10/6/2022 - Jackson, Miss.
Student athletes from Mississippi's public, private, two-year and four-year postsecondary institutions were honored this week for their achievements in the classroom with the annual Halbrook Awards, presented at the Mississippi Association of Colleges and Universities (MAC) business meeting, held this week in Tupelo. 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, faculty and administrators.
Itawamba Community College President Dr. Jay Allen, who served as the 2021-2022 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:
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 Pearl River Community College.
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 | Santiago Rocca | Mikayla Shaughnessy |
| Delta State University | Jacob Barlow | Kailyn Lofton |
| Jackson State University | Devontae Rhodes | Ameshya Williams-Holiday |
| Mississippi State University | Luke Zacharias | Mia Davidson |
| Mississippi University for Women | - | - |
| Mississippi Valley State Univ. | Johnathan Yandrich | Ronni Williams |
| University of Mississippi | Simon Junk | Madeleine King |
| University of Southern Mississippi | Andrew Boyd | Monique Burton |
| Independent College and University Division | ||
| Institution | Male Recipient | Female Recipient |
| Belhaven University | Charles W. Ballou | Kourtne Lee |
| Blue Mountain College | Will Long | Olivia Chadwell |
| Millsaps College | - | - |
| Mississippi College | Stephen Hunter Kurz | Anna Valiaeva |
| Rust College | Roderick Gaines | Shia Moore |
| Tougaloo College | - | - |
| William Carey University | Joao Vitor | McKinley Seal |
| Community and Junior College Division | ||
| Institution | Male Recipient | Female Recipient |
| Coahoma Community College | - | - |
| Copiah-Lincoln Community College | Louis Kenner Bizot IV | Shelbi Leann |
| East Central Community College | Ian Christian Gordon | Annabelle Christine Miller |
| East Miss. Community College | Wesley Sides | Kaitlynn Stroud |
| Hinds Community College | Billy Guevara-Gonzalez | Sadie Parker |
| Holmes Community College | Heath McBride | Shelby Lindsay |
| Itawamba Community College | Dillard Emison | Kayla Young |
| Jones College | Kenneth Mack | Rebekah Baugh |
| Meridian Community College | Brock Butler | Madison Claire Benson |
| Miss. Delta Community College | Kieran Theriot | Mary Scott Lofton |
| Miss. Gulf Coast Comm. College | Chase Kaiser | Kristian Jones |
| Northeast Miss. Comm. College | Thomas Branyan | Dempsie Lindsey |
| Northwest Miss. Comm. College | Landon Rogers | Laila Armstrong |
| Pearl River Community College | Ryan Burt | Erin Clifford |
| Southwest Miss. Comm. College | Nicholas Weir | Renne Harris |
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 through 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.
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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.
John Sewell
Director of Communications
Telephone: 601.432.6333
