Congratulations to the Coaches who have been selected for induction into the MAC Hall of Fame!
The 2025 MAC Hall of Fame Banquet is scheduled for Friday, June 20, 2025 at 6 PM at the Sheraton Refuge Hotel in Flowood, MS.
Click here to view the Press Release.
 Coach Doug Blakeney
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Coach Doug Blakeney is a longtime championship coach who coached several sports at New Hope, St. John, Gautier, Pascagoula, Moss Point, Ocean Springs, and Biloxi. Born in Yazoo City, Doug grew up on a farm in Sylvarena and attended Sylvarena Elementary where he was a MVP baseball and basketball player and had perfect attendance. He lettered in baseball, football, and track at Raleigh High where he was voted Most Friendliest, Most Courteous, and Vice President of the Senior Class. He participated in baseball, track and football at Jones Junior College from 1968 to 1970. He achieved his college degrees at Mississippi State, William Carey College, and Southern Miss. He began his 43-year coaching career at New Hope where he started the junior high boys track program while he was practice teaching. He coached baseball, girls’ basketball, and football at St. John from 1973 to 1974 where his baseball team won the District, South State, and was state runner-up in the Class B baseball championships. From 1974 to 1978, he coached boys track & field, football, and baseball at Gautier and Pascagoula where he guided an undefeated middle school football team and captured city championships in track & field. Coaching at Moss Point from 1979 to 1981, Doug coached baseball and football and his baseball team won the Coast Zone Big Eight title, the South State Big Eight crown, and finished as state runner-up in 1980. Upon arrival at Ocean Springs in 1981, he created a powerhouse track & field and cross country program for the Greyhounds. Doug’s girls’ cross country teams captured 20 district titles, had state runner-up finishes 8 times, and claimed 12 state championships. He coached 5 girl’s individual state champions, 70 all-state performers, and 137 all-district runners for girls’ cross country. His boys’ cross country squads won 16 district crowns, finished as state runner-up 8 times, and won 2 state championships in 1996 and 1998. Doug coached 3 individual state champions, 38 all-state performers and 114 all-district runners. Coach Blakeney’s Ocean Springs girls track & field teams claimed four district titles, one South State crown, and 5 Gulf Coast Conference championships. He guided individual state champions for the 100 meter hurdles, 300 meter hurdles, 1600 meter run, 3200 meter run, high jump, discus, and shot put. Doug’s boys track & field teams had 2 district titles and individual state champions in the 200 meter dash, 400 meter dash, 800 meter run, 1600 meter run, 3200 meter run and shot put. Overall, Coach Blakeney led Ocean Springs cross country and track teams from 1981 to 2011 to 5 conference titles, 42 district crowns, 16 state runner-up finishes, and 14 state championships. Doug’s coaching accolades are numerous including being named district coach of the year, three MAC Coach of the Year Awards, and the National Federation of High Schools Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2000. He has served as color commentator and analyst for the MHSAA Cross Country championships and was instrumental working and officiating invitational, district, and regional meets at Long Beach, Moss Point, and George County. In 2015, he returned to Biloxi High as head girls track & field coach and guided another state champion in shot put. He has a long list of community recognitions including having the Ocean Springs physical education department being recognized as the top high school by the Governor’s Council in 1995. Along with his MAC Hall of Fame membership, Coach Blakeney was inducted into the Ocean Springs Sports Hall of Fame in 2020. |
Coach Sheila Sullivan Hickman
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Coach Sheila Sullivan Hickman led championship girls’ basketball programs at Holmes Community College and Louisville High for over three decades. Born in Macon, Sheila was a three-time all-district, all-North State, all-Choctaw Conference, and all-state basketball star at Louisville High who led her team to the 1973 AA state title. She also excelled at track claiming conference, district, and state titles in 200 relays. Sheila played in the 1973 High School All-Star Basketball game scoring 21 points for the North All-Stars. Coach Hickman played at Ole Miss from 1973 to 1977 setting the school scoring record of 1,000 points in only 3 seasons and finishing with 1,475 points. She helped the Lady Rebels compile a record of 54-22 with the school’s first two 20-win seasons and an appearance in the AIAW Regional Tournament. A highly decorated student, Sheila was also a member of Angel Flight which helped promote the Air Force ROTC and the United States Air Force. After achieving multiple degrees at Ole Miss and Mississippi State and being drafted by the Milwaukee Does of the Women’s Basketball League, Coach Hickman remained at Ole Miss as the school’s first women’s basketball graduate assistant. She started her 30-year coaching career in 1978 at Holmes Community College where she would guide the Lady Bulldogs for 9 seasons including a national ranking of number 5 in the nation. In addition to basketball, Sheila coached softball and cheerleading. In 1987, she returned to her high school alma mater and would lead the girls’ basketball program for the next 21 seasons. Coach Hickman guided the Lady Wildcats to an overall record of 492 wins and 378 losses and finished as state runner-up in consecutive years of 1993 and 1994. She served as assistant athletic director for 14 years from 1987 to 2011 and she also coached tennis. Sheila served as North head coach in the 1992 Mississippi High School All-Star basketball game and also coached in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Classic in 2000 as an assistant coach and in 2004 as head coach. She was selected by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association to coach in a national summer camp for invitation only high school players projected to be college recruits and was president of the MHSAA District IV from 1998-99. Off the court, Coach Hickman has been a strong community member serving on the Ole Miss Alumni Association and Athletic Committee Boards and a term as President of the Ole Miss M-Club. She is a strong sponsor of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, served on the Louisville Municipal School District Board of Trustees, the Louisville Housing Authority, an officer in the Winston Garden Club, and has held various positions with Louisville First Methodist Church. She has spoken at various clubs and organizations at Holmes and Louisville promoting athletics and broadcast games for WLSM radio in Louisville. In addition to MAC Hall of Fame honors, Sheila was the first ever female inductee into the Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 and she was inducted into the Holmes Community College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019. In 2003, Sheila was named to the SEC Women’s Basketball Legends. |
Coach Charlie Jacobs
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Veteran championship Coach Charlie Jacobs led successful girls’ basketball programs for 33 years at Hamilton, Lafayette, Hancock North Central, Puckett, Kossuth, and Brandon Middle School. A native of Booneville, Charlie attended New Site where he was Mr. New Site High and was a three-time All-State basketball player on three straight Class B state championship basketball teams from 1965 to 1967. He continued his education at Northeast Community College and was a member of the 1968 state championship men’s basketball team. Coach Jacobs completed his college education at Delta State, Mississippi State, and Mississippi College. Charlie began his 33-year coaching career in 1971 at Hamilton High as head girls’ basketball coach. His Hamilton teams had instant success with a state title in 1973 and a runner-up finish in 1974. After a short stint at Lafayette, Charlie returned to Hamilton and led his team to another state championship in 1978. Coach Jacobs then led Hancock North Central to 2 straight state crowns in 1979 and 1980. After a season at Puckett, Charlie arrived at Kossuth and guided his girls’ hoops teams to 2 straight state runner-up finishes in 1983 and 1984. In 1988, Coach Jacobs took over the Brandon Middle School program where he continued coaching for 16 years until his retirement. Overall, Coach Jacobs paced his girls’ basketball teams to numerous district, North or South State titles, 3 state runner-up finishes, and 4 state championships at three different schools. He coached in 555 games claiming an amazing 409 wins and only 146 losses for a 73% winning mark. Among his many coaching honors, Coach Jacobs coached in the 1974 Mississippi High School All-Star basketball game and was named a Star Teacher in 1975. A longtime MAC member, Charlie was a deacon in his church for 15 years and a Sunday School teacher for 28 years. |
Coach Henry Johnson
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Coach Henry Johnson is an accomplished championship football coach and athletic director who guided programs at Clarksdale and West Bolivar during his 29-year career. A native of Cleveland, Henry was an outstanding scholar athlete at West Bolivar in Rosedale and continued to play football at Delta State where he was a Gulf South Conference Academic All-Conference selection, led the team in interceptions in 1995, and was named Most Valuable Defensive Back along with a Coaches Award. He served a term in the Mississippi National Guard and worked as a graduate assistant at Delta State before starting his coaching career as an assistant football coach in 1998 at Palmer High in Marks. He arrived at his alma mater West Bolivar in 2000 as head football coach and began a run of success on the high school gridiron. His West Bolivar teams for the next 13 seasons would win 142 games with only 32 losses. Henry’s West Bolivar squads captured 10 district titles, 2 North state crowns, and two class 2A state championships in 2007 and 2011. His 2007 state title team finished with a perfect 15-0 record. In 2013, he arrived at Clarksdale High where he took over as head football coach and athletic director at a program that featured 2 junior highs, one high school, a 33-person athletic staff, 275 students, and a budget of $125,000. Coach Johnson was instrumental in building a new 8.5 million dollar football stadium for Clarksdale in 2020 that included a new track, equipment, and jumbotron scoreboard. On the field, he guided the Wildcat football team to a record of 62-45 in 9 seasons including 2 district titles. Coach Johnson left Clarksdale in 2022 for Hollandale Simmons where he served as an assistant football coach for 3 years. Overall, Coach Johnson led his football teams in 281 games claiming 204 wins and only 77 losses for a 72.6% winning percentage. His teams won 12 district crowns, 2 North State titles, and 2 state championships. Henry has been rewarded for his coaching efforts with nine coach of the year honors from the Bolivar Commercial (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010), the Delta Democrat Times (2009), the Clarksdale Press Register (2013, 2015, 2018), and Farm Bureau (2020). Coach Johnson served as an assistant coach in the 2011 Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Classic, as an assistant coach in 2015 and as head coach in 2018 in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Football Classic. He is a longstanding MAC member who has served on the MAC Football Committee and has been a member of the MPE, the MHSAA Executive Board, and a member of the MAAA. He served as a clinic speaker for the MAC in 2007 and 2011 and was a clinic speaker at the Mississippi State clinic from 2007 through 2011. In the community, Henry has been active in clean-up projects in Rosedale and Clarksdale. He has devoted time and money to Little League programs, helped establish a Pee Wee football program in Rosedale, and has served as a mentor to young men in elementary schools. |
Coach Allen Lunceford
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Coach Allen Lunceford is a 35-year veteran championship softball coach who has coached several sports at Clinton High. Born in Sardis, Allen graduated from North Delta High in Como before achieving his college degrees at Mississippi College. Coach Lunceford arrived at Clinton in 1984 to begin his 35-year career as head coach for the slow pitch softball program. In addition to softball, Allen served as an assistant girls’ and boys’ basketball coach in the early 80’s and 90’s. Coach Lunceford has also coached golf, fast pitch softball, and baseball at the high school and junior high. Allen’s Arrow slow pitch teams claimed 13 division titles and two state championships in 1997 and 2007. He coached in 940 slow pitch games winning 516 and losing 424. Allen also led the Arrows golf program to 13 division titles and the 1988 state championship. He guided the junior high girls’ basketball program to 3 Little 6 Conference Tournament Championships. Coach Lunceford is a three-time softball all-star coach. He was selected as MAC Softball Coach of the Year in 2007 and was named MAC Golf Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1996. In 1993, Allen was chosen as the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Region 7 Golf Coach of the Year. In addition to his coaching the sport, Allen works as a collegiate softball umpire. He has umpired the NJCAA National Softball Tournament 7 times, the SWAC Conference Tournament 3 times, and the Gulf South Conference Softball Tournament 4 times. He currently works umpiring games in the Sunbelt, Conference USA, Southland, ASUN, SWAC, Gulf South, and non-conference SEC. In 2010, Coach Lunceford was named Umpire of the Year by the Middle Mississippi Umpires Association. Allen has always given back to his profession as he has served as an MAC softball clinic speaker. He has been a longtime member of the MAC Golf Committee and is well known for serving as director of the annual MAC coaches’ golf tournament.
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Coach Louis Nash
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A nationally recognized championship tennis coach, Louis Nash is a 42-year MAC member who has guided programs at R. H. Watkins High in Laurel, Greenville St. Joseph, and Oxford. Born in Greenville, Coach Nash was a three-year letterman in tennis at Greenville High. He earned his college degrees at Mississippi State and Delta State. Louis started his distinguished 42-year coaching career when he was hired as a basketball coach and teacher at R. H Watkins High in Laurel in 1979. When he found out there was an opening for head tennis coach at the school, he immediately jumped at the opportunity which would start a four-decade run at championships. His Laurel tennis teams won the overall Big Eight tennis championships and finished as a state runner-up. After a year coaching basketball at Riverside High in Avon, Coach Nash returned to Greenville to Greenville St. Joseph High where he again coached basketball, tennis, cross country, and football. On the tennis courts, he led his netters at St. Joseph to 5 state championships from 1986 to 1993. Louis arrived at Oxford High in 2001 and established a high school tennis dynasty. He has guided the Chargers tennis teams to 10 state championships from 2001 to 2024. Overall, Coach Nash has led his tennis teams to 29 division or region titles and 15 state championships. His dual match team record as head tennis coach is an amazing 600 wins to only 69 losses. Coach Nash has paced 64 players to individual state titles during his career. For his efforts, Louis was named the MAC Tennis Coach of the Year in 1991 and 2009 and he is a five-time MAC All-Star coach. Coach Nash was selected as the Mississippi Tennis Association Coach of the Year and the National Federation of High School Athletics Mississippi Tennis Coach of the Year in 2010. In 2015, Coach Nash was named the NFHS South Sectional Coach of the Year. Louis was named Mississippi Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in 2018 and by the United States Professional Tennis Association in 2020. In 2024, Coach Nash was named the NHSACA National Tennis Coach of the Year. Louis is a strong advocate for high school tennis and has served as the National Chairman of the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Tennis Committee and was the USTA Southern High School Committee Chairman from 2016 to 2018. He is a certified USPTA tennis professional who is active in MAC and MHSAA tennis affairs and has co-authored legislation to improve the sport through a team playoff system, adding doubles matches, and allowing additional coaching in line with current college coaching guidelines. Off the court, Coach Nash has served as a district PE coordinator, a school district fundraiser, an interim principal, an assistant athletic director, and member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, SHAPE America and the Mississippi Association of Educators. He is a certified NIAA Athletic Administrator and a member of the Mississippi Association of Athletic Administrators. In addition to his MAC Hall of Fame induction, Coach Nash was one of the first inductees into the Mississippi Tennis Hall of Fame from the high school coaching ranks in 2023.
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