at Mississippi State and a Master's degree from the University of North Carolina. He also served our country in the United States Marine Corps.

Mitch McNeely ended an over 25-year drought between Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft selections that hailed from the Northeast Mississippi Community College baseball program. 

McNeely was the 835th overall pick in the 30th round of the 1995 MLB first-year player draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers organization following two seasons with the Tigers and another at Centenary College of Louisiana.

He remains the earliest Northeast alumnus drafted by round in school history. Benny Haynie still holds the mark for lowest pick after being chosen 701st by the St. Louis Cardinals franchise in the 1967 MLB Draft.

McNeely started his journey to the professional ranks on the Booneville campus in the spring of 1993. He was part of a squad that was victorious in 16 total games, including 12 of its initial 20 outings on the season.

The New Albany native became the ace of a pitching staff that accumulated 175 strikeouts as a whole during his sophomore campaign. McNeely paced that effort as the Tigers' punchout, innings pitched and earned run average (ERA) leader.

McNeely drew the opening day start for Northeast and tossed a gem against the now-defunct Mary Holmes College. He went the distance for the Tigers with 13 strikeouts in a 7-0 shutout of the Eagles at Harold T. White Field.

He and the Tigers went on to secure doubleheader sweeps that year against Coahoma Community College, Jackson State (Tenn.) Community College, Northwest Mississippi Community College and Spoon River (Ill.) College.

McNeely compiled a 6-4 record with a sensational 2.00 earned run average (ERA) during the 1994 campaign while consistently improving under the careful watch of fellow Northeast Sports Hall of Famer Ray Scott.

He signed a scholarship with Centenary, which at the time competed in NCAA Division I as a member of the Trans-America Athletic Conference (now known as the Atlantic Sun Conference), following his final season in the City of Hospitality.

McNeely helped the Gents, who were coached by Wayne Rathbun, capture 23 wins overall and piece together a 14-13 ledger versus TAAC foes during his lone year at the Shreveport, La., based institution.

He faced some of the best competition in the country while at Centenary, including 1994 NCAA College World Series participant Louisiana State University (LSU) of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) plus the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

The W.P. Daniel High School graduate played ball across the nation during his three-year stint in the Dodgers farm system. McNeely worked primarily as a reliever for Los Angeles with just five starts in 79 total appearances.

He reported to Yakima, Wash., which is more than two hours southeast of suburban Seattle, after signing his professional contract in the summer of 1995 to play in the short-season Class A Northwest League.

The 6-6, 190-pound left-hander logged 53 innings for Yakima while notching 31 strikeouts compared to 15 walks. McNeely tallied a career-best three wins for the Bears with one save in 24 games on the mound.

McNeely was promoted to a Class A-Advanced affiliate of Los Angeles following the 1996 spring training session. He made his home in the Sunshine State as a member of the Vero Beach Dodgers, which played their contests at the historic Dodgertown complex.

He had perhaps his greatest year in the minors at Vero Beach with a 1-1 record and a stellar 2.08 ERA in 23 outings. McNeely had the second lowest walks plus hits per innings pitched (WHIP) among the Dodgers' regulars with an outstanding 0.92. 

His 34 strikeouts and 11 earned runs allowed were both career-best marks for a single season at one location. McNeely did not balk nor have a wild pitch during 47.2 frames toeing the rubber for Vero Beach.

McNeely split time between Vero Beach and another Class-A Advanced team in San Bernardino, Calif., during the 1997 campaign. He registered 66.1 innings between the two cross-country teams in a career-high 32 appearances. 

He had a majority of his success that year with Vero Beach. McNeely was 1-1 with a pair of saves to go with 15 punchouts, seven free passes, 36 hits and a 1.59 WHIP while with the Dodgers of the Florida State League.

McNeely retired from professional baseball after the 1997 season. His final Minor League Baseball (MiLB) statistics include a 6-9 record, five saves, 108 strikeouts, 54 walks and a 4.58 ERA in 168 innings between the three teams.

Jerome Woods may have the best career of any former Northeast Mississippi Community College football player that reached the professional ranks.

Woods was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs franchise with the 28th overall pick in the opening round of the 1996 National Football League (NFL) Draft following a pair of stellar seasons at the University of Memphis (Tenn.). 

He appeared in all 16 games for the Chiefs as a rookie and made six tackles along with one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Woods made a much greater impact as a kickoff returner during his inaugural year with Kansas City.

Woods had 25 returns for 581 yards with a season-long of 66 yards. He compiled two 100-plus yard performances, including during his NFL debut inside the historic Astrodome against the Houston Oilers.

The Memphis, Tenn., product moved into a starting role at free safety during the 1997 campaign. Woods started to show just how talented he could be by setting career-highs of four interceptions and six forced turnovers overall.

The 6-3, 205-pounder was recognized as the American Football Conference (AFC) Defensive Player of the Week for the only time in his career following the Chiefs' week five triumph over Seattle in overtime.

Woods setup Kansas City's game winning drive in the extra session by intercepting Seahawks quarterback Warren Moon and returning it 13 yards to midfield. He also had eight takedowns and one sack in the 20-17 win by the Chiefs.

He was also picked later that season as the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for November after guiding Kansas City to a 4-1 record with key wins over Denver, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Seattle.

Woods had 30 tackles during that five-game stretch by the Chiefs and also accounted for two turnovers. He had an interception that led to the winning score against the Steelers and then picked up a fumble inside the legendary Kingdome versus the Seahawks.

He made his initial postseason appearance during the 1998 AFC Divisional Round. Woods recorded four stops, including a strip sack of future Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway right before halftime that Kansas City recovered, in a heartbreaking 14-10 loss to the Broncos inside Arrowhead Stadium.

Woods started in 79 consecutive contests as a defensive back for the Chiefs over a five-year period from 1997-2001. He racked up 415 tackles with eight interceptions, seven forced fumbles and three sacks during the heart of his tenure in Kansas City.

The Melrose (Tenn.) High School graduate missed the entire 2002 campaign with an injury that threatened to end his career. But Woods returned to the Chiefs better than ever one year later.

Woods reclaimed his spot in Kansas City's lineup and posted 76 takedowns, including 58 solo tackles, with a career-high 11 pass break ups plus four forced turnovers to earn his first-ever selection to the Pro Bowl.

He had three interceptions that season, including two that were returned for touchdowns during the Chiefs' victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers. 

Woods' two non-offensive touchdowns were the fourth most in the NFL while his 125 total interception return yards ranked as the ninth highest for the 2003 campaign.

His 79-yard pick-six off another eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer and Mississippi native in Brett Favre inside Lambeau Field was the sixth longest interception return of the entire year in the NFL. 

Woods and the Chiefs captured the 2003 AFC West Division title and welcomed Indianapolis for a 2004 AFC Divisional Round matchup. He accumulated six tackles in a heartbreaking 38-31 loss to the Colts in what turned out to be his final playoff contest.

He travelled to Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, for the 2004 Pro Bowl less than a month after the postseason defeat. Woods participated in the highest scoring NFL all-star game of all-time, which was won by the National Football Conference (NFC) 55-52, and tallied two tackles.

Woods made 17 more outings over the next two years with 43 additional tackles, one sack and a forced fumble to his credit. He eventually retired from professional football after the 2005 season.

His final statistics over nine campaigns with Kansas City include 540 total tackles, which averages to 4.2 per game, 16 pass break ups, 15 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and five sacks.

Woods was a three-way tool that saw time offensively, defensively and on special teams while at Northeast from 1992-93. He caught a 46-yard pass to get the Tigers into the red zone late in his very first collegiate contest at Pearl River Community College.

He fielded a punt at Coahoma Community College and raced 62 yards for a touchdown to cap a 42-0 Northeast victory just two weeks later. Woods concluded his freshman year with an interception versus Mississippi Delta Community College.

Woods improved tremendously during his sophomore campaign and garnered Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) All-State first-team recognition. He finished third in the league with 77 tackles and also averaged 17.8 yards per kickoff return.

He was a factor for the Tigers offensively for a second consecutive season versus Pearl River with a five-yard scoring reception from quarterback Herman Taylor. Woods added the initial two-interception showing of his career in a win over Coahoma. 

Woods showed out during his last regular season game at Tiger Stadium with 13 tackles against Mississippi Delta. He made one last outing on the Booneville campus as part of the 20th annual MACJC All-Star Football Classic. 

He was an explosive athlete during his two-year stint at Memphis. Woods totaled 219 tackles, including 120 during a senior campaign in which he was the Independent Defensive Player of the Year and the Football News All-American second-team.

Woods paced the Tigers during his All-American season of 1995 with a team-high six interceptions. He posted a career-best 19 tackles in a 17-16 triumph by Memphis at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) as a junior and one game later had 18 stops at the University of Tennessee. 

The Tigers' defense with Woods leading the way was eighth nationally in 1994 with just 14.5 points allowed per game. He was inducted into the Memphis M-Club Hall of Fame in 2009.

Emma Braddock was hired by then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College in 1965 to serve alongside legendary coach Bonner Arnold as one of three physical education instructors for the institution.

She went on to serve Northeast for more than 25 years. Braddock saw the athletic department evolve from only men’s basketball and cheerleading to seven sports strong when she retired following the 1989-90 academic year.

Braddock was a member of the faculty at Northeast for well more than a decade before taking over the duties of tennis coach for both the men and women from fellow Northeast Sports Hall of Famer Ken Lindsey in 1980.

She was the first female head coach in school history and eventually became Northeast’s most successful tennis instructor with multiple players advancing to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament.

Northeast started to find its groove under Braddock in 1982 when both squads combined for a 34-17 record. The Lady Tigers went 14-11 while the Tigers boasted an impressive 20-6 mark.

All Northeast players qualified for the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) State Tournament that season. The Tigers also had the top two seeds from the north half in the men’s singles bracket.

The Tigers’ Aaron Parsons and John Tate captured a doubles state championship after defeating Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in the title matchup. Lisa Mills finished as the state runner-up in women’s singles as well.

Mills gained her revenge one year later as she teamed with Kathy Arnold to attain both the state and regional doubles crowns. They advanced with their victories to the NJCAA National Tournament, which was then played in Ocala, Fla.

Braddock’s women’s teams from 1984-85 may have been the two best squads of her entire tenure. They both travelled to the Sunshine State for the NJCAA National Tournament and won multiple championships along the way.

Arnold won her second consecutive state and regional doubles title with new partner Lori Owens in 1984. She also gained the singles championships at both competitions as the top seed in the entire field.

Melissa Tyre also earned a state title in her singles category that year. Lori Curry and Lisa Aldridge were dominant in 1985 with state and regional crowns in women’s doubles and runner-up results in singles play as well.

The men had several bright spots in that stretch too. Duane Grubbs was the second ranked singles athlete in the state in 1984 while Kevin Cooley and Ken Williams entered the 1985 MACJC State Tournament as the number two seed from the north half.

Braddock took a one-year hiatus from coaching in 1987 with Ricky Gillentine serving as headman in her absence. She took the reigns of both programs once again in 1988 and stayed in that role for the remainder of the decade.

The Ripley native lifted the Lady Tigers and Tigers back to their proper spot atop the Magnolia State with a third place showing during her return to the teams in 1988 to cap a consistent career on the courts.

Braddock was an avid athlete herself. She has competed in multiple major golf tournaments and even won the third flight at the Women’s Southern Golf Association championship at Southern Pines, N.C., in 1980. 

Dontae’ Jones is often hailed as one of the best players to ever put on a black-and-gold uniform for the tradition-rich Northeast Mississippi Community College men’s basketball program.

Jones led the Tigers to 51 wins against just 14 losses during his tenure in the City of Hospitality from 1993-95. He also helped Northeast capture four major championships in his two seasons.

The Nashville, Tenn., native was part of perhaps the highest scoring team in school history during his inaugural campaign. The Tigers scored over 100 points in 18 separate games that season on the way to an outstanding 26-5 record.

Jones had several memorable outings during Northeast’s pre-Christmas slate. He had team-highs of 28 points against Calhoun (Ala.) Community College, 23 points versus Shoals (Ala.) Community College and 36 points during a victory over Mary Holmes College.

The Tigers, who were under the tutelage of Northeast Sports Hall of Fame coach Mike Lewis, eventually climbed to as high as No. 12 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) rankings prior to the start of the postseason.

Jones helped the Tigers gain hosting privileges for the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) State Tournament. He tallied 35 points, which included six rim-rattling dunks, in a 115-88 win at Northwest Mississippi Community College that allowed Northeast to capture the division title.

He celebrated again one week later as the Tigers won their first MACJC state championship since 1988 in front of their fans inside Bonner Arnold Coliseum. Jones notched 18 points as one of five double-digit scores in the title tilt.

Jones was a MACJC All-State first-team selection in his first year at Northeast after averaging a double-double with 25.2 points and 11.2 rebounds. He was a 50-percent shooter from the field overall.

The 6-7 guard increased his productivity even more as a sophomore. He became the 11th player in program history to earn distinction as a NJCAA All-American after posting 28.7 points, 13.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

Jones lifted the Tigers to 10 wins in their first 11 tries, including big wins over Columbia State (Tenn.) Community College 104-98, Jackson State (Tenn.) Community College 114-95 and Mary Holmes 128-102.

He had game-highs of 25 points and 14 rebounds in the Jackson State matchup. Jones also had standout performances in the second half the season with 34 points during a home triumph over Itawamba Community College and 28 points with five dunks in a victory versus East Mississippi Community College.

Jones and the Tigers claimed another MACJC North Division crown, which was the third straight in as many years with Lewis at the helm, before hitting their stride in the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament at Mississippi College’s A.E. Wood Coliseum.

Northeast cruised into the title matchup with a 91-66 decision over Meridian Community College and a 105-85 win versus rival Northwest in which Jones tallied 35 points.

The Tigers then defeated defending champion Bossier Parish (La.) Community College in a tight 95-89 ballgame to clinch the seventh berth to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament in program history. Jones led all scorers in the contest with another 35-point effort.

Jones cemented his legacy at Northeast with a sensational showing in Hutchinson, Kan. He recorded three double-doubles, including 24 points and 21 rebounds in the Tigers’ consolation bracket semifinal contest against Vincennes (Ind.) University, to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team.

He was showered with MACJC All-State first-team, NJCAA All-Region 23 and NJCAA All-Region 23 Tournament honors in addition to his NJCAA All-American and NJCAA Division I All-Tournament recognition following Northeast’s 25-9 campaign.

Jones amassed whopping totals of 1,648 points, 751 rebounds and 111 assists with the Tigers. He made 643 field goals for a 50-percent shooting percentage and was a 62.6 percent free throw shooter.

Jones extended his collegiate career by signing with Mississippi State University following his tenure on the Booneville campus. He was a catalyst for what was perhaps the best season in school history in 1995-96.

The Bulldogs captured their first-ever Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament championship with an 84-73 marquee win over the University of Kentucky, which was then the No. 1 ranked squad in the country.

Mississippi State, which was the top seed from the SEC West Division, also bested Auburn (Ala.) University and the University of Georgia to reach the title game inside the Superdome. Jones posted 21.3 points over those three victories to earn Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors for the 1996 SEC Tournament.

Jones continued his brilliance in the postseason by guiding the Bulldogs to their inaugural NCAA Final Four appearance. He scored 16 points, which was second most on the team, in Mississippi State’s semifinal loss to Syracuse (N.Y.) University in East Rutherford, N.J., at the Continental Airlines Arena.

He received NCAA Southeast Regional MVP honors after averaging  15 points in wins over Virginia Commonwealth University and Princeton (N.J.) University at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Ind., and the University of Connecticut and the University of Cincinnati (Ohio) at Kentucky’s Rupp Arena.

Jones contributed 14.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game during his lone season at Mississippi State. He was recently elected to the 2017 Allstate SEC Basketball Legends Class, which showcased former greats from all 14 SEC member institutions.

He decided to forego his senior campaign with the Bulldogs and was selected with the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 1996 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft by the New York Knicks.

Jones was traded to Boston’s storied franchise prior to the 1997-98 NBA season. He played one full year with the Celtics and set a career-high with 15 points in a victory over Golden State on February 27, 1998.

He concluded his professional career over the next decade by playing overseas in China, Greece, Italy, Korea and Turkey. Jones was the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) scoring champion in 2008 with 32.3 points per game for the Yunnan Bulls.

Only a select few individuals can claim they have witnessed as many Northeast Mississippi Community College athletic events since the beginning of the institution in 1948 as Jim Lamb.

Lamb has become a synonymous figure inside the Northeast athletic department. He has sat behind the scorers’ table at Bonner Arnold Coliseum and in the pressbox of Tiger Stadium for the better part of 40 years as the official scorer and public address announcer for both the basketball and football programs.

He continues in his role as the public address announcer for the Tigers’ home football games and also serves as a member of the Northeast Sports Hall of Fame selection committee over a decade after his official retirement.

The Winona native was originally hired by fellow Northeast Sports Hall of Famer and former president of the college Harold T. White as a natural sciences instructor in 1966. Among the subjects he taught were botany, general biology, human anatomy and physiology and zoology.

Lamb maintained his teaching position in the department of mathematics and sciences throughout his 36-year tenure as a part of Northeast’s faculty. However, he took on several additional duties during his career.

He stepped onto the Bonner Arnold Coliseum court as a coach himself to lead the women’s basketball team for three seasons from 1976-79. Lamb was the Lady Tigers’ second headman since the program was resurrected in 1973 following a nearly two decade long hiatus.

Lamb had three athletes that secured All-State honors during his first season at the helm, including Jennifer Churchill, Belinda Shelton and Debbie Strickland. Shelton was the leading scorer for the Lady Tigers while Strickland was the team captain.

Shelton was again the top offensive player on Lamb’s 1977-78 squad while Kay Strickland landed in that spot one year later. His final two captains were Mary Lindsey and Wanda Skinner.

Lamb was an advisor for Northeast’s branch of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society from 1972 until he retired in 2002. He was responsible for making the Iota Zeta chapter one of the greatest in not just the Magnolia State, but in the entire country as well.

He received many awards during his work with the Iota Zeta chapter. Lamb was named to the Phi Theta Kappa Hall of Honors in 1992 and one year later was selected as an outstanding regional Phi Theta Kappa advisor.

Lamb was a member of the Mississippi/Louisiana Regional Phi Theta Kappa Advisors Council. He earned one of the organization’s highest honors in 2003 as the Alumnus of the Year for the Mississippi/Louisiana region.

He was tabbed as the acting dean of the college in 1972 and director of student activities in 1973. Lamb was Northeast’s representative for the 1993 National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence in Teaching award.

Northeast also recognized Lamb as its annual Higher Education Appreciation Day, Working for Academic Excellence (HEADWAE) honoree that same year. Lamb was the building coordinator for McCoy Hall, which is the mathematics and science facility, as well.

Lamb was a grand awards judge for the International Science and Engineering Fair from 1993-98. He also loaned his expertise to the Mississippi State Science and Engineering Fair as a best of fair judge from 1987-99 and to the regional science fair hosted on an annual basis at Northeast.

His personal education included an Associate’s degree from Holmes Community College, a Bachelor’s degree from Auburn (Ala.) University and a Master’s degree from Mississippi State University with post-graduate hours from the University of Mississippi.

Lamb and his wife Donna, who was also employed by Northeast in the campus bookstore, have been residents of Booneville for over 50 years since moving from Akin, S.C., where he worked for the state government with the soil conservation service. 

Josie Lindgrin secured her place as one of the most dominant pitchers in the tradition-rich history of the Northeast Mississippi Community College softball program with two outstanding seasons.

Lindgrin still holds a pair of school records that might never be broken. She compiled a sensational 0.92 earned run average (ERA) with 198 strikeouts during her phenomenal 2004 campaign.

She became the only Tiger ever to earn National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 23 Player of the Year honors that season with 21 wins and 197.1 innings pitched, which are both second best for a single campaign in program history, to accompany her strikeout total and extremely low ERA.

Lindgrin was a consensus All-American following her record-setting sophomore year. She remains one of only seven Northeast players to receive All-American distinction from both the NJCAA and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) in the same season.

She lifted the Tigers to the 2004 Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) state championship game by tossing a no-hitter against East Central Community College. Lindgrin helped Northeast win its annual TigerFest Tournament earlier in the campaign.

The Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada native was an integral part of the best team in school history one year earlier in 2003. That team went 32-17 overall under the direction of Northeast Sports Hall of Fame coach David Carnell with a perfect 12-0 ledger inside the MACJC North Division.

Lindgrin put the exclamation mark on the Tigers’ first-ever undefeated division slate. She led Northeast to a 9-1 game two victory over Northwest Mississippi Community College in the last conference doubleheader of the regular season.

The Tigers finished as the MACJC state runner-up before fighting their way through the losers bracket to capture the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament championship one week later on the campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

Lindgrin played a big role in clinching that title. She threw a one-hit shutout over Itawamba Community College in an elimination contest before forcing the if-necessary championship game with a 4-2 triumph versus Hinds Community College.

Another win over the Eagles in Perkinston allowed the Tigers to make what is still their only appearance at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament, which was held that year at Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Northeast put up a solid showing in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament, but lost two straight heartbreaking one-run matchups to Black Hawk (Ill.) College and top-ranked Parkland (Ill.) College.

Lindgrin posted 120 innings of work as a freshman and struck out 157, which is fourth on the all-time list. She amassed a stellar 1.35 ERA with only 18 earned runs given up all season.

She was well decorated after her inaugural campaign in the City of Hospitality. Lindgrin was named to the NFCA All-South Region and the NJCAA All-Region 23 second-teams for her brilliance in the circle.

Lindgrin completed her time at Northeast with a 36-14 individual pitching record and a sparkling 1.08 ERA. She notched 355 strikeouts and only 59 walks over 314 total innings for the Tigers.

Northeast racked up 70 wins with Lindgrin on its roster, which is the most over a two-year period in program history. The Tigers also rose to as high as No. 7 in the NJCAA’s rankings during her tenure.

She wrapped up her career on the diamond at Southern Arkansas University from 2005-06. Lindgrin still places sixth all-time for the Muleriders with only 1.34 walks allowed per seven inning game during her junior campaign.

Southern Arkansas combined for 56 wins over the two years that Lindgrin was part of its pitching staff with 30 of those victories coming against fellow Gulf South Conference (GSC) adversaries.

The Muleriders were eliminated in the GSC Tournament after finishing in a tie for second in the GSC West Division behind Delta State University in 2005 and fourth when Lindgrin was a senior.

Anthony Anderson is still one of the top roundball athletes to ever suit up for the tradition-rich men's basketball program at Northeast Mississippi Community College.

Anderson had several double-digit performances during his freshman campaign, including 20 points in a huge 107-69 win over Meridian Community College and 16 points in a triumph at rival Itawamba Community College.

The East Union High School graduate guided the Tigers to a 21-4 regular season mark during the 1981-82 campaign. That included two wins at the Tip Off Tournament hosted by Jefferson State (Ala.) Community College.

Anderson scored a team-high 14 points to lift Northeast to the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division Tournament crown in a 42-39 triumph over Northwest Mississippi Community College inside legendary Bonner Arnold Coliseum.

He followed that with 13 points three nights later in a tight 56-55 MACJC State Tournament semifinal victory over Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College on the campus of Utica Junior College, which is now part of the Hinds Community College system.

Anderson and the Tigers delivered once again the following evening against the host Bulldogs. He tallied 16 points to help Northeast secure its third state championship in program history with an 86-78 decision at Utica.

He was one of four sophomores that came back for the 1982-83 campaign. That team started on a slightly rocky note with a 5-5 record near the Christmas break, but the Tigers pulled together and compiled another 20-win season.

Northeast wrapped up Anderson's final year in the City of Hospitality with a 21-12 mark and as the MACJC North Division runner-up. The Tigers eventually hosted the inaugural National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 23 Tournament.

Anderson was simply phenomenal in the regional opener against Delgado (La.) Community College. He amassed a game-best 45 points and was an incredible 20 of 22 from the free throw line for a Northeast squad that posted 112 total points.

But Mississippi Gulf Coast eliminated the Tigers in their following contest in a tight 88-80 contest. Anderson concluded his career with 26 points, which was more than any other player in the matchup.

Anderson finished as the leading scorer in NJCAA Region 23 and was recognized as the Babe McCarthy Junior College Player of the Year, which was awarded to the top athlete at the two-year level in the Magnolia State.

He also became the eighth NJCAA All-American in program history after ranking among the 10 best rebounders in the region. Anderson was voted by his peers and head coach Richard Mathis as Northeast's Most Valuable Player (MVP) as well.

The Blue Springs native completed his Associate's degree in business administration from Northeast and later wrapped up his education at Middle Tennessee State University beginning in the fall of 1983.

He has devoted his professional life to the field of criminal justice. Anderson worked with the Union County Sherriff's Office for over a decade and was the Chief of Police in Verona for three years.

Anderson and his wife Connie have three children, Anna, Ebony and William, and are members of Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church. He is presently employed by the Northeast Campus Police Department.

John O. Cunningham joins an elite group of supporters that have been elected to the Northeast Sports Hall of Fame. He joins Malcolm Kuykendall and Earline "Woodsie" Woods with this distinction. 

Cunningham was an established businessman that was known as a tireless advocate for the Lady Tigers and Tigers. He remains as one of Northeast's biggest backers even in retirement.

The Baldwyn native owned Cunningham's Food Mart in his hometown for several years and was highly successful in that venture. His prosperity has seemingly gone hand-in-hand with the affluence of Northeast's nine intercollegiate athletic programs.

He became a member of the Northeast Board of Trustees in 1995 and still serves in that capacity. Cunningham currently holds the position of secretary for the 15-member board.

Cunningham also fulfills duties as part of the Northeast Development Foundation Board of Directors. He is one of four representatives from Prentiss County on this 20-person committee.

He and others on the board helped assemble an athletic giving program through the Northeast Development Foundation that has generated over $1 million for the institution over the past 16 years.

Cunningham is a familiar sight at Northeast sporting events. He can usually be found at courtside inside Bonner Arnold Coliseum or in a folding chair during the spring at either baseball or softball doubleheaders chatting about his beloved Tigers.

Ronnie Key immediately became a popular student-athlete upon his enrollment in 1979. He was selected as Mr. Northeast Mississippi Junior College during his sophomore year while playing both baseball and football.

Key was a standout defensive end for the Tigers in one of the best two-year periods in program history. Northeast compiled 15 victories during his tenure on the gridiron.

The Tigers captured six wins during Key's freshman season, which was tied for the most by any Northeast team in the previous 10 campaigns, and finished as runner-up in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division.

Among the victories that year were three consecutive matchups with Coahoma Community College, Hinds Community College and Holmes Community College. Northeast eventually lost at Jones County Junior College in its second-ever state playoff contest.

Key and the Tigers bounced back with perhaps the best season in school history. Northeast captured nine victories in 1980, which is still the second most in a single year ever, and its inaugural MACJC North Division championship.

The Corinth native helped the Tigers compile a perfect 6-0 mark in league play. They clinched the MACJC North Division title with a 26-0 blanking of Northwest Mississippi Community College.

Northeast rose to as high as No. 2 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) poll and was the top ranked team in the entire country at one point according to JC Gridwire. Those remain as the highest rankings ever for the Tigers.

Key's final outing on the gridiron was during a 19-3 setback to Jones County in the first postseason game hosted by Northeast inside the friendly confines of Tiger Stadium.

He made an even deeper impact on the baseball program at Northeast. Key was a MACJC All-State selection and was voted as the Tigers' Most Valuable Player (MVP) during each of his two campaigns.

NJCAA Hall of Famer W.B. "Bill" Ward recognized Key with the Tiger Award for football following his freshman year while head coach William Southward gave him the same honor twice for his leadership and efforts on the diamond.

Key returned to the Booneville campus in 1984 and was named the ninth head baseball coach at Northeast since the program was reinstated in 1961. His squads were known to be consistently competitive on a yearly basis.

The Corinth High School alumnus set a new program record with 24 victories in 1989 on the way to third place in the MACJC North Division. That mark stood for 11 years when the Tigers posted 26 triumphs in 2000.

He led the Tigers to five consecutive winning seasons and finished his tenure with 113 victories, which places him as the third winningest headman in program history. His Northeast teams missed the postseason by one game for three straight years from 1989-91.

Key was selected to coach the Athletes in Action international tour while with the Tigers in both 1985 and 1989. It was a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International that was formed to share life-changing faith with sports fans across the world.

His team trained in Reno, Nev., before visiting sites in northern California and Central America. Key's crew also visited local hospitals and churches as a means of serving others during their summer tours.

He left his alma mater to take the same position at Montreat-Anderson (N.C.) College in 1991. Key quickly retreated to the Magnolia State in 1991 after accepting an opening at Lamar School in Meridian.

Key remained at Lamar for the next two decades and served in various roles such as head baseball and golf coach, assistant football instructor, athletic director and guidance counselor.

He is presently in his sixth season as the golf coach at Meridian Community College. Key was the 2014 MACJC and Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) Coach of the Year after guiding the Eagles to a state title on the links.

Key's teams have captured 15 tournament crowns over the last four campaigns. Each of those squads were selected as Farmer's Insurance All-Academic Teams as well.

He and his wife Leigh Ann have two children, Casey and Easton. Key is a board member for district five of Mississippi's Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and attends worship at Meridian's Northcrest Baptist Church.

Maurice Stafford started what turned into a blossoming career in the sport of basketball after signing with then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College as one of the highest touted prep athletes in the Magnolia State.

Stafford immediately showed amazing potential during his inaugural matchup in a black-and-gold uniform on November 10, 1980 at home against Dyersburg State (Tenn.) Community College. He nearly accounted for a double-double with 16 points and eight rebounds during a decisive 103-84 victory by the Tigers.

The Biggersville High School graduate was frequently the leading scorer for Northeast during his freshman campaign in jersey No. 44 while under the watch of head coach Noel Akins.

His first such instance as top scorer for the Tigers was in a tight 92-89 triumph over Northwest Alabama Community College, which is now Northwest-Shoals Community College. Stafford was one of five Tigers to reach double figures that night with 26 points.

Stafford helped Northeast win its initial five contests that year with 25 points at Dyersburg State and 30 points during his first rivalry matchup with Itawamba Community College on December 2, 1980.

He and his teammates went on to win the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division Tournament crown with a 61-50 triumph versus Northwest Mississippi Community College. Stafford had 13 points in the Tigers' title victory over the Rangers.

Northeast eventually lost in the state championship contest to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 7 Tournament that was held on the campus of Paducah (Ky.) Community College, which is currently known as West Kentucky Community and Technical College.

Stafford, who was one of four returning sophomores, and the Tigers gained their revenge one season later by capturing the 1982 MACJC State Tournament title under the direction of first-year headman Richard Mathis.

Northeast edged past Mississippi Gulf Coast in the semifinals by a 56-55 margin thanks in part to 27 points from Stafford. The Tigers then bested host Utica Junior College 86-78 with Stafford notching 15 points before hoisting the championship trophy.

Stafford was selected to the MACJC All-State team and became the seventh NJCAA All-American in program history after leading both the state and region with approximately 23 points per game.

The Rienzi native was also the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 1981 Tip Off Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., where Northeast won the crown over Lurleen B. Wallace (Ala.) Community College.

He signed with the University of North Alabama after his tenure with the Tigers and found even more success on the hardwood. He led the Lions in scoring and field goal percentage both as a junior and senior.

Stafford was a two-time All-Gulf South Conference (GSC) selection and was the 1984 GSC Player of the Year. That same season he led North Alabama to a 27-7 overall mark, a GSC and NCAA South Regional championship plus a berth to the NCAA Division II Final Four.

He shot 75 percent from the floor during his senior campaign, which at the time was a NCAA Division II record. That incredible feat was broken three years later, but still remains fourth all-time at that level.

Stafford's career stat line for the Lions included 922 points, 382 rebounds, 95 assists, 70 steals and 32 blocks. He later returned to Florence, Ala., as an assistant coach for North Alabama's women's program.

His playing career might have concluded with the Lions, but his passion for roundball continued through his time as a coach. His first position came at the University of Tennessee at Martin from 1989-95.

Stafford was heavily involved in recruiting, monitoring the academic status of players, game preparation and the development of post players while at UT Martin, North Alabama and the University of Memphis (Tenn.).

Some of the standout athletes he instructed were Tamika Whitmore, who went on to play for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) after starring at Memphis, and North Alabama's inaugural first-team All-American in Serita Gaulding.

Stafford returned to Booneville to conclude his coaching tenure at Northeast. He was the first ever assistant for the women's basketball program and assisted the men as well over a decade starting in 2003.

He assisted the Lady Tigers in capturing a pair of state championships plus the 2006 NJCAA Region 23 title. Stafford tutored NJCAA All-Americans Jessica Hooker and Krystal Robinson during that special season that saw Northeast reach the NJCAA Division I National Tournament for the third time ever.

Stafford, who is also a member of North Alabama's Hall of Fame, is married to the former Karyn Miller of Jumpertown. They have a daughter, Sascha, and one grandson, D'Kylin.

Phillip Chapman was a pivotal part of the resurgence that Northeast Mississippi Community College has experienced on the diamond since the turn of the century. 

Chapman guided the Tigers to 65 victories during his tenure with the Tigers, which is the most over a two-year period in school history. Northeast also set a program record for wins in a single season with 33 during his sophomore campaign.

The Clinton native helped the Tigers finish as the runner-up in the MACJC North Division for two consecutive years while under the tutelage of Farris. Northeast parlayed that success into a pair of playoff berths as well.

Chapman was selected to the MACJC All-State team after a stellar freshman campaign. He compiled a .370 batting average with seven home runs, 23 RBIs and a .984 fielding percentage.

He increased his productivity offensively one year later. Chapman led the Tigers to an appearance at the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament with team-highs of nine homers, 39 RBIs and a .640 slugging percentage.

Chapman was tabbed as a NJCAA Preseason All-American prior to his final campaign on the Booneville campus. He repeated as a MACJC All-State selection that year as well.

The 5'11", 190 pounder signed a scholarship with the University of Memphis (Tenn.) and immediately worked his way into the starting lineup as the catcher. He paced the Tigers with 121 consecutive innings behind the plate against Conference USA competition.

He had perhaps his best outing while with Memphis on April 3, 2010 at Marshall (W.Va.) University. Chapman went 4 for 5 with a career-high five runs scored in a 21-13 victory over the Thundering Herd.

Chapman connected for his initial long ball with the Tigers one week later during a series against East Carolina (N.C.) University. He added a nine-game hitting streak that spanned two months as well.

He was also the everyday backstop for the Tigers as a senior and gunned 31 percent of runners that attempted to steal a base. Chapman batted .321 with 42 RBIs and a team-high 21 doubles.

Chapman lifted Memphis to a 30-27 overall record that season and to a bid in the Conference USA Tournament at Pearl's Trustmark Park. The Tigers captured a win over the University of Alabama at Birmingham, but lost to Rice (Texas) University and the University of Central Florida in pool play at the home of the Southern League's Mississippi Braves.

He was selected by Minnesota in the 35th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft. Chapman reported to Fort Myers, Fla., in June to play for the Gulf Coast League Twins.

Chapman participated in 33 games during his first and only professional season and amassed solid numbers. He had a .392 on-base percentage and .442 slugging percentage with 32 total hits.

He had twelve doubles and one triple in the short campaign that spans a period of two-and-a-half months. Chapman had 21 RBIs, 18 runs, four sacrifice flies and was hit by a pitch on six occasions.

The Clinton High School graduate accumulated 137 putouts and 10 assists during his time behind the dish and in left field for the Twins. Chapman caught 10 of 19 players that tried to swipe a bag as well.

Chapman also excelled in the classroom at both Northeast and Memphis. He was inducted into the Iota Zeta chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and was named to the Capital One Academic All-District IV team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Donnie Clayton was one of the first signees for the then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College football team following its resurrection from an over decade-long hiatus.

Clayton was among five standouts from Ripley High School that inked with the Tigers and their new headman W.B. "Bill" Ward. They ensured that the program was not done away with again by winning 11 games over a two-year period.

Northeast was victorious in its initial contest back from the layoff with a 33-20 decision over Southwest Mississippi Community College. The Tigers followed that with a 28-17 triumph versus Hinds Community College one week later.

Northeast eventually picked up wins against rivals Itawamba Community College and Northwest Mississippi Community College to conclude Clayton's freshman season with a 4-5 overall record.

The Tigers improved drastically during the following campaign and went 7-2 with Clayton on the field. That was the second most wins in a single season at the time and still remains third on the all-time list.

Northeast ended that season on a four-game winning streak with positive outcomes versus Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Itawamba and Northwest.

Clayton was part of two of the most prolific offenses in school history. He was the top receiver on a pair of squads that equally averaged 26.7 points per game, which is tied for second in school history.

The 48 points that Clayton and his teammates scored in 1968 against Itawamba and 1969 versus East Central Community College remains the sixth highest total in one game ever for Northeast.

The 240 total points that each of Clayton's squads compiled is knotted for sixth most in one season. It was also the second highest amount over a pair of seasons ever for the Tigers.

Clayton was chosen as a MACJC All-State selection twice during his tenure at Northeast. He topped the Tigers in receiving yards from the tight end position as a sophomore.

He was honored as Northeast's second NJCAA All-American on the gridiron following the conclusion of his last campaign in the City of Hospitality. His quarterback Johnny Buskirk also garnered the same countrywide honor that year. 

Robert Henry may be known predominantly as an outstanding coach, but his pigskin career truly began to blossom as an athlete at then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College.

Henry was a talented defensive standout for the Tigers that Ward, who is a NJCAA Hall of Famer, used at multiple positions. He was named the most valuable player for his unit after seeing action at linebacker and on the line.

Northeast captured victories over East Mississippi Community College and Southwest Mississippi Community College during Henry's inaugural campaign on the Booneville campus.

The Tigers improved the following year and captured four wins with Henry on the field. Northeast defeated Southwest for the second straight season and also bested East Central Community College, Hinds Community College and Holmes Community College.

The three wins against opponents from the MACJC South Division is tied for the second most in a single season in program history. The Tigers also accomplished the same feat during the 1974, 1980 and 1989 campaigns.

Henry was the only freshman to earn a spot on the MACJC All-State team. He received an invitation to participate in the annual MACJC All-Star Game following his sophomore year as well.

The Corinth native switched sides of the football after signing with the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and lettered at offensive guard in 1975. He graduated two years later and began a 35-year coaching career that fall at Laurel's R.H. Watkins High School.

Henry moved into the collegiate ranks in 1980 at the University of Southern Mississippi. His defense topped the nation in scoring one season after his arrival in Hattiesburg.

His third stop was at powerhouse Southern Methodist (Texas) University. Henry was the defensive line instructor at a school that compiled a 43-14-1 overall record during his five-year stay with appearances in the Aloha Bowl, Cotton Bowl and Sun Bowl.

Henry accepted the same post at the University of Tennessee prior to the 1987 campaign. He returned to the Magnolia State after only one season with the Volunteers to serve as the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss.

He helped the Rebels compile 27 triumphs and back-to-back bowl appearances with a victory over the United States Air Force Academy (Colo.) in the 1989 Liberty Bowl and a loss to the University of Michigan at the 1991 Gator Bowl. Henry was nominated for Southeastern Conference (SEC) assistant coach of the year while at Ole Miss in 1988.

Henry took a short hiatus from coaching, but returned to the gridiron at Northwestern State (La.) University in 1994. He has completed stints at fellow NCAA Division I institutions Baylor (Texas) University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Wyoming as well.

The Corinth High School alumnus most recently found success at the NCAA Division II level. He drastically improved Henderson State (Ark.) University's defense over his five-year tenure.

The Reddies went from conceding 403.5 yards per game to giving up only 276.9 yards with Henry on the sidelines. Henderson State ranked 10th nationally during the 2007 season by only allowing opposing offenses to compile 267.4 yards.

Henry was hired in January 2010 at the University of West Alabama. He developed the Tigers' defense into a top-five unit overall nationally and the best at pass efficiency.

He instructed cornerback Malcolm Butler as the defensive coordinator for West Alabama. Butler secured New England's victory over Seattle in the National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl XLIX with an interception late in the contest.

Tim Kesler guided the already tradition-rich hoops squad at then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College to more prosperity with numerous outstanding performances.

The Tigers compiled a regular season overall record of 21-4 during Kesler's inaugural season in the City of Hospitality. That included a solid mark of 11-3 against MACJC North Division competition.

Northeast captured two-game sweeps that year over conference opponents Coahoma Community College, Itawamba Community College, Meridian Community College and Mississippi Delta Community College.

Kesler helped the Tigers capture the Jefferson State (Ala.) Tip Off Tournament championship during November 1981. Northeast defeated both Alexander City State (Ala.) Junior College, which is now known as Central Alabama Community College, and Lurleen B. Wallace (Ala.) Junior College to capture the title.

He pieced together several double-digit outings following the lengthy holiday break. Kesler tallied 18 points in a victory against East Mississippi Community College on January 28, 1982 and notched 17 points two days later during a 99-66 decision versus Mississippi Delta.

The Wheeler native helped the Tigers compile an undefeated month of February. Northeast claimed the MACJC North Division Tournament title at its home venue against rival Northwest Mississippi Community College in a contest that saw Kesler contribute 10 points during a close 42-39 contest.

The Tigers extended their hot streak by capturing the MACJC State Tournament crown. Northeast bested Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in the semifinal round to setup a showdown with Utica Junior College for the championship.

Kesler and his team did not hold a lead against the Bulldogs until 10 minutes remained in the game. The Tigers were able to hold onto their advantage for an 86-78 win versus Utica.

It was the third state championship trophy in program history. Kesler was one of five players to reach double figures for Northeast in the title tilt with 18 points.

Kesler was one of four returning athletes during the following campaign and once again started at point guard. He lifted the Tigers to another 20-win season with appearances at the MACJC State Tournament and NJCAA Region 23 Tournament.

Northeast started slowly with a 5-5 mark at one point. But the Tigers had two straight victories over East Central Community College and East Mississippi prior to the Christmas break to end the semester on a positive note.

Kesler's crew went on to host the regional competition at legendary Bonner Arnold Coliseum. He scored 11 points in the opening round to direct the Tigers to a riveting 112-109 triumph over Delgado (La.) Community College.

He concluded his standout career at Northeast in an 88-80 loss to Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Tigers finished as the runner-up in the MACJC North Division as well during Kesler's final campaign.

Kesler earned the Best Defense Award during his freshman year under the watch of coach Richard Mathis. He was selected to participate in the 1983 MACJC All-Star Game as well.

Tamica Pierce Jones was the latest in a long line of successful student-athletes that took the floor for Northeast Mississippi Community College and its NJCAA Hall of Fame instructor Ricky Ford.

Jones entered into the lineup as a freshman and instantly led her squad to prominence by compiling a solid 19-7 overall record and winning the tenth MACJC North Division championship in program history.

The Decatur, Ga., native was the lone returning starter for the Lady Tigers one year later. She stepped up her production as part of a predominantly youthful team and averaged astounding numbers of 24.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.

She was recognized for her outstanding efforts by earning NJCAA All-American honors. Jones became the seventh Northeast standout to receive this prestigious countrywide accolade.

Jones was also tabbed as a MACJC All-State performer after leading the Lady Tigers to their second straight division title and 19th consecutive appearance at the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament.

She recorded another double-double in her final game at Northeast with 17 points and 14 boards in a loss to Copiah-Lincoln Community College at Mississippi College's A.E. Wood Coliseum. Jones concluded the campaign as the top scorer in the Magnolia State.

The 5-10 forward represented Northeast at the 24th annual MACJC All-Star Game on the grounds of East Central Community College. She scored a team-high 17 points as the North lost a 91-88 heartbreaker to the South on April 6, 2001.

Jones continued to excel on the court after signing with Florida Atlantic University. She barely missed becoming the eighth Lady Owl to score 500 points in a single year after totaling 497 as a junior.

She was named to the 2002 All-Atlantic Sun Conference first-team after guiding Florida Atlantic with 16 points per outing. Jones finished third among all athletes in the league in scoring and ninth in rebounds with an average of 6.9.

Jones was also incredibly accurate from the free throw line. She placed sixth in the Atlantic Sun with a 76.7 percent ledger from the charity stripe and was specifically 168 of 219 on those free shot attempts.

She scored in double figures during 25 contests in her initial campaign on the Boca Raton, Fla., campus. Jones tallied a career-high 28 points on January 9, 2002 against the University of Central Florida.

Jones accumulated six double-doubles for the Lady Owls and had a season-best 13 rebounds on January 14, 2002 versus Mercer (Ga.) University. She was a perfect 10 of 10 on free throws twice that year in games against Belmont (Tenn.) University and Jacksonville (Fla.) University.

She helped Florida Atlantic make a run to the Atlantic Sun Tournament championship matchup versus Georgia State University. The Lady Owls defeated Campbell (N.C.) University and Mercer on back-to-back nights to qualify for the title tilt.

Jones currently sits at 11th on the list of top scorers in program history with 865 total points in just two seasons with the Lady Owls. She has the third highest scoring average for Florida Atlantic with 14.6 points each matchup.

She still holds the school records for the most free throws made in one season with 168 and most shots attempted at the charity stripe at 219 during the 2001-02 campaign.

Gaylon Baird used his tall and athletic body frame to outwork his opposition and secure immediate at then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College.

The 6-6 center thrived under the direction of legendary coach and Northeast Sports Hall of Fame member Kenneth Lindsey as a freshman and quickly earned a permanent spot in the starting lineup.

Baird led the Tigers to a 19-7 record during the 1967-68 campaign, which included victories over both the Mississippi State University and University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) freshmen squads.

Northeast scored 80 or more points in 18 contests that year and recorded a 16-2 mark in those matchups. The Tigers crossed the century line on four occasions as well in a pair of triumphs versus Northwest Alabama Junior College and wins against Itawamba Junior College and Copiah-Lincoln Junior College.

The West Union High School graduate led Northeast to victories in nine of its final 10 regular season outings. Baird and the Tigers used that momentum to capture the second state championship in program history.

Baird was tabbed as the sixth NJCAA All-American from Northeast after totaling an incredible 726 points during his inaugural campaign in the City of Hospitality. He averaged a double-double with 28 points and 13.1 rebounds per game.

He was named to both the Mississippi Junior College Conference All-State and NJCAA All-Region 7 teams for a second straight year in 1968-69. Baird tallied 25 points and 13 rebounds each contest as a sophomore.

Baird also earned the prestigious Tiger Award, which is given to a student-athlete that represents Northeast with a positive attitude on-and-off the field or court and is actively involved in school functions and organizations.

The Myrtle native signed a scholarship with Ole Miss and joined its basketball squad for the 1969-70 season. The Rebels compiled a 21-30 record with headman Cob Jarvis at the helm during Baird’s pair of campaigns in Oxford.

Ole Miss notched its highest scoring average in program history at 90.8 points and its second best free throw percentage ever at 75.2 during Baird’s senior year.

Baird became a notable coach once his time with the Rebels was complete. He was a two-time Chickasaw Conference Coach of the Year while at Horn Lake High School from 1974-79.

The West Memphis, Ark., product was selected as the first team captain for the Tigers as a sophomore during the 1950 campaign. Northeast won its second straight Mississippi Valley Conference championship that year with Davis as its on-field leader.

Davis and the Tigers tied a school record with three shutouts versus Senatobia Junior College (34-0), Martin (Tenn.) College (37-0) and Fulton Junior College (41-0) in 1949.

Only two other Northeast squads have posted a trio of shutouts in one season, including Horace McCool’s 1956 group that posted a program-best 10 victories.

The 6-2, 178-pound defensive end starred alongside future Tiger head coach and NJCAA Hall of Famer W.B. “Bill” Ward during Northeast’s inaugural campaign. The Tigers went 5-5 under the tutelage of Woody Johnson during the regular season to claim the league crown.

Northeast accepted an invitation to participate in a playoff game against Union (Tenn.) University in Corinth following its final scheduled contest. The Tigers battled the Bulldogs to a 20-20 tie in their first-ever postseason appearance.

Doug Hamley took the reigns of the team in 1950 and led Northeast to a 6-2-2 record. Davis guided the Tigers to a 2-1-2 mark in their final five contests with nice wins over Pearl River Junior College and Sunflower Junior College.

Davis was also a member of the 1949-50 men’s basketball squad that won the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 7 championship in Lake Charles, La., and finished as the runner-up to City College of Los Angeles (Calif.) in the national championship tilt.

He was named Mr. Northeast Mississippi Junior College for the 1951 graduating class and later served our country in the United States Army.

Jerry Long continued a stellar baseball career when he arrived on the campus of then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College after transferring from Delta State University.

Long led coach William Southward’s club in numerous statistical categories during his sophomore campaign of 1977. He paced the Tigers with eight home runs, 35 RBIs, 40 hits and a solid .500 batting average.

He was voted by his teammates as Northeast’s Most Valuable Player and also received Mississippi Junior College Conference All-State status for his efforts with the Tigers.

Long, who won back-to-back state championships at Iuka High School as well from 1973-74, signed a scholarship with the University of North Alabama following his lone season with the Tigers. He became a two-year starter at shortstop and in the outfield for the Lions and coach Mike Galloway.

He compiled a .302 batting average with 10 home runs, 10 stolen bases and 25 RBIs as a senior at North Alabama. His long ball total was the second best in the rugged Gulf South Conference.

Long became the first athlete in program history to be named the GSC Player of the Week on April 19, 1980 when he helped the Lions defeat top ranked Birmingham Southern (Ala.) College with a pair of home runs.

He completed tryout sessions with the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB) before returning to his hometown to serve as the baseball coach at Iuka High School.

Long won over 200 ballgames and played for a state championship three times within a period of seven years. He was selected as the statewide Coach of the Year by The Clarion-Ledger after directing the 1989 edition of the Chieftains to the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 2A title.

He became the head baseball and slowpitch softball coach at Tishomingo County High School after consolidation in 1991. Long’s squads have played for multiple MHSAA Class 4A North Half crowns during his tenure with the Braves.

Long is one of only a handful of coaches in the Magnolia State to win over 1,000 games during his 30-year career. He reached the milestone on September 22, 2011 with an extra inning victory over Amory High School on the slowpitch softball diamond.

Over 40 of his baseball players have received collegiate scholarships, including former Northeast standouts Blake Holley, Ricky Lambert, Wes Dotson and Seth Kennedy.

Long was a 2006 inductee into the Crossroads Diamond Club Hall of Fame and a 2013 honoree for the Northeast Mississippi Coaches Association for Better Baseball (NEMCABB) Hall of Fame.

Brenda Mayes started the process of transforming the Northeast Mississippi Community College women’s basketball program into a national powerhouse.

She was part of Northeast Sports Hall of Fame member Ricky Ford’s first recruiting class as commander in chief of the Lady Tigers in 1981. Northeast produced a 14-11 record and qualified for the Mississippi Junior College Conference North Half Tournament in her initial season on the Booneville campus.

The Lady Tigers improved tremendously during the 1982-83 campaign with Mayes in the post. Northeast compiled a 26-8 overall record and finished just short of claiming a state and regional championship.

She was selected to the MJCC All-State team for her efforts as the leading scorer and rebounder for a Lady Tiger squad that averaged 74.2 points and 40.8 boards per contest, respectively.

The Biggersville High School alumnae averaged a double-double that year with 21 points and 10.5 rebounds each outing. Mayes totaled an outstanding 697 points for the entire season.

Mayes signed a scholarship with the University of North Alabama following her excellent pair of seasons at Northeast. She flourished with the Lady Lions as well and connected on over 50 percent of her shot attempts for 919 career points.

The Corinth native led North Alabama to its initial trip to the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament in 1984. One year later, Mayes and the Lady Lions claimed their inaugural Gulf South Conference (GSC) regular season and tournament titles and returned to the NCAA Tournament.

Mayes and teammate LaConger Cohran were the first ladies to be recognized as All-GSC for two straight campaigns. She was also named to the 1985 NCAA South Region All-Tournament team and the Kodak NCAA Division II All-American lineup.

She was a founding member of the Northeast softball program as well and starred for two seasons under the watch of coach Millard Lothenore. The Tigers, who played at the slowpitch level in the 1980s, compiled an 11-13 record in their opening campaign with victories over North Alabama and Blue Mountain College.

Northeast’s 1983 edition that featured Mayes qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament in Cullman, Ala., with a 24-7 overall mark.

Mayes was the recipient of the Tiger Award, which is given to a student-athlete that represents Northeast with a positive attitude on-and-off the field or court and is actively involved in school functions and organizations, for both softball and women’s basketball.

She has enjoyed a large amount of success as a coach at Muscle Shoals (Ala.) High School since graduating from North Alabama. Mayes won four Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) volleyball state crowns and qualified for the AHSAA Elite Eight in girls basketball.

Mayes has been tabbed as Coach of the Year in both sports that she currently instructs by The Times Daily and in volleyball only by The Birmingham News, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association.

She is also a member of the North Alabama Athletic Hall of Fame and the Colbert County (Ala.) Sports Hall of Fame.

Chase Porch’s name currently stands alone in the baseball history book at Northeast Mississippi Community College.

Porch is the lone Tiger to be selected as a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American. He accomplished the feat as a sophomore during the 2008 campaign at Northeast.

The Blue Springs native wielded a powerful stick and notched a team-high .431 batting average with 72 hits in 167 at bats. Porch also accounted for 10 home runs, 10 doubles, five triples and 48 RBIs.

Porch guided the Tigers and coach Kent Farris to appearances in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) State Tournament and the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament that year after wrapping up the regular season with a 32-17 record.

Northeast also climbed its way into the national rankings with the help of Porch’s leadership and outstanding numbers. The Tigers were No. 9 in the NJCAA’s poll during the week of April 2, 2008.

Porch signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to join the University of North Alabama’s baseball program following his lone season in the City of Hospitality. He instantly became a reliable force for legendary headman Mike Lane and started in 45 of the Lions’ 46 contests as a junior.

He hit .327 with 53 hits, 46 runs scored and 43 RBIs for North Alabama and also registered an incredible .980 fielding percentage in 198 total chances.

Porch was named to both the All-Gulf South Conference and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Region teams during his senior year. He was tabbed as the GSC East Division Player of the Week on March 16, 2010 as well.

The East Union High School product signed a contract with the Pensacola Pelicans after graduating from North Alabama. Porch amassed a .286 batting average with 40 RBIs to earn the American Association’s Rookie of the Year award.

He also inked deals with the Amarillo Sox and the Windy City Thunder in the American Association before retiring from professional baseball.

Porch was a seven-year starter at East Union, where he was drafted out of by the Atlanta Braves in the 32nd round of the 2006 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft. He earned the Northeast Mississippi Coaches Association for Better Baseball (NEMCABB) Class 1A/2A Player of the Year that season as well.

Harry T. Cosby anchored one of the best defenses in Northeast Mississippi Community College football history while under the tutelage of National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Hall of Fame coach W.B. (Bill) Ward.

During his sophomore year of 1977, Cosby and the Tigers held opposing teams to only 10.9 points per game. That mark is good for the third best in a season at Northeast.

The Tigers also posted three shutouts against Coahoma (32-0), Holmes (10-0) and Mississippi Delta (10-0), which is tied for the school record for most scoreless games for an adversary in one campaign.

Only two other Northeast squads have posted a trio of shutouts – the first ever Tiger team in 1949 that finished as the Mississippi Valley Conference champion at 5-5-1 under Woody Johnson and the Horace McCool led 1956 group that posted a program-best 10 victories.

Northeast finished with a winning record for the first time in nine seasons at 6-4 and as North Division runner-up in Cosby's final year in Booneville.

During the two-year span that the Iuka native starred on the gridiron at Northeast, the Tigers went a combined 10-10 with a 7-5 division record.

Cosby continued his football career at East Tennessee State University from 1978-79. In his two years at Johnson City, Tenn., the Buccaneers went 11-11 and notched their first winning campaign in nine seasons.

Among the list of those he played with at East Tennessee State is current Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith.

Cosby graduated with a degree is general dentistry and still has a practice today in Tupelo.

Ellis "Myrl" Crowe began a career in the sport of basketball that would span six decades as a student at Thrasher High School before becoming a standout player at then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College.

Crowe started at forward in both his freshman and sophomore campaigns for legendary Tiger coach Bonner Arnold and found great success over the two-year period.

Both the 1953-54 and 1954-55 teams won the state championship. The Tigers made the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan., during his freshman campaign and finished in seventh place.

He was named to the All-State team during his sophomore season of 1955 and also starred on the Tiger baseball squad as a pitcher that same year.

After leaving Booneville, Crowe continued his basketball playing days at then-Bethel College in McKenzie, Tenn., where he was named to the All-Volunteer State Athletic Conference team as a junior.

Upon graduating with a Bachelor's degree from Bethel, Crowe returned to the sport he loved as the head coach of Marietta High School's basketball programs in 1957.

Fans there got an early taste of what would become one of the most successful careers in Mississippi's storied basketball history when he led Marietta's girls team to a North Half appearance in 1960.

After five years in rural Prentiss County, Crowe moved to Kossuth High School where he rose to fame over the next 20 years.

Over that period of time, Crowe captured numerous Alcorn County Tournament and invitational tournament crowns on both the boys and girls side of the game.

The Aggies finished as the Mississippi Class A-AA state runner-up in back-to-back seasons from 1965-66. The 1964-65 edition also won the Tombigbee Conference title.

He made another North Half appearance with the Lady Aggies in 1974 and was named the conference Girls Coach of the Year in 1981.

Following that season, he took a hiatus from coaching before returning to the Kossuth sidelines as girls only coach in 1988. He also had a stint as the headman of the girls program at Booneville High School.

Crowe coached high school girls basketball for 31 seasons total, the first 26 with no losing seasons, and boys basketball for 19 years with only two campaigns without a winning record.

Combining both sides, Crowe won more than 950 games throughout his illustrious career to become another Hill Country basketball legend.

Mike Lewis continued the winning tradition that men's basketball fans of Northeast Mississippi Community College have come to expect each season.

Lewis compiled a 206-135 record in 12 years as the head coach of the Tigers. His tenure in Booneville saw the Alcorn County native win multiple awards and lead Northeast back to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament.

The 1994-95 edition caught on fire and won 16 of its last 20 games and qualified for the trip to Hutchinson, Kan., by winning the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament.

Five years later, magic struck again for Lewis and Northeast. The Tigers swept through the 1999-2000 campaign as champions of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division, the MACJC State Tournament and the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament.

Northeast's second excursion to the NJCAA National Tournament under Lewis saw the Tigers finish in eighth place. After the season, Lewis was named the Region 23 Coach of the Year for guiding Northeast to a 30-6 overall record.

Overall, he won four MACJC North Division Tournament titles (1993, 1994, 1995, 2000) and two MACJC State Tournament championships (1994, 2000) to go with his National Tournament appearances.

Lewis rose to prominence on the baseball diamond and not the hardwood as a player. He was a main member of the 1970 Tiger team that won the Mississippi Community College Conference North Division title and lost in a one-game playoff to Perkinston Junior College.

His prowess on the ballfield led Lewis to continue his playing career at Delta State University under legendary coach David "Boo" Ferriss. The 1972 Statesman team finished second in the Gulf South Conference Tournament and defeated NCAA Division I programs such as the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mississippi.

Lewis earned a Bachelor's degree from Delta State and a Master's degree from the University of North Alabama.

Before becoming the headman of the Tigers, Lewis directed the programs of Alcorn Central High School, Biggersville High School and Water Valley High School.

At Alcorn Central, Lewis led the Golden Bears to a 112-55 record, one Division 1-3A title, a Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 3A championship and three Tombigbee Conference crowns during his five-year tenure.

In 1988, Lewis was named the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal co-Coach of the Year and was named Coach of the Year by the Clarion-Ledger and the Daily Corinthian.

He and his wife Shirley have two daughters, Lesley and Lana.

Jerry Reno was the latest in a long string of talented basketball players to enter the halls of then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College when he first stepped onto campus in 1970.

The Ripley native earned respect quickly and was named team captain as a freshman. He served in the same capacity during his second season in Booneville.

The 1970-71 edition of the Tigers under the direction of NEMCC Sports Hall of Fame coach Kenneth Lindsey finished with a 20-6 record, only two losses of which were in conference games.

A high-powered Northeast offense eclipsed the century mark in points six times 90 or more in four other games.

Northeast won the North Half title by defeating Mississippi Delta Junior College and earned the right to host the Mississippi Junior College State Tournament.

The Tigers ran the tables to the championship game, but lost to Hinds Junior College to conclude the season.

Reno was named second team All-State and led Northeast in free throw percentage and assists.

He again led the Tigers in the same two categories as a sophomore in 1971-72 on the way to earning first team All-State honors.

Reno's play on the court was so sharp that he earned a scholarship to then-Bethel College in McKenzie, Tenn. 

Ray Scott brought the Northeast Mississippi Community College baseball program back to postseason prominence during his 15 seasons as head coach.

His very first team in 1992 won the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division for the first time in over 20 years. Ralph Johnson's 1970 squad was the last before then to do so and went 8-4-1 with a loss to Perkinston Junior College in a one-game state championship playoff.

The Tigers closed the regular season with eight straight wins and finished 20-23 overall, 14-6 in the North. They earned the right to host Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in the MACJC State Championship series at Harold T. White Field.

The Bulldogs won the series, but Northeast still qualified for a program first National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 23 Tournament.

Eight years later, Scott broke the school record for wins in a season at the time with 26 victories on the way to another playoff bid. Ronnie Key's 1989 troup held the previous mark with 24 wins.

All told, Scott left the baseball diamond as the winningest headman in program history with 277 total triumphs. His teams earned five postseason berths, including three straight from 1999-to-2001.

Northeast returned to the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament in 2004 in the final playoff appearance of Scott's storied career.

Scott earned an Associate's degree from Northeast and both Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Mississippi State University. He started his coaching career with baseball and football stints at Baldwyn High School and Corinth High School.

He and his wife Wendy have two sons, Jon Andy and Jake.

Freddie Copeland was one of the Tiger basketball team’s most prolific scorers during the mid-1970s.

Copeland donned the Tiger black and gold in 1973-74 and 1974-75 and became a mainstay in the statistical categories for Northeast. Copeland led the Tigers in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage during his time as a Tiger.

Copeland was also honored with the prestigious Tiger Award during his time in Booneville and was named to the Mississippi Association of Community/Junior Colleges (MACJC) All-State basketball team.

Against Coahoma Community College on February 8, 1975, Copeland showed his scoring prowess by dropping 46 points against the Tigers in a 113-89 win over Coahoma.

After his time at Northeast, Copeland used his basketball talents to help guide the University of North Alabama Lions to one of its best seasons in school history.

In his junior season at UNA, Copeland helped the Lions post a 19-6 overall mark and a 9-4 record in the Gulf South Conference. UNA’s 19 wins was one of the best seasons in school history and the Lions’ 12 home wins set a school-record for most wins by a Lion basketball team at that time.

Not only did Copeland help transform his basketball teams offensively, Copeland was a threat on the defensive side of the ball as well. Under Lion head coach Bill Jones, Copeland and the Lions held the opposition to just 65 points a game during his junior season.

While at UNA, Copeland led the team in field goal percentage and rebounds while being named a small college honorable mention All-American and the Most Valuable Player of the Gulf South Conference.

Audrey Covington starred on the hardwood during one of the most successful periods for the Lady Tiger basketball team.

During her first year, Covington helped lead Ricky Ford’s Lady Tigers to the 1986-87 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championship with a perfect 34-0 record.

In Covington’s first year, Northeast swept through the regular season and knocked off Northwest Mississippi Community College 80-78 in the Mississippi Association of Community/Junior Colleges (MACJC) State Championship before heading to the NJCAA Region XXIII Tournament.

In the Region XXIII Tournament, Northeast earned a return trip to the national tournament in Senatobia by dispatching Utica (Hinds) in the championship game and the Lady Tigers rode that momentum to a four-game winning streak in theDivision I women’s national tournament – including knocking off St. Gregory’s in the national championship game 68-64.

In addition to winning the NJCAA national championship, Covington was a two-year starter under Ford and was named to the MACJC All-State and the NJCAA All-Region teams during her time in Booneville.

Following her career as a Lady Tiger, Covington stayed with the Tiger theme when she signed to play with Memphis State University for a pair of seasons in 1988-89 and 1989-90.

Brandi Vondenstein Dannelly becomes the first Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC) softball player to be inducted into the college’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Under Vondenstein’s guidance, Northeast’s softball team reached the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament during her final year in Booneville.

During her two years in Booneville, Vondenstein led the Lady Tiger softball team to a combined 58-29 and remarkable 28-4 record in the North Division.

In the 2003 season, Northeast finished the year 32-17 and perfect in the North at 12-0 while winning the North Division title, the NJCAA Region XXIII championship and appeared in the NJCAA National Tournament in Dodge City, Iowa.

Vondenstein became a hard ‘out’ for the opposition and struck out just two times in 129 at bats during her sophomore season – an average of one strikeout per every 64.5 at bats for the Lady Tiger third baseman.

In addition to helping lead the Lady Tigers to the national tournament, Vondenstein was named an National Fast-Pitch Coaches’ Association (NFCA) All-Region Louisville Slugger, an NJCAA All-American, an MACJC All-State selection and was picked to be part of the NFCA’s All-South Region team following her sophomore year.

In 2003, Vondenstein also served as team captain of the Lady Tiger softball team and was named an NJCAA Academic All-American.

After her time at Northeast, Vondenstein donned the black and green for Delta State and became an All-Gulf South Conference player at third base for the Lady Statesmen.

During her two years at Delta State, Vondenstein started 112 of 115 games for the Lady Statesmen and was on the Gulf South Conference’s All-Academic Team and was honored by the Mississippi Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning with the Hollbrook Award for Academic Distinction in 2005.

Vondenstein later led the Bayou Academy Lady Colts to a Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) state championship in softball in 2006 – and had an 83-18 record with the Lady Colts. Vondenstein’s state championship in 2006 helped set the stage for five-consecutive state championships by the Lady Colts.

Guy Gardner helped lead the Northeast Tiger basketball team back to the national tournament during his time in Booneville.

Gardner, a two-time Tiger Award recipient, was captain of the 2000 Tiger basketball team that captured the Mississippi Association of Community/Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division, the MACJC State Championship and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XXIII championship en route to a NJCAA national tournament appearance under former Tiger basketball coach Mike Lewis.

During his sophomore year in Booneville, Gardner finished the year second in assists and steals and was named to the MACJC All-State first team and the NJCAA RegionXXIII team as well.

Following his sophomore campaign, Gardner was selected to play in the MACJC Mississippi JUCO All-Star game in Decatur.

When not busy on the hardwood for the Tigers, Gardner was selected as Mr. Northeast Mississippi Community College and was also honored as an inductee into the Northeast Student Hall of Fame.

Gardner was also elected as a Student Government Association (SGA) freshman class favorite during his first year at Northeast and was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Gardner parlayed his successful Tiger career into a career with the Mississippi State University Bulldog basketball team where he helped the Bulldogs win the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament championship in 2002.

Gardner helped lead the Bulldog basketball team to 27 wins – the most ever at that time – and was awarded the coveted Babe McCarthy Award at Mississippi State University.

Gardner also excelled in the classroom for the Bulldogs as well and was named to the All-SEC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll and was a member of the Dean’s andPresident’s list while earning his Master’s in Education in Educational Administration in Starkville.

Former Tiger Malcolm Kuykendall came to Northeast Mississippi Junior College in 1966-68 and spent the rest of his professional life in education.

Since transferring from Northeast in 1968, Kuykendall went on to get his Bachelor’s of Science in Education from Delta State University in 1970 and his masters of education from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in 1977.

However it was the time that Kuykendall spend on the hardwood and as a high school and school district administrator where the former Tiger left his mark.

After a two-year stint at Nettleton High School (1970-72), Kuykendall relocated to Pine Grove and it was between Pine Grove and Belmont (1982-95) where Kuykendall brought back eight state championships and four state runner-up finishes to the northeast Mississippi region.

During his 10 years at Pine Grove (1972-82), Kuykendall won three state championships in 1977, 1981 and 1982.

At Belmont (1982-95), Kuykendall found his calling with five state championships and four state runner-up finishes.

Kuykendall captured the state championship in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and in his final year 1995 and finished as the state runner-up in 1984, 1989, 1990 and 1991.

During his coaching career, Kuykendall compiled a 669-139 record while coaching women’s basketball and a 348-182 mark while coaching men’s basketball. Kuykendall was named the Mississippi Coach of the Year four times – 1981, 1985, 1988 and 1993 – and was his district’s coach of the year eight times.

Kuykendall was inducted into the Mississippi Association of Coaches’ Hall of Fame in 2000, the Delta State University Coaches Hall of Fame in 2001 and was a member of the inaugural class of inductees for the Northeast Mississippi Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009.

In addition to his coaching time, Kuykendall was also an assistant principal and principal in the Tishomingo County Special Municipal Separate School District for almost a quarter of a century where he helped the district reach new heights as it was recognized with some the highest accountability rankings according to both Mississippi and federal standards.

Kuykendall wrapped up his educational career as the Superintendent for the Tishomingo County Special Municipal Separate School District where the district had one of the best graduation and dropout rates according to Mississippi Accountability Standards.

UnderKuykendall’s leadership, the Tishomingo County Special Municipal Separate School District was recognized as a High Performing District each year.

Kuykendall was a member of the Mississippi Association of School Superintendents (MASS) Board of Directors in 2011 and 2012 and was named the 2012 Mississippi Superintendent of the year.

Johnny Buskirk’s career at Northeast started off a new era of Tiger football. Buskirk championed the Northeast football team during the first two seasons after coming off an 11-year hiatus from 1957-67 and led Northeast to an 11-7 record during that time.

During his freshman year at Northeast, Buskirk was named the most outstanding player averaging nearly 270 yards per game running and passing and was nationally ranked for his offensive talents.

Buskirk’s sophomore season saw the Tiger signal caller bring the most success to Northeast’s football program since Horace McCool coached the team to a 10-1 mark in 1956.

Buskirk led Northeast to a 7-2 mark his sophomore year and more importantly was the Tiger Award recipient for that year and was named the most outstanding back in Mississippi inside the junior college ranks.

Buskirk is one of only a handful of football players to end his Northeast career on a four-game win streak. During the 1969 season, Buskirk capped his sophomore season with wins over Northwest, Copiah-Lincoln, a close 20-18 decision over Itawamba and a season-ending win over Perkinston.

Under Coach Bill Ward’s guidance, Buskirk was one of two National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Americans produced by Northeast in 1969. Joining Buskirk on the All-American team was tight end Donnie

Clayton.

In 1969, Buskirk led the Northeast to a 7-2 mark and in both his freshman and sophomore years, the former Tiger signal caller led Northeast to high offensive outputs.

In 1968, Northeast put up 48 points against Itawamba and then turned the trick again in 1969 with a 48-14 showing against East Central. The 48-point performance ranks fifth in school history for points scored and sits just one touchdown and extra point away from the top mark.

Following his time at Northeast, Buskirk took his skills to Mississippi College where he was a quarterback, running back and kick returner.

Buskirk’s talents helped him set a record at Mississippi College that holds to today – his six kickoff returns against Furman College in 1970 are still listed in the Mississippi College record book.

Following his time at Mississippi College, Buskirk entered the coaching ranks and was named the Tippamingo Conference Coach of the Year in 1974.

Vincent Del Negro would have made Dominque Wilkins jealous as the “Human Highlight Reel” in the late 1950s.

In his first six games as a freshman on Bonner Arnold’s Tiger basketball team, Del Negro broke out for 172 points – a 34.4 points per game average – and never looked back.

During his freshman season in 1958-59, Del Negro helped lead the Tiger basketball team to the North Half Tournament and a 9-3 mark during North Division play before becoming an unanimous selection for the All-State Team.

In his first six games with the Tigers, Del Negro dropped 32, 32, 32, 34, 39 and 42 points – the latter two coming in a 109-85 win over Memphis State and a 96-95 decision over East Mississippi in Scooba.

During the 1959-60 season, Northeast made an improvement on its 12-12 record of Del Negro’s freshman campaign with a 15-12 mark that included wins over Freed-Hardeman and nationally ranked Vincennes (Ind.) 62-61.

In the one-point win over Vincennes, Del Negro let fellow Tiger captain Bobby McCarley knock down the last shot – a 23-foot jumper – but the 6-5 center had the final say, when Del Negro pulled down the game-ending rebound to seal the victory.

While scoring just 16 points against Freed-Hardeman in their first meeting, Del Negro made up for lost time with a 45-point effort against Freed-Hardeman in an 83-69 win and turned the trick once again with a 45-point night against East Mississippi in a 100-74 showing.

Del Negro’s biggest night came in a 46-point effort against Sunflower.

Del Negro was also popular with the student population as evident from him being voted Most Athletic on the Northeast campus during his sophomore year.

McCarley and Del Negro were also selected to play in the national all-star game together in Coffeyville, Kansas at the culmination of his sophomore season.

During his second season in Booneville, Del Negro led the nation with a 33.4 points per game average while racking up 1,022 points and was named a first-team All-American.

Del Negro helped lead Northeast to the North Half championship his sophomore season as the Tigers finished as runner-ups in the state.

Del Negro was an all-around athlete. During regular season play, the 6-5 center average 33.024 points per game, in North Half play 34 points per game and in the State Tournament 31.5 points per game.

In his two seasons at Northeast, Del Negro average 32.6 points per game as a freshman and 33.4 points per game as a sophomore.

Following his time in Booneville, Del Negro played for legendary coach Adolph Rupp at the University of Kentucky after signing a grant-in-aid scholarship with the program following his appearance in the national all-star game.

Jim Drewry led Northeast to its first two winning seasons as the Tiger quarterback on the 1950 and 1951 seasons.

In 1950, Drewry helped lead a Doug Hamley squad to a 6-2-2 mark and the Mississippi Conference Valley Championship with a 32-14 win over Sunflower Junior College.

During his time as the Tiger quarterback, Drewry guided Northeast to a 11-6-3 overall record that included back-to-back wins over Northwest Mississippi Community College (31-0 in 1950 and 34-7 in 1951) and Northeast’s 47 points against UT-College in 1951 still ranks as the sixth highest point total in school history and as the fourth highest winning margin for Northeast in its 52-year football history.

Following his time at Northeast, Drewry went on to play at Delta State University but it was his time on the sidelines at Kossuth, Booneville and Tishomingo high schools that Drewry made a name for himself.

However, it was his time at Delta State that Drewry got his first taste of being a coach and helped guide the 1954 Statesmen football team to an undefeated record and a national championship as part of E.B. Chadwick's coaching staff as a student assistant.

Drewry began his coaching career at Kossuth in 1958 and spent two seasons as the Aggies head man before moving to Brandon as an assistant coach in 1960.

Drewry returned home in 1965 and began his first stint as Booneville’s head coach leading the Blue Devils to three bowl games and a Tombigbee Conference co-championship in 1977 before leaving for his second stint at Kossuth from 1979-86.

After retiring to sell insurance in 1987-88, Drewry returned to the sidelines at now defunct Tishomingo High School in 1989 before returning to the Blue Devils in 1990 and guiding Booneville until his retirement in spring 2010.

During his second stint with Booneville, Drewry saw most of his success leading the Blue Devils to three state championships and four state runner-up finishes.

Drewry carried his work ethic into his final year as Booneville head coach where in his 50th season as a head coach, the former Northeast signal caller directed his team to a 13-1 record (starting out 13-0) and appearance in the Class 3A state semifinals.

In the spring 2010, Drewry finally hung up his coaching whistle at the age of 79 and with over 50 years in the football.

Drewry, who had retired one time before after the 1987 season, ended his coaching career as Mississippi’s all-time winningest football coach, passing Joe Bradshaw in the fall of 2009 with a 59-6 win over S.V. Marshall in the first round of the Class 3A state football playoffs.

Drewry finished his career with a 346-157-5 record in head coaching stops at Booneville, Kossuth and Tishomingo where his teams made the state playoffs 17 times and brought home the Class 2A state championship trophy in 1990, 1999 and 2000.

Drewry has been the recipient of many awards and honors and was named the 2009 Power of Influence Award recipient by the American Football Coaches Association.

In addition to the 2009 Power of Influence Award, Drewry has also been inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations Hall of Fame and the Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame.

In 2000, he was inducted into the Delta State University Alumni Coaches Hall of Fame and was named the Tombigbee Coach of the Year in 1967, 1969, 1978 along with being the District 1 Coach of the Year in 1985.

Drewry has also been honored as the Division 1-3A Coach of the Year in 1986, the Daily Corinthian Coach of the Year in 1993, 1997 and 1999 along with the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal Coach of the Year in 1999 and the Class 2A Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2000. In 2003, Drewry was named All-American Football Foundation's Gerald R. Ford All-American High School Coach of the Year, and in 2005, he was the first Mississippi recipient of the NSSA-USA Football Champions Award. Drewry has also had the honor of having a street named after him in the city of Booneville.

Currently, Drewry sits on an advisory board for the the American Football Coaches Association and has been figured in a trio of books about football in the state of Mississippi — Gridiron Gold, Gridiron Glory (which featured the Northeast alumni on the cover) and Y'all vs. Us showcasing the rivalry between Booneville and Baldwyn.

Dr. Ricky Ford was selected as the tenth president in the history of Northeast Mississippi Community College in 2015.

Ford is now in his sixth year of leading the institution that he originally came to as a student-athlete in 1973 and later returned to as head women’s basketball coach in 1981.

Northeast has made tremendous strides with Ford’s “Grow Northeast” campaign, especially in the realm of technology. The college’s 1:1 iPad initiative has saved students thousands of dollars in textbook fees since it was implemented in 2018.

Ford’s vision of having a physical presence in each county inside Northeast’s traditional district, including Alcorn, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo and Union, is nearing a completion.

The Northeast at Iuka center opened to the public inside the Tri State Industrial Park in August 2016. Construction on the Ripley extension remains on target to wrap up in the fall of 2020.

Historic Cunningham Boulevard received a facelift with new crosswalks in 2017 thanks in part to a partnership with the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). The renovation of sidewalks and crosswalks on the remainder of the Booneville campus should begin during the fall 2020 semester.

Northeast was recently designated as an Apple Distinguished School under Ford’s leadership. It is now one of only eight higher education institutions in the entire world to hold this prestigious recognition.

Ford also headed the effort to build a brand-new, multi-million dollar baseball and softball complex on campus. The “Field of Dreams” officially opened before a capacity crowd on February 1, 2020.

The Pine Grove native has served Northeast as executive vice president, dean of student services and athletic director over the past decade. However, basketball fans across Hill Country will always remember Ford for his role in building the Lady Tigers into a national powerhouse.

Ford’s legacy as a coach will forever be celebrated after the playing surface inside legendary Bonner Arnold Coliseum was renamed the “Ricky G. Ford Court” during a special ceremony on November 27, 2018.

He is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) and Northeast Sports Halls of Fame.

Ford accumulated an overall record of 588-226 for a winning percentage of .722 during 30 years at the helm of the Lady Tigers. He had winning seasons 25 times, including 21 straight to begin his career in the City of Hospitality.

He captured 15 MACJC North Division titles, nine state championships and three NJCAA Region 23 crowns while commanding Northeast from 1981-2011.  

Ford's run at the pinnacle of not just the state of Mississippi, but the entire country began in earnest during the 1984-85 campaign when the Lady Tigers secured their first state championship since 1951.

Northeast raced through the regular season unbeaten one year later before winning the MACJC State Tournament. The Lady Tigers went on to beat Northwest Mississippi Community College in its own gymnasium to clinch Ford's inaugural berth to the NJCAA National Tournament.

The Lady Tigers continued their success and moved into the national championship contest against Odessa (Texas) Junior College. The Lady Wranglers put a wrinkle into Northeast's plans for perfection, though, with an 80-69 win in the title tilt.

However, Ford and the Lady Tigers found themselves right back at the NJCAA National Tournament the following season and in the same identical circumstances with divisional, state and regional crowns in tow and an undefeated campaign once again on the line.

This time Northeast got the job done by winning what is still its only national title in any sport. Ford and his team celebrated a flawless 34-0 year with a 68-64 victory over St. Gregory's (Okla.) College in the 1987 championship game.

Ford returned to the NJCAA National Tournament for the last time during the 2005-06 season. His Lady Tigers pieced together a 24-6 overall record and with another NJCAA Region 23 crown finished at No. 21 in the final countrywide rankings after their trip to the Bicentennial Center in Salina, Kan.

He instructed 10 NJCAA All-Americans and sent dozens of student-athletes to the four-year level at locations such as Auburn (Ala.) University, Florida Atlantic University, the University of Memphis (Tenn.), the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and Mississippi State University.

Ford played for the men's basketball program at Northeast himself from 1973-75 under the watch of another legendary Hall of Fame instructor in Kenneth Lindsey.

He and his wife LuAnne have four children, Aaron, Lauren, Suzanne and Ben, and nine grandchildren. Ford has earned an associate’s degree from Northeast, a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State, a master’s degree from Ole Miss and a doctorate degree from Christ’s (Fla.) College.

Sherry Slayton Holland made an immediate impact on the Northeast basketball scene when she joined Ricky Ford’s Lady Tigers during the 1985-86 and 1986-87 seasons.

Alongside Phyllis Stafford for two years and Kunshinge Sorrell Howard her first year, Slayton helped guide the Lady Tigers to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national tournament in both her years in Booneville.

During her freshman season, Slayton and the Lady Tigers dropped only one game all season and posted a 31-0 record heading into the national championship game against Odessa, Texas in 1986.

Slayton bested her freshman year one season later when the Lady Tigers went undefeated -- 34-0 -- en route to the 1987 national championship.

During her two years at Northeast, Slayton amassed a 65-1 record on the hardwood and was named to the MACJC All-State and NJCAA Region XXIII teams both years at Northeast.

Northeast swept through the regular season during Slayton’s sophomore year undefeated and knocked off Northwest Mississippi Community College 80-78 for the MACJC State Championship and then swept through the Region XXIII tournament before heading to Senatobia for the NJCAA National Women’s Basketball Tournament.

Northeast made good on its return trip as the Lady Tigers won four straight games in the Division I women's national tournament -- including the national championship game when Northeast upended St. Gregory's in the national championship game 68-64.

It was during the 1986-87 National Tournament that Slayton made a name for herself on the hardwood and was named the Most Valuable Player for the tournament.

During her sophomore season, Slayton led the Lady Tigers in steals per game and assists per game with 3.8 and 6.6 per game, respectively. Northeast’s undefeated season also saw Slayton piece together a 14.2 points per game average.

In her two years at Northeast, Northeast captured two North Division championships, two state championships, two Region XXIII championships, back-to-back Tyler, Texas Invitational Championships, a national runner-up finish and a national championship.

Following her sophomore season, Slayton was named an NJCAA All-American alongside Lady Tiger Phyllis Stafford.

Following her time at Northeast, Slayton took her talents to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) where she was joined by a pair of former Lady Tigers – Phyllis Stafford and Jackie Martin.

David Carnell’s dedication to Northeast Mississippi Community College spans nearly five decades. Carnell originally came to the college in 1972 as a member of the Northeast Mississippi Junior College football coaching staff but the former athletic director left his mark in a totally different sport when guided Northeast’s transition from slow-pitch to fast-pitch softball at the turn of the century and had the Lady Tigers in the national tournament within three years.

Carnell’s run on the gridiron at Northeast came after the long-time coach helped found the program at Biggersville High School and served as the high school’s first football coach. Carnell was an assistant football coach for 10 years -- 1972-82 before taking over the reins of the program from W.B. “Bill” Ward in 1983. Carnell won two of his first four games including victories over Holmes (15-7) and Coahoma (45-0) as the Tigers went on to finish the 1983 season as the North Division runner-ups.

After three years at the helm, Carnell gave up the head-coaching role and returned to be an assistant coach for the Tiger football team until 1996 when he dedicated his focus to softball.

Carnell resurrected the Northeast softball program in 1993 after an almost 10-year hiatus away from competition and posted a 17-16 record during the Northeast’s first year back in slow-pitch competition and started a run to the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA)

Region 23 Tournament that would stretch through the transition to fast-pitch competition and until his retirement in 2005.

During Carnell’s years, Northeast was the only school in Mississippi to boast a 13-year run in the Region 23 Tournament – covering both slow- and fast-pitch softball – 1994-2006.

Carnell replaced Ward once again in 1996 when the veteran coach took over the role of athletic director for Northeast Mississippi Community College and held the position while coaching softball until his retirement in 2005-06.

During his time on the slow-pitch diamond, Carnell led the Northeast Lady Tiger softball team to four straight North Division runner-up finishes -- 1994-98 -- before finally breaking through as the North Division champion in 1999. Carnell led the Lady Tigers to seven straight Region 23 tournaments before the college switched to fast-pitch competition in 2001.

Carnell and the Lady Tigers did not miss a note with the switch staking a 28-12 record during their first year in fast-pitch competition, were co-North Division champions, and placed third in the state/region tournament. During the 2000-01 season, Northeast was ranked as high as fifth in the nation twice.

Carnell continued to fine-tune the Northeast fast-pitch softball team with five straight North Division championships --2001-05 -- and saw his team finish as the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges’ state runners-up three straight years from 2003-05.

Northeast’s crowning moment came in 2003 when the Lady Tigers qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association’s National Softball Championship after winning the Region 23 championship.

Northeast came close to a return trip to the national tournament in Carnell’s final years at the helm finishing as the Region 23 runner-up in 2004 and 2005. Carnell not only pushed his athletes on the diamond but demanded excellence in the classroom as well and was awarded as the NJCAA’s Academic Team of the year in 2000 -- Northeast’s first year of fast-pitch competition -- and was among the top academic teams in the country in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Carnell was named the Region 23 Coach of the Year in 2003 and was honored as the MACJC Coach of the Year in 2005 and given the NJCAA’s Loyalty Award in 2005.

After retiring, Carnell returned as a part-time assistant coach to the softball program from 2006-08 before finally hanging up his cleats.

In total, Carnell recorded 301 wins against 223 losses during his time as head football and slow- and fast-pitch coach.

Mike Grier was a multi-sport athlete for the Tigers clocking time on the gridiron in 1968 and 1969 before flipping over to the baseball diamond in 1969 and 1970.

While on the gridiron for the Tigers, Grier led the Tigers and the North Division in interceptions by picking off eight passes and was named to the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges’ (MACJC) All-State Team in 1969. During that year, Grier finished second on the team in total tackles.

During his first year at Northeast, Grier was a first-team member of the All-North Half team in 1968.

After starring on the gridiron of two year, Grier turned his attention to baseball where the Selmer, Tenn., native continued his success leading the Tiger baseball team in home runs in both years.

Grier’s final year with the Tigers saw him led the Tigers to a runner-up finish in the MACJC State Tournament as part of the team. Following his time at Northeast, Grier headed to Eastern Illinois University from 1970-72 and set a then-school record for career interceptions with 14. Grier’s senior season with Eastern Illinois turned out to be his best when the defensive back was named to the first team all-conference defensive team and was named a first-team All-American for small colleges in 1972.

Grier’s 1972 season continues to be in the record books for Eastern Illinois as he finished second in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) with 11 interceptions -- and set a season record at Eastern Illinois, which stands today. Grier’s 11 interceptions in a season are four more than any other Eastern Illinois player has been able to record in a season.

Jack Martin’s career at Northeast was broken by his obligation to the war effort but Martin did not let a 13-month tour in the Republic of South Korea stop his athletic accomplishments.

During both his years at Northeast, Martin carried the Northeast Tiger basketball team to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Basketball Tournament.

Martin, who was known for his defensive prowess on the hardwood, ended up guarding the opposing team’s best player. During his first year at Northeast, Martin teamed with Charles ‘Doodle’ Floyd -- who is a charter member of the Northeast Sports Hall of Fame -- and carried the Tiger basketball team to a runner-up finish in the national tournament.

In 1950-51, Martin led the Tigers to Hutchinson, Kan., before Northeast dropped the championship game to Los Angeles College of California 67-63.

Martin’s charisma followed him back to Northeast following his break from the academic environment for the war effort. Martin was selected at Mr. Northeast Mississippi Junior College for 1953-54 even after missing the previous year as part of the United States Army.

Following his time at Northeast, Martin joined up with The Whiskered Wizards, a semi-professional traveling basketball team, that traversed the southern United States playing against other independent basketball teams.

Kunshinge Sorrell-Howard made a name for herself on the hardwood in Bonner Arnold Coliseum from 1984-86 and carried the Lady Tigers’ basketball team to the national championship game in 1986.

During her time under Northeast women’s basketball coach Ricky Ford, Sorrell was named to the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) All-State teams in both seasons with the Lady Tigers and pulled off the rare double by being named to the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) Region XXIII team in both years at Northeast as well.

During her sophomore season, Sorrell helped lead the Lady Tiger basketball team to the national basketball tournament and collected first-team All-American honors for her final season with the Lady Tigers.

During the 1985-86 season, Sorrell and the Lady Tigers dropped only one game all season and scorched the record books for a 31-0 season before facing off against Odessa, Texas in the national championship game.

Following her time at Northeast, Sorrell took her talents to Mississippi State University where she was named to the All-Southeastern Conference team both years -- 1987-88 and 1988-89.

Sorrell’s final year with the Lady Bulldogs saw the former Northeast Lady Tiger lead the Southeastern Conference in scoring at 20.7 points per game with 662 points in 32 games.

Despite only playing two seasons for the Lady Bulldogs, Sorrell amassed 1,292 points (20.8 points per game) -- good enough for eight all-time on the Lady Bulldog scoring charts. All seven Lady Bulldogs ahead of Sorrell on the list played for four seasons at Mississippi State.

Sorrell was also only one of two two-year players at Mississippi State to break the 1,000-point plateau. Mary Boatwright, a Lady Bulldog from 1979-81, amassed 1,177 points during her career.

Phyllis Stafford Dilworth joined the Northeast Lady Tiger basketball team in Kunshinge Sorrell Howard’s final year with the Lady Tigers but the duo made an impact on the basketball world.

Stafford, who was a member of the Lady Tiger basketball team from 1985-87, helped lead Northeast to the national tournament in both her years in Booneville.

During her freshman season, Stafford and the Lady Tigers dropped only one game all season and posted a 31-0 record heading into the national championship game against Odessa, Texas in 1986.

Stafford bested her freshman year one season later when the Lady Tigers went undefeated -- 34-0 -- en route to the 1987 national championship. Stafford made sure of the return trip to the national tournament when the forward broke out for 31 points and 14 rebounds in the Region XXIII championship game in Clinton against Utica (Hinds) in earning the return trip to the national tournament.

During her two years at Northeast, Stafford amassed a 65-1 record on the hardwood and was named to the MACJC All-State and NJCAA Region XXIII teams both years at Northeast. Stafford’s sophomore season at Northeast saw her selected as a first-team All-American by the NJCAA.

Northeast swept through the regular season during Stafford’s sophomore year undefeated and knocked off Northwest Mississippi Community College 80-78 for the MACJC State Championship and then swept through the Region XXIII tournament before heading to Senatobia for the NJCAA National Basketball Tournament.

Northeast made good on its return trip as the Lady Tigers won four straight games in the Division I women’s national tournament -- including the national championship game when Northeast upended St. Gregory’s in the national championship game 68-64.

Following her time at Northeast, Stafford took her talents to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) where she was named to the coaches’ All-Southeastern Conference second team in 1989.

Gerald Caveness helped lead the Tiger basketball team to a pair of national tournaments during his time on the hardwood for Northeast. Caveness was part of the Tigers’ national runner-up squad in 1951 with Northeast Sport Hall of Fame inductees Kenneth Lindsey and Clyde Jones along with coach Bonner Arnold and a pair of seasons away from the hardwood, Caveness turned the trick with the Tigers again in 1954. During the 1951 season, the Tiger basketball team turned in a 50- 9-1 record

During his seven seasons at the Northeast helm, Harvey Childers guided the Tigers to a 192-34 record including five North Division titles, one Mississippi Association of Community/Junior Colleges title and three Region XXIII championships. Childers parlayed those three Region XXIII championships into three National Tournament appearances taking the Tigers to the NJCAA National Championship game in 1988-89 with a 23-3 record. Childers guided Northeast to its first Region XXIII championship since 1950 when his Tigers picked up the regional crown in 1986-87.

The Tiger mentor capped his career in 1991-92 when the Tigers went 30-5, won the region and advanced to the National Tournament. Childers had the Tigers ranked as high as No. 3 during his final season.

Clyde Jones was a standout on the Northeast basketball team from 1950-52 before moving onto Delta State University where he continued his basketball career. During Jones’ time at Northeast, he led the Tiger basketball team a runner-up finish in the national tournament in Hutchinson, Kan. Jones also helped the Tigers capture the state tournament title as well as the Region VII tournament title in Shreveport, La., en route to the national tournament appearance. During the 1951 season, the Tiger basketball team turned in a 50-9-1 record.

Larry Parker, a native of Lauderdale County, carried the load for the Tiger football team during the 1976 and 1977 football seasons. Parker toted the ball an average of 23.5 times during his tenure at Northeast averaging over 100 yards a game for the Tigers. Parker carried the ball 469 times during his two years at Northeast, accumulated 2,232 yards, and registered 16 touchdowns during the 1976 and 1977 seasons. During both his years at Northeast, Parker was named the Tigers’ best offensive back and the team’s Most Valuable Player in 1977. During his sophomore season, Parker was selected to play in the annual all-star football classic and was named to the All-State team as well as being named an honorable mention All-American. Northeast’s sportsmanship award is named after Parker.

Evelyn Thompson made an impact on the Lady Tiger basketball program during her first year at Northeast. Thompson, who appeared on the court for Northeast from 1986-88, helped the Lady Tigers capture the national championship in her initial year with the program. During the Lady Tigers’ run to the national championship, Thompson earned Kodak All-American honors as well as All-Region, All-State and All-Conference awards. Following her career at Northeast, Thompson carried her game to Auburn University where she led the Lady Tigers to a pair of national runner-up finishes.

Bonner Arnold, who earned the nickname "The Dean of Junior College Coaches," established what eventually became a dynasty when he accepted a position at then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College as its head coach and physical education teacher before its inaugural session in 1948-49.

The Frankstown native had the Tigers in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament within two years of starting the program. Northeast ran the table through the event after claiming the NJCAA Region 7 title and finished as the runner-up to City College of Los Angeles (Calif.).

The Tigers made a return trip to Hutchinson, Kan., one season later in 1951 and again repeated as national runner-up. Arnold also claimed eight Mississippi Valley Conference championships and seven Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) state crowns.

Arnold holds the fifth best winning percentage among all coaches that have captured at least 440 victories in NJCAA history. He won 82.5 percent of his games at Northeast in 17 campaigns at the helm.

The NJCAA still recognizes Arnold as one of the top 100 winningest coaches by total number of triumphs 50 years after his retirement from coaching in 1965. He captured 497 wins against only 106 losses during his tenure with the Tigers.

Arnold remained at Northeast through 1974 and served the institution as its athletic director. He passed away on January 4, 1978 at the age of 70.

Northeast dedicated the gymnasium in which he built on campus in his honor by renaming it “Bonner Arnold Coliseum” in the mid-1970s. The building first opened its doors in 1951 and has served as the home of the Lady Tigers and Tigers since then.

Arnold held a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University and a master’s degree from the University of Mississippi. He was posthumously inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1979, the MACJC Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and the NJCAA Men's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

Chuck “Doodle” Floyd was a star and leader of the legendary 1951-52 Cuba High School (Ky.) state runner-up and championship teams. In terms of Color, come-from-behind wins, and popular fan support, the Cuba team of 1952 is considered by many to have no equal in basketball history in Kentucky. Floyd was voted to the Lexington Herald All-State team in 1951 and 1952 and was chosen to participate in Chuck Taylor’s North/South All American Game in 1952. “Doodle” was a Northeast Tiger from 1953-54 where he led the nation in scoring during both years, was voted a Junior College All-American, and made the National Junior College All Tournament Team in 1953 and 1954. Later staring at Mississippi Southern, Floyd scored 66 points in a game versus the University of Alabama in 1955. Floyd has since participated in the Senior Olympics during 2004- 06, qualifying for nationals in 2007.

Gene Garrett moved to Booneville during his senior year of high school and later attended Northeast from 1948-50. Garrett shined as a member of the Northeast Tigers basketball team during those years and was named to the All-State Tournament team, All-Region Tournament team, and All-National Tournament team during both his freshman and sophomore seasons. In 1950, Garrett led Northeast to a runner-up finish in the Junior College National Tournament, and for his efforts was named an All-American. Following his Northeast career, Garrett attended Murray State University in Kentucky for one year and was a member of the Racers’ ninth ranked basketball team before being drafted into the U.S. Marine Corps. During the 1951-52 season Garrett led the California Naval District in scoring. He later returned to Murray State where he finished his education.

Ken Lindsey was a two-time All-State selection as a basketball star at Booneville High School during his three-sport career in 1945-1949. Lindsey starred as a basketball player at Northeast from 1950-51 where he was selected as an All-American following both his freshman and sophomore seasons. Lindsey’s 1950 team won 50 games and lost ten. One year later Lindsey, then a sophomore, led the Tigers to a record of 51-1-1. Lindsey later became an assistant coach at Northeast on the 1955-56 state championship team. The Booneville native followed a stellar playing and coaching career with a ten year stint at Vice President of Northwest Community College in Senatobia, Miss., from 1980-1990, where he was responsible for luring the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) women’s national basketball tournament to be hosted by NWCC for three years.

Kenneth (Cat) Robbins’ coaching career began at Jumpertown High School in 1953, and then to Union County from 1954-65 where he coached both the boys and girls teams at Ingomar High School. Robbins’ 1958 Ingomar girls’ team won the Grand Slam Championship in 1958 with a record of 54 wins and 0 losses. 1962 was another banner year for Robbins at Ingomar as he coached the Ingomar girls to a 53-1 record and a State Championship, while leading the Ingomar boys to a runner-up finish during the same season. Robbins also coached baseball at Ingomar. During his stint at IHS, Cat’s overall girls basketball record was 401 wins and 85 losses, while his boys teams were 328-85. His success there led Robbins to Northeast where he coached both men and women on the basketball court from 1966-68. Under Robbins the 1968 the Northeast Tigers went 28-1 en route to a state title. His coaching career later led him to the University of Mississippi (1969-75) where Robbins was assistant men’s basketball coach, head recruiter, and was instrumental in initiating Ole Miss’ basketball camps. In 1976 Robbins coached the West Union High School boys basketball team to a State Championship with a 52-2 record. Then it was back to the junior college ranks for 13 years as head men’s basketball coach at Northwest Mississippi Junior College from 1977-94. Robbins retired from coaching in 1997 after a two year stint at North Pontotoc High School. All totaled, Robbins coached basketball in high school, college, and the Armed Services for 45 years.

Adrian Smith of Cincinnati, Ohio, an All-American guard on Northeast’s men’s basketball teams from 1954-1956, averaged approximately 22 points per game during his career. He was named All-American in 1956 and signed with the University of Kentucky. After two years at Kentucky, Smith joined the Army and played on the Pan-American team. He was a member of the undefeated U.S. men’s basketball team that won the gold medal in the 1960 Olympics. Smith was drafted by the Cincinnati Royals with the first pick in the fifteenth round of the 1958 draft. He joined the team in 1961. His career also included stops with the San Francisco Warriors and the Virginia Squires of the ABA. During his time the Warriors, legendary Celtic coach Red Aurbach picked him to play in the 1966 All-Star game. Smith was selected Most Valuable Player of the game that year. According to Wikipedia, Smith averaged 11.8 points per game during his professional career. He led the league in free throw shooting percentage during the 1966-67 season, with a success percentage of .903.

David “Nub” Strickland was a captain on the 1950, and 1953 Northeast football teams. As twoway player at offensive and defensive end, “Nub” was twice named the All-State at Northeast. After stepping away from his football career in order to fill his obligations with the U.S. Marine Corp, Strickland attended Memphis State University from 1957-58 where he starred on the gridiron, enough so to garner offers to play professional football. Strickland spent time in the CFL with the Ontario Golden Bears for two years, before finishing his pro career with the Denver Broncos. Strickland’s number 88 jersey has been retired by Northeast.

W.B. “Bill” Ward, longtime football coach and athletic director at Northeast, coached his last football game at NEMJC in 1982 and retired as the school’s athletic director in 1996. Ward’s career coaching record stands at 152-118-8. He was inducted into the Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame in 1988 and received a 40-year-service award from that association in 1994. In 1995 the NJCAA honored Coach Ward with the Loyalty Award. The street in Booneville which runs from Second Street to Third Street in front of the south end of Tiger Stadium was named “Coach Billy Ward Drive” in 2004.

Harold T. White was a member of the 1942 state championship football team at Perkinston Junior College. After the first semester, he entered the United States Army Air Corps and served until the end of World War II. After the war, White returned to Perkinston and graduated in 1947. In 1951 White was hired as assistant football coach at Perkinston and the following year he was named head coach, a position which he held for five years. In 1953 his Bulldogs tied Co-Lin in the Laurel Lions Bowl. White also served as women’s basketball coach and his 1953 team won the South Division championship. He was the college’s athletic director from January 1957 to June 1961. In 1965 Harold White resigned from Perkinston to become President at Northeast Mississippi Junior College. At Northeast White led the resurgence of the dormant Tiger football program by hiring a legendary area high school coach, Bill Ward. He was a staunch supporter of Northeast Tiger athletics and made numerous improvements to the athletic programs of the college.

Earline “Woodsie” Woods has been an avid supporter of Northeast athletics since her days as a student. Woodsie was employed at Northeast from 1954-1995 as bookkeeper then as fiscal officer of the college. She has supporter the college’s athletics with both her attendance and her gifts during those 40+ years and continues to do so. She currently supports a variety of the athletic fundraisers of the Development Foundation. A more loyal Tiger fan cannot be found than “Woodsie”. Her name has become synonymous with Northeast through the years. Without a doubt, she has given great time and energy to support the Tigers during the history of the college.