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Halbrook Awards recognize academic excellence in athletics at Mississippi’s public, private, two-year, four-year postsecondary institutions

Halbrook Awards recognize academic excellence in athletics at Mississippi’s public, private, two-year, four-year postsecondary institutions

Contact: Caron Blanton

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 recognizescolleges 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 are usually presented 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 not held this year.

University of Mississippi Chancellor Dr. Glenn Boyce, who served as the 2019-2020 president of the MAC Board of Directors, presented 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:
    • (Tie) Itawamba Community College and
    • Northwest Mississippi Community College
  • Independent College and University Division:
    • Millsaps College
  • Public University Women's Division:
    • (Tie) ݮƵ
    • 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 Division

Institution

Male Recipient

Female Recipient

Alcorn State University

Troymain Crosby

Joda Hargrove

Delta State University

Zach Zediker

Olivia Dick

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Curtis Thompson

Makayla Waldner

Mississippi University for Women

Jacob Thomas

Haley McMurphey

Mississippi Valley State University

Brandon Hawkins

Derica Pitters

University of Mississippi

Andrew Raspo

Emily Stroup

University of Southern Mississippi

Alex Nelms

Ashley C. Favors

Independent Division

Institution

Male Recipient

Female Recipient

Belhaven University

Mayowa “Mario” Asaggunla

Marie Blackwell

Blue Mountain College

James Shea

Aubrey Leah Johnson

Millsaps College

Brandon Beck

Payton Passantino

Mississippi College

Jonathan J. Jones

Emily S. McNair

Rust College

Saul Gonzale-Nucete

Miriah Medina

Tougaloo College

Ledarius Woods

Kayelyn Salley

William Carey University

Jacob Plocher

Mallory Thompson

Community and Junior College Division

Institution

Male Recipient

Female Recipient

Coahoma Community College

Tyler Berryhill

Skyler Sistrunk

Copiah-Lincoln Comm. College

Kylar Fielder

Katelyn Anne Hayman

East Central Community College

Dylan Barnett

Kailee Swindle

East Mississippi Comm. College

Josh Smith

Lillian Burton

Hinds Community College

David Millard Rimer

Johannah Grace Ballenger

Holmes Community College

Caden Pinnix

Ja'Laycia Brown

Itawamba Community College

Clayton O’Daniel

Grace Joyce

Jones College

James McWilliams

Araceli Figueroa

Meridian Community College

Bradley Wright

Racheal VanHorn

MS Delta Community College

Jackson Vance

Tyra Hudson

MS Gulf Coast Comm. College

John Hopkins

Chloe Fell

Northeast MS Comm. College

Carson Banks

Austin Shaw

Katelin Senter

Northwest MS Comm. College

Gregory Smith

Lindsay Hall

Pearl River Community College

Ronald Baker

Zigi Ahortor

Southwest MS Comm. College

Ryan Black

Jade Laham

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 isTougaloo 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.

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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; ݮƵ including the ݮƵ 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.