About Contact Careers News
Public Relations
HALBROOK AWARDS RECOGNIZE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS AT MISSISSIPPI'S PUBLIC, PRIVATE, TWO-YEAR, FOUR-YEAR POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS

12/10/2021 - Jackson, Miss.

Student athletes from Mississippi's public, private, two-year and four-year postsecondary institutions were honored recently for their achievements in the classroom with the annual Halbrook Awards, presented at the Mississippi Association of Colleges and Universities (MAC) business meeting, held recently using an online meeting platform. The program recognizes colleges and universities that achieve and maintain high academic standards for student athletes, thus encouraging high graduation rates. The award was endowed by former Mississippi Representative David Halbrook Sr. and his brothers in honor of their parents.

The awards were announced during the annual MAC Conference, which brings together attendees from across the state serving in postsecondary institutions in roles including presidents and chancellors, chief academic officers, chief student affairs officers, chief financial officers, admissions officers, institutional effectiveness officers, faculty and administrators. Due to COVID-19, the MAC Conference was held virtually this year.

Blue Mountain College President Dr. Barbara McMillin, who served as the 2020-2021 president of the MAC Board of Directors, announced the awards.

The David M. Halbrook (traveling) Trophy awards are presented to the colleges and universities with the highest percentage of graduating student athletes. This year's recipients include:

  • Community and Junior College Division:
    • Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
  • Independent College and University Division:
    • Mississippi College
  • Public University Women's Division:
    • (Tie) Mississippi State University
    • The University of Southern Mississippi
  • Public University Men's Division:
    • Alcorn State University

Student Athlete Certificate Recipients:

David M. Halbrook Certificate Award for Academic Achievement Among Athletes
Public University Division
Institution Male Recipient Female Recipient
Alcorn State University Jarius Colley Kiana Allen
Delta State University Giulio Brugnoni Lucia Martelli
Jackson State University Charles C. McClelland Kayla Owens
Mississippi State University Gary Griffin Agent Elanor Grimwood
Mississippi University for Women Coleman Suber Anna Kate O'Bryant
Mississippi Valley State Univ. Mychael Jamison Tiara DeRosa
University of Mississippi Tim Elko Madeleine King
University of Southern Mississippi Swayze Bozeman JoAnnie Ramos Aleman
Independent College and University Division
Institution Male Recipient Female Recipient
Belhaven University Reed Vincent Ellie Brooker
Blue Mountain College Owen J. Hill Annie Lusby
Millsaps College Newlon Gillihan Katelyn Norse
Mississippi College Zach Jones Alexa Laurendine
Rust College Saul Gonzaez-Nucete Tianna Smith
Tougaloo College Tyler Hickman Morgan Hunter
William Carey University Magruder O'Bannon McKinley Seal
Community and Junior College Division
Institution Male Recipient Female Recipient
Coahoma Community College Charles Yates Millay Lambert
Copiah-Lincoln Community College William Lawson Harkins Morgan Alexandria McCray
East Central Community College Robert Jonathan Holifield Sidney Elaine Rone
East Miss. Community College Ian Richard Lillian Ramsey
Hinds Community College Ethan Thomas Boyd Rebecca Anne Blackwell
Holmes Community College Edwin Herard Laney Smith
Itawamba Community College Noah Locastro Hannah Henry
Jones College Zachary Diaz Katherine Wallace
Meridian Community College John Etheridge Sophie Roberts
Miss. Delta Community College Tailor Anderson Danielle Tedder
Miss. Gulf Coast Comm. College Deon Travis Kristina Georgieva
Northeast Miss. Comm. College Austin Shaw Williette Kingdom
Northwest Miss. Comm. College Ryan Cade Spratlin Katelyn Rock
Pearl River Community College Graham Crawford Sydney Runnels
Southwest Miss. Comm. College Joshua Thomas Bailey Anna Claire Crow

The John C. and Ernestine McCall Halbrook Improvement Award is a cash award presented to the single college or university that has shown the greatest increase over the previous year in the percentage of athletes graduating. This year's recipient is Rust College.

The David M. Halbrook Certificate for Academic Achievement Among Athletes recognizes the efforts of individual student athletes who excel in academics, leadership and service. Each college or university selected a male and female student athlete to receive this recognition.

The Halbrook Award for Academic Achievement Among Athletes was established in 1984 as a result of the passage of House Concurrent Resolution No. 88. The awards program is made possible through endowments from former Representative David M. Halbrook of Belzoni and his brothers, John C. and James G. Halbrook of Belzoni and J. A. Halbrook of Beaumont, Texas, in honor of their parents, John C. and Ernestine McCall Halbrook.

# # #

The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.

News Archive