MCC Coaches Awarded Coach of the Year Honors from the Miss. Assoc. of Coaches

(MERIDIAN, Miss.) -Meridian Community College coaches Sean Covich and Wanda McPhail have been named two of the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) Community College Coaches of the Year.

Along with eight other community college coaches, Covich and McPhail will be honored Friday, July 6th in Jackson at 7 p.m. at the MAC Coaches Hall of Fame and Awards Banquet at the Hilton hotel.

The MAC award is the first for Covich, while McPhail will receive the MAC award for the third time since she’s has been at MCC.

Covich recently completed his first season as the MCC head golf coach. During his rookie season, Covich led MCC to a school record nine tournament victories, including the MACJC State/Region 23 championship. His squad finished third in the NJCAA national championship, with two Eagles being named All Americans.

In addition to his upcoming MAC coaching honor, Covich was also named both the Mississippi Association Community/Junior Colleges and NJCAA Region 23 Golf Coach of the Year.

Prior to coming to MCC, Covich was the Tour Director of the Mississippi Junior Golf Association while completing his master’s degree in sports administration at Mississippi State.

McPhail recently completed her seventh year at MCC. This past spring, she led the MCC men’s team to their third MACJC State/Region 23 championship in the last four seasons. The Eagles placed in the top-15 at the national championship. The men have competed in the national tennis tournament six years consecutively.

Her women’s squad claimed runner-up honors in the MACJC State/Region 23 championship and competed in their sixth consecutive NJCAA National championship. McPhail coached two-time All American, Sierra Woolery to a top-ten national finish.

In addition to McPhail’s upcoming MAC coaching honor, she was also named both the Mississippi Association Community/Junior Colleges and NJCAA Region 23 Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year.

Prior to coming to MCC, McPhail coached at West Lauderdale for nine years.

In addition to Covich and McPhail, the MAC will honor the following Community/Junior College coaches as Coaches of the Year: Marty Cooper- Itawamba CC, men’s basketball; Glenn Davis- Copiah Lincoln CC, football; Neal Holliman- East Central CC, baseball; Peter Jarjoura- Northwest Mississippi CC, women’s soccer; Paul Johnson- Itawamba CC, women’s tennis; Kenneth Long- Mississipp Gulf Coast CC, softball; Doug Williams- Hinds CC, men’s soccer; and Gwyn Young- Copiah Lincoln, women’s basketball.

The MAC will also induct five new members into its Hall of Fame.

Norris Ashley, began his basketball coaching career in 1969 at Coahoma County; 2006-07 marks his 36th year at Ingomar High School where he has earned 8 state championships (4 boys and 4 girls) while also serving as head baseball coach and athletic director.

Van Chancellor, served as girls basketball coach at Noxapater, Horn Lake, Harrison Central (where he earned 2 state championships) and Ole Miss (1992 SEC Championship); and the WNBA Houston Comets, he currently is head coach of the LSU Lady Tigers.

"Mack" Fanning, state championship coach in softball (slow pitch and fast pitch)and baseball; began his coaching career in 1968 at Hickory, then coached at Newton County from 1990 thru 2004, also serving as athletic director for 10 of those years; now coaching slow pitch softball at SE Lauderdale and fast pitch at Clinton.

Jack French, started his football coaching career at DeSoto Co. Academy in 1975, then coached at Hillcrest Academy, Olive Branch High, Pelahatchie High and Itawamba AHS before landing at Forest High in 1987 where he earned 3 state championships over the next 14 years; now serves as head coach at Pearl High School.

Mike Justice, Caledonia, Calhoun City, & Louisville were his 1976 - 1990 coaching stops, with his years at Louisville producing 2 state championship football teams; in 1990, he took over as head coach and athletic director at Madison Central where he won the 5A state championship in 1999 before accepting a coaching position in Oxford, AL in 2002.