Youngblood Named Top Prospect

From School Reports

Meridian Community College baseball standout Jonathan Youngblood was recently recognized by Perfect Game as one of its top prospects for 2012. Youngblood just completed a summer season by competing in the Jayhawk League as a member of the Dodge City Athletics. Youngblood was ranked as the fourth highest prospect in the Jayhawk League according to the Perfect Game publication.

“It was a great opportunity for him to go off this summer and continue to build off the improvement he had throughout his freshman year with us,” said MCC head coach Dillon Sudduth. “ It was important for his development to be put in an environment where he could experience playing every day and to put a wood bat in his hands. He is the kind of athlete that will get better and better with the more at bats he gets. He can really run and throw, he just needs to keep gaining strength and as he matures he will continue to improve offensively.”

Youngblood, a native of Lexington, KY, played most of his games during 2012 in center field for the Eagles. Youngblood was among the top ten for most of the season in stolen bases in the nation and will look to guide the Eagles toward another championship season in 2013.

Youngblood was drafted in the 30th round out of high school by the Atlanta Braves and opted to come to MCC this past season. Youngblood was drafted once again during the most recent MLB draft in June by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 15th round.

The Jayhawk League is one of the most prestigious, well scouted, and competitive leagues in the nation. The Jayhawk League has teams in one of the Midwestern states in the heartland of America: Kansas. The six-member league has an automatic berth into the National Baseball Congress World Series that is played in Wichita, Kansas. The Jayhawk League is a wood bat league that plays according to the American League rules. Dozens of current or former Major League stars have played in the Jayhawk League and those include: Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, Ozzie Smith, Trevor Hoffman, and Doug Drabek.

The other teams that are a part of the Jayhawk League include: the Derby Twins, El Dorado Broncos, Hays Larks, Haysville Heat, and Liberal Bee Jays.

MCC Tennis Player Recieves Arthur Ashe Award

From School Reports

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) recognized recipients of the 2012 Arthur Ashe Jr. National Leadership and Sportsmanship Awards along with the 2012 ITA Collegiate All-Star Team at the ITA Awards Luncheon hosted by the United States Tennis Association (USTA). The presentation took place in the President’s Suite Dining Room as part of Arthur Ashe Kids' Day activities (Aug. 25) at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. Jon Vegosen, Chairman of the Board and President of the USTA, David A Benjamin, ITA Executive Director, and David Dinkins, former Mayor of New York City and a member of the USTA Board of Directors, were on hand to present the awards.

Meridian Community College was represented by Simon Bardwell of the men’s tennis team as the recipient of the 2012 ITA/Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship. Bardwell, a native of Beulah, Australia, helped led the Eagles to the 2012 Region 23 Championship and an appearance in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. Bardell is currently a member of the tennis team at the University of West Alabama.

“He (Bardwell) had a remarkable career at Meridian Community College,” said MCC tennis coach Wanda McPhail. “He was one of the best leaders that I have ever had here at Meridian and he had been such a great representative of MCC.”

The ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship Award takes into account a player’s tennis accomplishments, scholastic achievements and extracurricular endeavors. Just as Arthur Ashe was a great player and humanitarian, this award (which dates to 1984) recognizes players who excelled on and off the court during their college careers. Sportsmanship, leadership and character are also important criteria.

Bardwell has been involved in many different organizations in the Meridian area which include: projects with the American Cancer Society in its fight against breast cancer, serving as a volunteer for the Salvation Army Christmas Angel Tree project, serving as a volunteer for Love’s Kitchen, and assisting in numerous tennis clinics on campus.

The 29th ITA Collegiate All-Star Team includes the nation's top-ranked men's and women's players from the year-end Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings at the NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and NJCAA levels, as well as winners of the 2011 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships and 2012 NCAA Division I Championships.

As the governing body of collegiate tennis, the ITA promotes both the athletic and academic achievements of the collegiate tennis community. The ITA, which is comprised of nearly 1,700 men's and women's varsity coaches representing over 1,200 institutions, administers numerous regional and national championships and the Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings for over 20,000 college varsity student-athletes at the NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior College levels. The ITA also has a comprehensive awards program for players and coaches to honor excellence in academics, leadership and sportsmanship. The official ITA web site is www.itatennis.com.

MCC Soccer Sweeps Co-Lin To Open Season

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College Lady Eagles and Eagles opened the 2012 Friday afternoon at Co-Lin by taking a pair of road victories over the Wolves to begin the season on the right note. MCC will return to the field this Tuesday with a pair of road matches at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The MCC women took an 8-0 win over the Lady Wolves, while the MCC men took a dramatic 3-2 win over Co-Lin. Katelynn Zuk led MCC with three goals in the women’s game and earned one assist. Kristen Morris added a pair of goals in the shutout victory for the Lady Eagles.

The Eagles were able to open the season with a slim 3-2 win over the Wolves. Ducky Troutman, Kellen Roberts, and Blake Hardin each scored one goal in the win for MCC.

The two teams will return to the field this Tuesday for a pair of road matches against Mississippi Gulf Coast. The MCC women are scheduled to play Gulf Coast at 5:30 p.m. and the men will take to the field at 7:30 p.m. to tangle with the Bulldogs.

MCC Golf Adds Two Local Players

From School Reports


Meridian Community College golf coach Ronnie Key is proud to announce the addition of two local players to his roster for the 2012-2013 season. Jace Weaver and Nathan Kirkland will be the newest additions to the roster for the Eagles and will look to help MCC to another championship season.

“Both of these players have a lot of talent and we are glad they will be joining the program this fall,” said Key. “We have built a strong tradition of solid players here at MCC and these two young men bring some great qualities to the table. Our team is proud to welcome them and we are looking forward to making another run toward a championship this season.”

Weaver is a 2011 graduate of Northeast Lauderdale and was a member of the golf team, while being a member of the National Honor Society. Weaver was a low medalist at the Lauderdale County Golf Tournament in 2010 and Briarwood Country Club is his home course. Weaver is the son of David Weaver and Janice Collins.

Kirkland was a home-school student and finished his academics in 2012. Kirkland finished second at the State Games Tournament in 2010 that was played at Briarwood Country Club. Kirkland also finished fifth at the Randy Watkins Invitational in 2010 at Patrick Farms in Brandon. Kirkland is a First Tee of Meridian graduate and traveled to golf tournaments in Oregon and Florida as a part of the First Tee program. Kirkland’s home course is Lakeview Golf Course, but the past two summers Kirkland has played a majority of his practice rounds at Northwood Country Club.

The MCC golf team finished third in the country this past season at the NJCAA Division I National Tournament in Newton, KS and the Eagles secured its second individual national championship in school history after Jake Stirling won the individual crown this past season.

MCC Hires New Women's Basketball Coach

From School Reports

Meridian Community College went looking for a women’s basketball coach to replace retiring Hilary Allen, and the Lady Eagles quickly “hit the jackpot.”


That’s how MCC President Dr. Scott Elliott characterized the hiring of Jocelyn McGilberry, who will bring over 20 years major college coaching experience to MCC, including 17 in the Southeastern Conference. She also has deep Mississippi ties, having served as associate head coach at Ole Miss and assistant coach at Mississippi State University. In all, McGilberry coached at the two Mississippi SEC schools from 1995-2012.

“I’m just ecstatic,” Elliott beamed. “Coach McGilberry is a perfect fit for MCC. First, she is a leader with impeccable character who will serve as a terrific role model for our student-athletes. Second, she is native of our region (Ellisville). Third, to say that her college playing and coaching credentials are impressive would be a gross understatement. Put it all together, and I repeat – we hit the jackpot. We’ve had a winning tradition for the past generation in Lady Eagle basketball (three Region 23 titles and numerous Miss-Lou Conference crowns), and with Coach McGilberry at the helm, I am confident that we can not only sustain that momentum, but also build on it.”

Besides her SEC stints in Mississippi, McGilberry worked for three years as an assistant coach at the University of South Alabama and also spent a year on the staff of the University of Florida. As a player, she was a four-year letter winner as a power forward for Auburn University. Prior to beginning her college coaching career, McGilberry played professionally in Switzerland and Sweden from 1990-92.

McGilberry has had a history of winning throughout her playing and coaching careers. At South Jones High School, she was a two-time All-State selection. At Auburn, McGilberry was the starting co-captain of the Lady Tigers’ 1988-89 SEC championship team that advanced to the NCAA finals. In McGilberry’s four years on the Plains, AU compiled an 119-13 record.

She has continued that winning habit as a coach. For instance, in McGilberry’s first year (2003) on the Ole Miss staff, the Lady Rebels made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1996. While on the Mississippi State staff, the Lady Bulldogs qualified for six straight post-season tournaments – four NCAA bids and two women’s NIT berths.

“I am looking forward to the challenge of coaching in the Mississippi junior college ranks,” McGilberry said. “I am very familiar with the junior college scene because I recruited jucos across the state for many years. The competition is top-notch, and a lot of players go on to the next level. Having played and coached in NCAA Division 1 for over two decades, I think I know what it takes to get to that level, and I believe I can help our players in Meridian to achieve that dream.”

McGilberry said she is not concerned about making the transition from the SEC to the junior college level.

“At this point in my career,” she explained, “I just want the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young student-athletes. I want to help them achieve their maximum potential as basketball players and as human beings. I want them to be winners on the court and in the classroom. As far as my approach to coaching, I’m going to employ the same techniques and philosophies that have guided me throughout my career. It really doesn’t matter whether my team is playing in a 500-seat gymnasium or a 10,000-seat coliseum. The goal is still 10 feet high, and rebounding and defense still win championships.”

While MCC is the defending Region 23 champion, Elliott acknowledged that McGilberry is coming into a challenging situation.

“Any time you replace a coach a week before school starts, it’s not an ideal situation,” he assessed. “Coach McGilberry hasn’t had any opportunity to shore up recruiting, and we lost a lot of talent off last season’s regional championship team – including probably two of the best juco players in the state – Norriana Haynes and Chasity Kearney. That’s why it’s gratifying to me that we have Coach McGilberry coming on board. She’s got the credentials and experience to pull things together and put a competitive team on the floor. I know her teams will play hard and represent the college well on the court, on campus and in the community.”

2012 MCC Men's Soccer Preview

After a difficult 2011 campaign, the Meridian Community College Eagles are looking to rebound and get back to the tradition of competing for a Region XXIII title. The Eagles are in the process of rejoining the MACJC for the first time since 2007 and could not be happier to be back in the State League. “After spending the last four years playing so many Out of State Teams it’s going to be nice to get back to competing with our sister institutions, it just makes sense”, said Head Men’s Coach Alex George. “We feel that this may be one of the best combinations of freshman and sophomore’s that will play for the Eagles this coming fall,” added George.

The Eagles will return ten sophomores, all which who started at one time or another, to a team that lost in the Region XXIII semi-final versus Pearl River in overtime play. The Eagles will also bring in 15 freshman players from all over the state including five local players from Lauderdale County. George says, “It’s always nice to go and recruit these local guys because they come from such strong programs with a lot of rich tradition and they’re our local kids so it’s our obligation to give them an opportunity to play for their hometown team. George adds, my hat goes off to Men’s Assistant, Ryan Joiner, who has done a tremendous job recruiting the state this year looking for the best of the best. Ryan knows how this system works as he played for me back in 2005-06 as one of the best goal-keepers to ever step foot at MCC and the State of Mississippi. I am very fortunate to have Ryan back here at Meridian”.


Among these locals are three men from Meridian High School. Phillip Mosley is a defender that has the potential to come in and compete for playing time and alongside Mosley is another stellar player in Christian Jackson. “Christian is a great find from the Meridian area. He has been playing for the Mississippi Fire out of Jackson for a few years and you can definitely tell he has played with and against some good competition with them. I expect Christian to come in and earn a starting job as a freshman,” said Coach George. Spence Baucum is the third men’s player from MHS and should help the Eagles regain their scoring form that was lacking in 2011. Spence is a tenacious player who likes to run at defenders and use his speed to his advantage. Alongside these players from Meridian High, the Eagles added two other local players to join us: Blake Hardin and AJ McClinton. “Blake comes to us via West Lauderdale High School and was tied with 20 goals last season for the Knights. Blake has a great head on his shoulders and displays the kind of blue-collar work ethic we like here at MCC,” added George. AJ is expected to come in and tidy up a defense that should be very seasoned and ready to rebound from last year’s semi-final loss.

The MACJC opened up its recruiting borders this year to all schools and the Eagles certainly took advantage of it. Three players from Northeast Jones High School will join the squad in the fall. Jacob Livingston is a striker that should bring a few goals to the team and Levi Sumrall will come in and help push sophomore goalkeeper Marlo Brinnon in practice. Assistant Men’s Coach Ryan Joiner added, “It’s always great to find a second keeper to push a kid like Marlo. He’s so gifted athletically and technically that a second keeper like Levi will help light a fire under him.” Accompanying Livingston and Sumrall is a defender, Ricky Carter, from NEJ that will compete with sophomores Tripp Simms of Lamar, Tony Chapel of Ocean Springs and Juwan Jones of Vicksburg.

In 2011 the Eagles struggled to find the net as often as the coaches would have liked. Returning to action for them in 2012 is Ducky Troutman, the 2011 Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year and 2011 MS All-Star Mark Varnado. “These two guys should be the core of our central midfield next season. Ducky is a team player that leads by example and Mark is a blue-collar guy who will grind out ninety minutes night in and night out,” expressed George. “They are a pair of guys we look forward to coaching and hope they lead the Eagles to a State Championship in 2012,” he added. The Eagles midfield will also return sophomores Jesus Olivares, Conner McKee and Jordan Watson. These guys will all battle with several freshmen who will be pushing for starting spots as well. Joining the Eagles in the midfield is freshman Alex Lee of Quitman High School. “It’s always a good thing to have depth when competing week in and week out during such a hot and humid season. The weather is always 100 degrees plus and we generally play two games a week. Guys need rest and to be able to have a solid amount of depth in the midfield is great,” added Coach George.

Helping the Eagles in their striking core for the fall of 2012 season is sophomore Kellen Roberts of Oxford, AL. The coaches expect Kellen to be a big time player for them in the fall. “Kellen has steadily improved since his arrival at MCC in August of 2011. He works hard in the weight room and also does a lot of individual work in order to get better. We hope Kellen can add maturity to a striking core consisting of a couple of freshman and can add that extra spark we lacked last season,” said Coach Joiner. Rounding out the Eagles roster are two freshmen from Pillow Academy. Myers Falls and Cayson Cox are both players who are durable and can play anywhere on the field. “Myers is a good sized kid with a great work rate and Cayson looks to play in the back for the Eagles. It was a delight to get both of these young men and we look forward to getting them on the field,” said George.

The MCC Eagles begin their season on August 18, 2012 as they take on the Alumni team at 1:00pm at CD Smith Field on the campus of Meridian Community College. Their regular season opener will be Friday August 24, 2012 in Wesson, MS versus Co-lin Community College at 7:00pm. “The season is going to get here quick and the staff and I cannot begin to tell you how ready we are,” head coach Alex George concluded.

MCC Home Games are played at CD Smith Field on the Campus of Meridian Community College. Please visit our website at www.mcc.cc.ms.ms/soccer to explore our history, coaches, rosters, biographies, statistics, facilities, camps and alumni information.

2012 MCC Women's Soccer Preview

Despite the fact his MCC Lady Eagles lost 6 standouts from last year’s 7-6-2 team that lost in the Region 23 Championship, Coach Mike Smith is all smiles.

“We have a really good chance to win the Region 23 title this year, it’s going to take a lot of work but if we do what we need to do we could have a great side”. Smith said his team, which faces a very tough schedule, has a lot of depth this year. “We got 19 girls” said Smith. “We have several players with special abilities.” One of those players is sophomore Pam Gean of Olive Branch. “She is a good one” he said. “She has a motor that won’t quit and a great work ethic.” Gean finished 2011 with 14 goals and 5 assist, team highs in both.


While the Lady Eagles have some finesse, they also have what the better Lady Eagle teams have always had. “We are going to be physical!” said Smith. “The team that won the MACJC State Championship in 2007 and the squads that won the Region 23 in 2008 & 2009 were all physical teams and that’s what you need at this level.”

Another quality the women will have is speed. “We have got some good speed on this year’s team, which has been lacking the past couple of years.” A few of young ladies that Coach Smith is talking about are sophomore Malley Gullette, freshman Kristen Morris and freshman Taylor Hanes. “These 3 girls can flat out fly and that’s why I wanted them” he said. Morris and Hanes are expected to be strikers for the Lady Eagle’s and Gullette is expected to be a defender.

“Our schedule has gotten tougher-and-tougher over the years” he said. “We like to play teams that are going to make us better. We find we are more successful when we do that. It may mean we don’t win as many regular season games, but the National Tournament is what we are shooting for.”

MCC Lady Eagles have never made it to the National Tournament in its 10 years of existence. The closest they ever got was in 2009 when they lost in the District E Championship to Tyler JC.

The toughest teams the Lady Eagles will face will be Jones on September 5th and Pearl River on September 25th; both games are at CD Smith Field. Other schools MCC will face this year include in-state rivals Hinds and Gulf Coast. Coach Mike Smith has August 28th circled on the calendar he said. “That’s when we play Gulf Coast.” Gulf Coast beat MCC in the Region 23 Championship 1-0 last year in Overtime. “I know the sophomore girls are really looking forward to playing them again” he said.

While Smith likes to draw talent from wherever it may be, he also looks to add as many local players as he can. Two of the locals Smith expect big things from this year are MHS Standouts Merrick and Miller Watkins. “It looks like they are going to be able to step right in and play” Smith said. “They will be great assets and will fit our team chemistry well.”

Skilled defender Kari Zendejas from Northwest Rankin returns and is expected to captain the Lady Eagles in 2012. “Kari was a HUGE piece to the puzzle last year, and I expect her to be the same in 2012” said Coach Mike. “Kari is the anchor in the back and very aggressive and that’s what you got to be to play at this level. “

Coach Smith also expects big things from Warren Central’s Toree Danczyk and Olive Branch’s Lacie Hemker. Both girls are expected to be great contributors in the back for the Lady Eagle’s.

Ridgeland’s Haley Hegwood is expected to be the starting keeper come August. “Haley has some big shoes to fill” Smith said. “We lost Chasity Robertson, our keeper, who was huge for the women last year and Haley expects to win and that’s what I love about her. She’s done nothing but win throughout her high school career and I don’t think she wants to start changing that now” Said Smith.

West Lauderdale’s Kaitlin Polk will also compete for playing time at Keeper, while Horn Lake’s April Carrasco and Hernando’s Katelynn Zuk will play in the midfield. Another returning player Smith expects big things from is Defender Lakyn Bice. “Lakyn was hurt half of the season last year and we saw just a glimpse of what she can do” said Smith. “She was only able to play the last 5-6 games and did very well. I expect her to be on the back line in August.”

Defender Rachel Burgess and West Lauderdale standout Ashlyn Pope will be able to give the Lady Eagle’s some good minutes as well. Sophomore Leslie Benson from Horn Lake is miles ahead of where she was last year and should be able to contribute as well and Mendenhall Kaylynn Welch and Philadelphia’s Courtney Bounds will both see some good minutes for the Lady Eagle’s.

The Lady Eagle’s will kick off their season August 21st at Southwest Community College at 2 pm.

Mike Smith Promoted To Become New MCC Women's Soccer Coach

From School Reports

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College soccer program is proud to announce that Mike Smith has been promoted as head coach of the women’s soccer team at MCC beginning this season. Smith has served as assistant coach at Meridian Community College for the past five seasons and be only the second women’s head soccer coach in school history. The women’s program was started in 2002 by Alex George and has enjoyed many years of success on the field. George will remain at Meridian Community College as the head men’s soccer coach. Smith brings an impressive coaching resume to Meridian Community College and is looking forward to the challenge of continuing the great tradition of soccer at MCC.

“This has always been a dream of mine,” said Smith. “I would just like to thank Dr. Elliott and the Board of Trustees for giving me this opportunity. I would also like to thank my good friend Coach George because he is the main reason this happened. He opened the door for me to be his assistant for the last five years and has helped open this door for me now. I will have some big shoes to fill and God has blessed me so much this past year, if not for him none of this would be possible.”

Smith is a 2000 graduate of West Lauderdale High School, where he played for current MCC men’s soccer head coach Alex George. Smith helped lead the Knights to the 2000 State Championship and continued his soccer career at Meridian Community College. Smith was a member of the 2000 MCC men’s soccer team that captured the NJCAA Division I National Soccer Championship. Following his career at MCC, Smith went on to play at Delta State University from 2005-2007. Smith was selected as team captain, led the team in scoring, and was selected a member of the All Gulf South Conference Team.

Smith graduated from Delta State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Physical Education. Smith has over ten years of coaching experience in coaching all ages, including high school and college. Smith was a part of the Chicago Fire Juniors of Mississippi coaching staff stationed in Jackson, MS from 2009-2011. Smith went on to lead the Mississippi Fire East U11 team to a MSA State Championship in 2009-2010.

Smith is currently in his third season as the head girls soccer coach at Meridian High School where he led the Lady Wildcats to a first round playoff berth last season. The playoff berth for MHS was the first time for the program to make the postseason since 2003. Smith is also currently coaching a U12 Division I team for Premier Futbol Club.

In the five seasons that Smith was an assistant coach for MCC, he has helped the Lady Eagles to an unprecedented three consecutive postseason championships (2007 MACJC, 2008 & 2009 NJCAA Region 23). The Lady Eagles also finished as a Region 23 runner-up in 2010 and 2011.

Smith also holds a USSF National “B” and also retains a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma.

Smith is married is the former Emily George of Dekalb and they have one son, Dawson Carter Smith who is four months old.

Hilary Allen Retires From Meridian Community College

From School Reports

Hilary Allen, the Athletic Director and Women’s Basketball Coach at Meridian Community College, announced his retirement from coaching. Coach Allen retires from MCC with the most wins in school history, amassing 249 victories in 12 seasons. The Lady Eagles won the Region 23 Championship during the 2012 season and advanced to the NJCAA National Tournament.


“I wish to express my deepest appreciation to Dr. Scott Elliott for giving me the opportunity to continue my athletic career at Meridian Community College,” said Coach Hilary Allen.

Coach Allen spent 30 years as a college coach, included 23 years as a head coach. Coach Allen was the head coach at the University of Tampa, Edison CC, Chipola JC, and Meridian CC. Coach Allen has also served as the assistant for the men’s team at Meridian CC for several years. During those 23 years as head coach, Coach Allen came away with 424 victories.

“I grew up in a small town in Kentucky and people just love basketball in Kentucky. So did I. It has been beyond any of my dreams to think that I have been on the bench as either the head coach or as an assistant coach for over 1000 games,” said Coach Hilary Allen.

The Lady Eagles, known for their high power fast break offense, had five players score over 1000 points during their two year career under Coach Allen. Four of these Lady Eagles were local high school stars; Monique Horner from Southeast Lauderdale, NaDosha Strickland from Bay Springs, Tiara Parker from Meridian, and Norianna Haynes from Northeast Lauderdale. Chasity Kearney, from Batesville, graduated this past year and left as the all time leading scorer in school history with 1207 points.

“I don’t know of another school in Mississippi that had a 1000 point scorer, much less five,” said Coach Allen.

The Lady Eagles also hold the current longest streak of advancing to the Region 23 play-offs by any college in the region. The Lady Eagles have advanced for the past 8 years in a row to the Region 23 Tournament. The Lady Eagles won the Region 23 Tournament in 2012, finished runner-up in 2007 and 2011, and finished in third place in 2001, 2006 and 2009. Overall, the Lady Eagles advanced to the Region 23 Tournament 10 out of Coach Allen’s 12 years at the helm.

While Coach Allen is extremely proud of the accomplishments of his women’s basketball teams, he is equally as proud of the other teams at MCC and their accomplishments under his leadership. Of the 104 athletic teams that started their season at MCC with Coach Allen leading the way, 59 teams either won the region or came in as runner-up. This means 57% of the time, MCC was in the hunt for a Regional Championship.

During the 12 years as the leader of the Athletic Department, the Eagles won a National Championship, finished as National Runner-ups on two occasions and finished in third place on three occasions. Twelve other teams finished in the top 10 in the nation at the end of the season. Another twenty-two teams at MCC finished in the top 20. This is quite an accomplishment for a school with one of the smallest budgets in the state.

“While our budgets might have been small, we had some great coaches that worked hard in developing their teams,” said Coach Allen.

The successes in the playing arenas speak for themselves. Another indicator for the success of the MCC Athletic Department is the recognition given by the yearly Halbrook Award. The award is based on a comparison of the graduation and completion rates of the student-athletes for all the community colleges in Mississippi. Meridian Community College had a better than 90% rate every year and was always one of the top finishers for this award.

“This goes to the credit of what a great college MCC is. The instructors work really well with the student-athletes,” said Coach Allen.

“I want to thank all of my former players and coaches, especially my Associate Head Coach, Celia Allen, for a great run. I had a blast!”

Coach Allen plans to move back to Florida in the near future.