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HALBROOK AWARDS RECOGNIZE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS

11/7/2024 - Jackson, Miss.

Student-athletes from Mississippi's public, private, two-year and four-year postsecondary institutions were honored today for their achievements in the classroom with the annual Halbrook Awards. The program also 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 business meeting of the Mississippi Association of Colleges and Universities (MAC), which brings together presidents and chancellors of the state’s postsecondary institutions.

Mississippi College President Dr. Blake Thompson, who served as the 2023-2024 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 academic achievement for the women’s division and the men’s division. This year's recipients include:

  • Community College Men’s Division:
    • Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
  • Community College Women’s Division:
    • Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
  • Independent College and University Men’s Division:
    • Belhaven University
  • Independent College and University Women’s Division:
    • William Carey University
  • Public University Men’s Division:
    • Delta State University
  • Public University Women’s Division:
    • Alcorn State University

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 Hinds Community 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.

David M. Halbrook Certificate for Academic Achievement Recipients:
Public University Division
Institution Male Recipient Female Recipient
Alcorn State University Kole Williams Arene Iyekekpolar
Delta State University Jesse Cole Kirk Raegan Paige Stafford
Jackson State University Cameron Lewis Trinity Bryant
Mississippi State University Clifford Clegg Madelynn Anderson
Mississippi University for Women Andrew Shepherd Camryn Johnson
Mississippi Valley State University Antonio Walker Stormy Green
University of Mississippi Lukas Engelhardt Olivia Womack
University of Southern Mississippi Matt Adams Hannah Borden
Independent College and University Division
Institution Male Recipient Female Recipient
Belhaven University Judah Jordan Ashaunti Barnes Jones
Millsaps College Graham Harrison Molli Perry
William Carey University Warren Alex Beeler Kinley Hogue
Community and Junior College Division
Institution Male Recipient Female Recipient
Coahoma Community College Reginald Rodges, II Halie Barrett
Copiah-Lincoln Community College Jordan McKenzie Zykeria Cole
East Central Community College Jeffrey Parker Martin Lauren Dunbar
East Mississippi Community College Trace Beard Kylah Bell
Hinds Community College Jayden Averhart Lucy Warner
Holmes Community College Cole Moudy Lillian Harvey
Itawamba Community College Benjamin Orr Lauren Brown
Jones College Hilton Banks McNair Annalyn Housley
Meridian Community College Issac James Phallyn Clark
Mississippi Delta Community College John Paul Allen Katelyn Coleman
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Joseph Bradford Kendall Burn
Northeast Mississippi Community College Guy Gillespie Ellen Kelley
Pearl River Community College Tucker Smith Jessica Lawrence
Southwest Mississippi Community College Jackson Stanford Kaitlyn Williams

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 and his brothers, John C. and James G. Halbrook of Belzoni, Mississippi, 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.

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