The 47th Annual Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Banquet will be Friday, June 21, at 6 p.m. at the Hilton Hotel in Jackson off County Line Road and I-55 North.
The MAC Coaches Hall of Fame was created in 1973.
A number of area coaches have been named to the MAC Coaches Hall of Fame and tapped for coach of the year honors.
The MAC Hall of Fame Class of 2019 includes:
* Coach M. C. Miller is an acclaimed championship football coach and athletic director who coached programs at Noxubee County and Louisville High. Born in Louisville, M. C. was an All-Big Eight football and basketball star at Camile High who achieved his college degrees at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, and at Alcorn. Coach Miller launched his 45-year coaching career at Noxubee County. He would later leave for Louisville High before returning to Noxubee County and then back to Louisville where he present coaches. As assistant coach and head coach, his football teams combined for 11 district titles, 5 North State crowns, and 5 State Championships. M. C. led Noxubee County to the 2008 state championships and Louisville High to 4 state titles in 1991, 1993, 2013, and 2018. Coach Miller’s gridiron squads had a mark of 282 wins, 131 losses, and 4 ties. He is a 10-time coach of the year recipient as honored by the district, the Clarion Ledger, the Commercial Dispatch, the MAC, and the Army Bowl. He was head coach in the 2003 Bernard Blackwell All-Star Classic and in the 2010 Mississippi/Alabama All-Star game.
* Coach Geary Jackson is an outstanding championship basketball and track coach who led programs at Waynesboro Central, Wayne County, Meridian High, and Wayne Academy. A native of Waynesboro and graduate of Waynesboro Central and Southern Miss, he started his 35-year coaching career at his alma mater at Waynesboro Central. Coach Jackson paced the Waynesboro Central boys basketball team to 6 district crowns, 4 South State titles, and 2 state championships in 1981 and 1983. He guided the girls’ basketball squad to 6 district titles and 4 conference championships. Geary paced the boys and girls track programs and coached the boys’ team to 11 district titles, 7 conference championships, and the 1983 South State title. His girls team won 6 district and 4 conference titles. He coached Wayne County to 2 conference titles in boys track and the girl’s hoops team to 1 district title. After coaching at Meridian, he returned to Wayne County and Wayne Academy. Overall, Coach Jackson led his boys’ basketball squads to 10 district crowns, 5 South State titles, and 2 state championships while racking up 679 wins and 247 losses. His boys track teams captured 12 district titles, 9 conference championships, and 1 South State title. His girls track teams earned 7 district titles and 4 conference championships. He is a three-time coach in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Classic in 1993, 2002, and 2003 and coached in the Mississippi High School All-Star game in 1983. Geary served on the MAC Board of Directors for 15 years and was vice president in 1998 and president in 1999.
* Coach Ken Bramlett guided championship football programs at Clinton, Forest, Mississippi College, Prentiss, and Northwest Community College. A native of Jefferson, Texas, he lettered in football and baseball at Perkinston Junior College and Mississippi College before starting his 25-year coaching career. In two stints at Forest High, he led his teams to two Little Dixie Conference championships in 1959 and 1969. He coached at Mississippi College and Prentiss High before joining the JUCO ranks as athletic director and head football coach at Northwest Community College. Coach Bramlett guided his JUCO and high school teams to a record of 92 wins, 69 losses, and 4 ties. He is a two-time Little Dixie Conference Coach of the Year who served as President of the conference and a member of the MAC Board of Directors. Ken was inducted into the Mississippi College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003.
* Coach Junior Graham is a highly successful championship football coach and athletic director who led programs at Duck Hill, Winona, Weir, Eupora, Winston Academy, and Winona Christian School. Born in Greenville, Coach Graham is a graduate of Ethel High and Mississippi State who started his 31-year coaching career as an assistant at Duck Hill. After coaching at Winona High, he arrived at Weir where he would pace the Lions football team to 4 district titles, 3 North State crowns, and the 2003 Class 1A State championship. Junior then guided Eupora to 3 district titles and the 2012 North State championship. He coached at Winston Academy before leading Winona Christian to 2 district titles. Coach Graham’s football teams compiled a record of 182 wins and 57 losses while claiming 8 district titles, 4 North State crowns, and 1 state championship. The 8-time district coach of the year was an assistant coach in 2004, the head coach in 2012, and the scout coach in 2011 in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Football Classic. He was an assistant coach in 2002, head coach in 2006, and scout coach in 2010 in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star football classic. He is a distinguished MAC member who served as vice president in 2009 and president in 2010.
* Coach Kenny Robinson is a versatile and high successful championship coach who has spent his entire coaching career at Mize High. A native of Raleigh, he graduated from Raleigh High, Southern Miss, and William Carey. He entered the coaching ranks in 1981 at Mize High where he would remain for the next 38 years until 2018. Kenny has coached football, basketball, track, cross country, golf, tennis, and softball for the Mize Bulldogs. He has the distinction of coaching in 466 consecutive football games and has never missed any high school game in any sport he coached at Mize. Coach Robinson led Mize to 10 district titles, 2 South State crowns, and two Class 1A State Championships in 2000 and 2004. His football teams had 192 wins and 89 losses with a district record of 88-19 including 22 consecutive playoff appearances with 20 winning seasons. Kenny’s best Mize football team was the 2004 squad that finished a perfect 15-0, was ranked no. 1 in the AP Little Ten, and led all Mississippi high schools in offense. During his career, Coach Robinson received 16 coach of the year honors including 10 district awards and recognition from the MAC, the Clarion Ledger, the Laurel Leader Call, the Taylorsville Post, and WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg. He served as assistant coach in 1996 and head coach in 2005 in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star Classic. He was an assistant coach in 2001, head coach in 2007, and administrative coach in 2017 and 2018 in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Classic. Kenny served in numerous capacities with the MAC including a term as vice president in 2007 and president in 2008.
In addition to the Coaches Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, the MAC will also present their annual coaching and service awards.
MAC 2019 Coaches of the Year
Archery Josh Tigner, Mantachie
Athletic Director Anthony Jenkins, DeSoto County
Baseball Joe Hartfield, Hattiesburg
Girls Basketball Kenyon Ross, Louisville
Boys Basketball Greg Carter, Starkville
Girls Bowling Joey Blount, Neshoba Central
Boys Bowling Michael Lee, Kossuth
Girls Cross Country Timothy McDaniel, St. Patrick
Boys Cross Country Jackie Hill, Kossuth
Football Brad Embry, Water Valley
Girls Golf Greg Perry, Germantown
Boys Golf Steve Herring, Oxford
Girls Powerlifting Josh Ladner, D’Iberville
Boys Powerlifting Logan Fallo, Gulfport
Girls Soccer Alex George, West Lauderdale
Boys Soccer Henrik Madsen, Gulfport
Fast Pitch Softball Phyllis Hicks, DeSoto Central
Slow Pitch Softball Adam Patterson, South Pontotoc
Swimming Lauri Collins, St. Joseph
Tennis Debbie Swindoll, Lafayette
Girls Track Greg Warnick, Tupelo Christian
Boys Track Linda Allen, Northside
Volleyball Mike Meyers, Our Lady Academy
