MCC Baseball Lands Six Players on MACJC All-State Team

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College baseball team announced on Tuesday that six players have been named to the 2015 MACJC All-State team for their achievements during the season. Bryant Johnston and Dalton Thomas were named 1^st Team All-State, while four other members of the MCC baseball team were named 2^nd Team All-State.

Johnston was named to the MACJC 1^st Team All-State squad after a marvelous season on the mound for the Eagles. Johnston finished the season with a 9-1 record on the mound and complied a 3.23 in 21 appearances during the 2015 season. Johnston is a native of Gulfport, MS and will continue his baseball career next season in the Gulf South Conference with Delta State University.

The second member representing MCC on the 1^st Team was sophomore Dalton Thomas of Grenada, MS. Thomas finished the season with a .323 batting average and led the squad in three different offensive categories. Thomas led the team in home runs (8), doubles (15), and RBI’s (43). Thomas will continue his baseball career in 2016 by playing for former MCC head coach Chris Curry at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.

Goose Yates, Matt Berler, Austin Harrison, and Dustin Smith also received recognition on Tuesday by being named members of the 2015 MACJC 2^nd Team. Yates is a native of Gulfport, MS and played most of his games at third base during the regular season for the Eagles. Yates finished the season with a .338 batting average, five home runs, and 15 doubles. Yates also saw some time on the mound for the Eagles as well by collecting a pair of saves out of the bullpen. Yates will play college baseball next season at the University of New Orleans after helping lead MCC to a postseason appearance in 2015.

Matt Berler finished his freshman season for the Eagles with very impressive offensive numbers to earn him a spot on the 2^nd Team. Berler hit .364 in 2015 with 52 hits, and finished the season with a spectacular .981 fielding percentage at second base. Berler is a native of Birmingham, AL and played his high school baseball at Spain Park.

Austin Harrison also had a solid first season in an MCC uniform by totaling some impressive numbers on the mound. The former Neshoba Central star went 5-2 for the season with a 2.68 ERA. Harrison also tossed two complete games and one of those came in the postseason against East Central Community College.

Dustin Smith was the final member of the 2^nd Team representing Meridian that was named by the league on Tuesday. Smith is a native of Richland, MS and completed the year by hitting .339 with 12 doubles, and three home runs. Smith also finished the season with a .989 fielding percentage at first base and also saw some action on the mound for the Eagles.

MCC finished the 2015 season with a 33-17 overall record and made an appearance in postseason play after finishing in the top four among all of the junior colleges in the state of Mississippi. The Eagles also finished the season on high marks in the classroom by compiling a team GPA of 3.56 and four of the players finished with High Honors. Dustin Smith, Chance McDonald, Bryant Johnston, and Jared Savell each finished the year with High Honors and all four were induced into the Circle of Excellence. Savell was also recognized by graduating from the prestigious MCC Honor’s College at the 2015 MCC Spring Graduation last Friday night.

MCC Track Posts Championship Run

Hutchinson, KS - MCC entered the 2015 NJCAA Outdoor National Championships in Hutchinson, KS with high aspirations after going in as the 15th ranked team in the country and it didn't disappoint.

MCC saw a 1-2 finish Saturday in the 100 meters with Kendrick Smith claiming his second National Championship this year with a time of 10.46, while Chris Lewis finished second in the event with a time of 10.57. Smith and Lewis entered the final after posting times of 10.25 and 10.29 in the prelims on Friday.

"What Kendrick and Chris did the last two days is extremely impressive to do as freshmen," said Head Coach Chip Gayden. "We had to deal with a weather delay right before the race today and they handled it like upper class men and didn't let it bother them."

MCC rounded out their first year back with two National Championships, nine school records and top 20 finishes at both the Indoor and Outdoor National Championship Meets.

MCC Basketball Star Inks With William Carey

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College men’s basketball team held a special signing ceremony on Thursday afternoon at the Graham Gymnasium to wish one of its players the best in the future. Sophomore Brandon Daniels signed a scholarship on Thursday afternoon with William Carey University to play next season for the Crusaders in Hattiesburg, MS.

Daniels leaves MCC after a stellar 2014-2015 season that saw the Sontag, MS native put up impressive number for the Eagles. Daniels finished his sophomore season at MCC by leading the team with 19.1 points per game and was second on the team with 6.9 rebounds per contest. Daniels was named a member of the All-Region Team and was also recognized as a member of the 1^st Team All-MACJC squad for the 2014-2015 season. Daniels was also invited to play in the 2015 MACJC All-Star Game that was held earlier this spring.

Daniels will look to boost the Crusaders next season who finished the 2014-2015 campaign with a 20-11 overall record. Daniels becomes the second player in the past two seasons to play basketball at William Carey University as Corey Brister signed to play with the Crusaders this past season.

MCC Basketball Star Inks With Southern University

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College basketball program held a special signing ceremony on Tuesday afternoon inside the Graham Gymnasium for one of the most decorated players in school history. Sophomore sensation Miaya Crowder inked a scholarship on Tuesday afternoon to play at Southern University with supporters in attendance. Crowder is a native of Duluth, GA and leaves MCC as one of the best players in recent memory.

Crowder helped guide the Lady Eagles to a pair of postseason appearances while at MCC and one of those was a runner-up finish at the 2015 MACJC State Tournament. Crowder finished her  MCC career by averaging 16.2 points per game and 11.3 rebounds per contest. The Lady Eagles finished the 2014-2015 season with a 17-11 record which earned Crowder a spot on the 2014-2015 MACJC All-State Team. Crowder was also named a member of the MACJC All-State squad during her freshman season at Meridian. Crowder was also chosen to play in the 2015 MACJC All-Star game and was named the MVP of the game after leading the South squad to an 85-69 victory. Crowder led the way in the victory for the South with 17 points which earned her MVP honors at the event.

Crowder also finished her career by receiving All-Region honors in both of her seasons at Meridian. Crowder will take her talents to Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA which finished last season with a 19-12 record and a 15-3 mark in SWAC competition.

MCC Baseball Set For MACJC State Baseball Tournament

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College baseball team is in the middle of preparation for the 2015 MACJC State Tournament which is set to begin on Thursday in Raymond, MS on the campus of Hinds Community College. A possible seven games will be held over the three-day period with the top three schools from this weekend's event advancing to the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament next weekend in Eunice, La.

Meridian will draw the top seeded Hinds Community College Eagles in its opening round game which is set for Thursday evening beginning at 6 p.m. MCC played Hinds just over a week ago for opportunity to clinch the 2015 MACJC regular season title, but were swept (4-11, 8-13) at the hands of Hinds. Hinds is coming off a two-game sweep over Southwest Community College on Friday and Saturday, while Meridian was taken to the limit by East Central Community College before claiming the series in game three on Saturday by a final score of 11-1.

No. 16 East Mississippi Community College (28-14), which defeated Mississippi Delta Community College in the MACJC first round, and Northwest Community College (30-13), which defeated Jones County Junior College over the weekend, will meet in the opening game of the tournament at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

All four teams in this weekend's state tournament served as hosts for last weekend's best two-of-three series due to each team finishing in the top four overall in the MACJC regular season standings, with Hinds finishing first, trailed by East Mississippi in second, Northwest in third place and Meridian in fourth place.

A pair of elimination games are scheduled for Friday, with the losing teams in games one and two meeting at 11 a.m. The loser of that contest ends their season while the victor secures a spot in the regionals and in the 6 p.m. elimination game later that evening.

The two winners of Thursday's matchups hit the diamond at 2:30 p.m. with a berth to the title game on the line. The loser of that game must bounce back quickly with a final elimination game booked for a 6 p.m. start on Friday evening.

The 2015 MACJC State Championship game will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday with an if necessary contest to follow at approximately 6 p.m. The MCC games are scheduled to be broadcasted on radio by simply tuning to 106.9 The Eagle which is the campus radio station of Meridian Community College.