ITTA BENA -- Mississippi Valley State is set to induct 13 new members into the MVSU Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 14, at 6 p.m. at the Harrison HPER Complex.
Tickets will be available at the door for $35. Kids aged 12 and under may enter for free.
The selected inductees for the 2011 Hall of Fame include:
Keith Ballard, ’92 – Football/Track
Robert Chapman, ’66 – Baseball
Michael Dean, ’85 – Football
Murray Dixon, ’65 – Football
William Ford, ’65 – Baseball/Basketball
Winfred Hawkins, ’70 – Football
Vanessa Harris Morris, ’94 – Basketball
Ashley Robinson, ’03 – Basketball
Jeff Stanciel, ’69 – Football
Carol “Nicey” Williams Stewart, ’85 – Track & Field
Hardy Thorne, ’71 – Baseball/Golf
Donna White, ’94 – Basketball
L.T. Williams, ’67 – Football
Ashley Robinson was a four-year letterman at Mississippi Valley State University and is the single season and career record holder in assists at the school. The Jackson, Miss. native dished out 601 assists at Valley. During his junior campaign, he averaged 13.5 points and 6.0 assists per game. He followed it up with another remarkable year during his senior season, averaging 11.3 points and 5.7 assists. Robinson was also named MVSU Athlete of the Year in 2002 and received the President’s Scholar Award that same year.
Robinson currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of Athletic Compliance and Academic Advising at Prairie View A&M University. He has previously worked at Delaware State, Jackson State and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Robinson is an active member of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A), NCAA Division I Legislative Council, NCAA DI External Advisory Group and the National Association for Athletic Compliance (NAAC). He also is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., the Black Coaches Association (BCA) the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) and the Mo Williams (member of Cleveland Cavaliers) Foundation.
Michael Dean was a member of the “Tons of Fun” offensive line, blocking for MVSU greats Willie Totten and Jerry Rice. Seven games into the 1984 season, Totten had been sacked only four times thanks to Dean and his teammates. In all, the offensive line weighed 1,400 pounds. Dean helped block for one of the most prolific passing attacks in NCAA history. In 1984, MVSU broke the record for most passing yards per game in a season (455.7) behind the blocking of “Tons of Fun.”
Carol Williams-Stewart burned up the track during her time at MVSU, earning Most Outstanding Freshman, MVP and Most Oustanding during her 4 ½ years at the school. Williams-Stewart’s main event was the 400 meter dash, in which she racked up numerous championships. She was named All-American three times during her time at Valley.
She anchored the 1600 meter relay, the sprint medley relay, the 800 meter relay and was second leg for the 400 meter relay. She also ran the 200 meter dash. Stewart, along with two of her teammates, still hold a 400 meter relay record.
Outside of athletics, Stewart has served as a correctional officer, recreation director for South Mississippi Regional Center and unit director for the Boys and Girls Club of Jackson County. Currently, she serves as a physical education and health instructor for the Pascagoula School District.
Hardy Thorne Jr. attended Mississippi Valley State College from 1967-1971. He lettered in baseball, basketball, golf and track. He was starting pitcher for Valley and pitched several one-hit games during his tenure. Afterwards, Thorne played semi-pro baseball in Hattiesburg and Greenwood.
Thorne previously coached basketball and football at Runnelstown and New Augusta High School in Pery County. He retired in 2010, with 37 years of service as a lead lineman from the Mississippi Power Company in Hattiesburg.
Hardy and his wife, Arneda, have been married for 41 years. They have three children: Hardy III, Monique Crowell and Monica Hathorn.
L.T. Williams lettered in football for three seasons at MVSU. He was voted Most Outstanding Freshman Athlete in 1964. Since leaving MVSU, Williams has served in numerous capacities, including head varsity women’s coach at Jarvis Christian College, director at Albany Parks and Recreation Community Center and assistant manager for Lindsey’s Property and Golf Resort in Conway, Ark.
He was named Teacher/Coach of the Year at Maben High School in 1989. He also coached a student in 1988 who currently holds the state track record in the 300 Meter Low Hurdles.
William Ford spent four years at Valley on a baseball scholarship from 1961-65. He was named MVP during his senior campaign and was a team captain. In 1966, he began his teaching career at Choctaw County High School, where his basketball teams were state runners-up in 1968 and state champion in 1969.
He has since coached basketball, football and baseball at Eupora High School and Ackerman High School. At Ackerman, he was an assistant football coach for a team that won a state championship and finished runners-up twice. He has also served as an assistant principal at Ackerman High. At Ackerman, his girls basketball team won the district and finished fourth in the state.
He currently works as the head girls basketball coach at Eupora High.
Donna White spent four years dominating on the MVSU women’s basketball team from 1989-1994. She was named SWAC Player of the Week twice during her freshman campaign and followed it up with a phenomenal career at Valley. He averaged 17.6 points and 11.1 rebounds during her sophomore season before putting up 16.0 points and 10.1 rebounds her junior season. She saved the best for last, averaging 17.6 points and 12.3 boards in final season as a Devilette. During her stint in Itta Bena, she was named first team All-SWAC, SWAC All-Tournament, 1993 SWAC Tournament MVP and Black College All-American.
After leaving MVSU, White furthered her basketball career overseas in Sweden, Europe. White eventually went into a law enforcement career for the next 11 years before becoming an educator in 2004 at Thomastown Attendance Center and later at Carthage Junior High School – currently known as Leake Central Junior High. At Leake, she worked as a science teacher and head basketball coach for the both the girls and boys basketball team.
Winfred Hawkins played football four years at MVSU on both sides of the ball. He suited up at running back, wide receiver, punter, special teams and tight end. He went on to sign with the Pittsburg Steelers as a defensive back. He played for the Norfolk Neptune of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Texarkana Titans of the Texas Football League. Following his football career, Hawkins spent 33 years with the Department of Defense, where he retired as a Integrated Logistics Manager for the Projects Managers Office of Tactical Wheeled Vehicles at the U.S. Army-Tank Automotive Command (TACOM) located in Warren, Mich.
He currently resides in Texarkana, Ark., where he spends time with his mother, aunt and uncle when he’s not on the golf course.
Robert “Tiger Bob” Chapman was a standout pitcher for the MVSU baseball team during the 1960s. He lettered three years and was awarded Most Outstanding Pitcher. After graduating from Valley, Chapman taught school, coached baseball and umpired in Mississippi and Arkansas from 1966-1980. He received his Master’s Degree in Education Administration from the University of Central Arkansas in 1980. He served as an administrator in Mississippi and Arkansas from 1980-2009. He served as transportation director for the South Panola School District during the time the district was recognized as one of the top 10 fleets in the U.S. by the National School Bus Fleet magazine.
Chapman retired in 2009 and now spends his time playing golf, gardening and raising beef cattle on his farm in Batesville. He has been married to Willie Marie Cook for 45 years and they have two daughters: Chari Chapman Sutherland and Amberly Chapman.
Murray Dixon was a member of the MVSU football team from 1961-65. He earned several awards including Best Defense (1963), All-SWAC (1963 and 1964) and Best Offense (1964). Dixon left MVSU and made a name for himself in the coaching profession in Mississippi high school sports. He has served as head track coach, head basketball coach and assistant football coach at Water Valley High School. His resume also includes time as an assistant principal, science teacher and supervisor of playground activities for the Oxford Park Commission.
In 1991, Dixon was honored with the Mississippi Association of Coaches Distinguished Coaching Award. He also has been awarded the Mississippi Association of Coaches Service Award four times – 1985, 1994, 2000 and 2007.
Jeff Stanciel spent four years at Valley (1965-69) after being recruited from Amanda Elzy High School in Greenwood. Stanciel played running back for the Delta Devils and was named Most Improved, Best Running Back, Best Offense and MVP during his stint in Itta Bena.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical science before playing five seasons of professional football. The Moorhead, Miss. native played for the Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Capitols and the Columbus Bucks of the Mid-West Continental Football League from 1969-1974.
From 1975-2007, he worked at the Atlanta Bureau of Recreation under several titles including the latest, Recreation Facility Manager. Stanciel is currently a resident of Atlanta, where he helps support the fundraising efforts of the MVSU Alumni Chapter.
Vanessa Morris (Harris) earned letters in both women’s basketball and volleyball during her four-year stint at MVSU. Morris, who played for legendary coach Jesse Harris, racked up numerous awards including 1993 All-SWAC Tournament team, 1994 All-SWAC team, and 1994 NCAA Foundation and Entergy Corporation – Mississippi State Student-Athlete of the Year. Morris was also a member of the 1993 SWAC Tournament championship team.
Other awards include: MVSU Hustle Award, Most Improved, MVSU Best Free Throw Percentage, Devilette Award, Cottie Sanders Scholarship Award, MVSU Leadership Award, and MVSU President
Scholar Award (4.0 GPA).
Morris graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1994 and currently resides in Richmond, Texas with her husband Eddie Morris and two children, Evan and Quinton Morris.
Keith Ballard made a name for himself in both track and field and football during his time at Valley from 1988-92. The Baton Rouge, La. resident earned first place in the SWAC 400 meters and 1500 meters. He was twice named an Academic All-American. Nickanmed “Quick6” for his electrifying performances as a returner, Ballard went on to a successful career in minor league football. He was a member of the team that won the first ever World Indoor Football League championship. In seven seasons, he racked up 220 pass breakups, 22 forced fumbles, 462 tackles and 34 interceptions. He also set the IFL single game return record. Ballard was previously inducted into the American Football Association (AFA) Hall of Fame.
He is currently the CEO of World Youth Explosions.
