MC Sports Hall of Fame to induct eight new members during Bicentennial Homecoming

Eight of the most distinguished student-athletes ever to compete for Mississippi Christian University will be inducted into the MC Sports Hall of Fame during a Bicentennial Homecoming banquet scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, in Anderson Hall in the B.C. Rogers Student Center.

Teammates, family members and friends of the MC Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will join MC President Blake Thompson, MC Athletic Director Kenny Bizot, university administrators, MC Sports Hall of Fame Advisory Committee members and fellow MC Sports Hall of Famers in honoring Drew Brooks ’03, ’07 (men’s tennis), Blaine Crim ’19 (baseball), Thomas Matthews (men’s basketball), Courtney Shires ‘01 (women’s soccer), Brooke Smitherman ’15 (softball), James “JT” Trimble ‘80 (men’s track and field), Lance Wedgeworth ’98 (football), and Mike Williams (football).

Bizot said each member of the MC Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 made a significant impact while representing the Choctaws.

“Their accomplishments have become part of our MC athletic history,” Bizot said. “Athletics is important to the University because they allow our student-athletes an opportunity to grow through competition while developing Christ-like character. We are incredibly proud of the tradition of excellence that has been established by generations of Choctaw student-athletes, coaches and staff members.

“The MC Sports Hall of Fame gives us an opportunity to celebrate not only outstanding athletic accomplishments, but also the people – and their friends and family – who have been a big part of our athletic department.”

To date, more than 250 men and women have been inducted into the MC Sports Hall of Fame.

Jake Donald, MC director of alumni and family engagement, said MC Sports Hall of Fame nominees are carefully considered by the university’s Sports Hall of Fame Advisory Committee, made up of former student-athletes and current MC Sports Hall of Famers. The committee selects six to eight former student-athletes for induction each year.

“As we celebrate MC’s Bicentennial, it’s especially meaningful to recognize our 2026 Sports Hall of Fame inductees,” Donald said. “These individuals helped shape the rich tradition of MC Athletics, and their dedication, achievements and commitment to excellence deserve to be celebrated. Their stories are part of our University’s history, and honoring them reminds us of the incredible legacy that continues to inspire today’s student-athletes.

“We’re proud of our inductees, grateful for the legacy they’ve built and excited to welcome them home for this special celebration.”

In addition to the Sports Hall of Fame induction, MC Athletic Department awards will be presented to current athletes during the event. To purchase tickets, visit https://alumni.mc.edu/stay-in-touch/events/hall-fame-banquet.

The Mississippi College Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 includes:

Drew Brooks '03, '07 – Men’s Tennis

As an MC tennis player, Drew Brooks was named the American Southwest Conference East Division Freshman of the Year, twice selected to the ASC’s All-Conference Team and won ASC individual championships in 2003 and 2004. Named MVP of the men’s tennis team three times, Brooks captained the squad in 2004. He earned his B.S. in business administration in accounting with honors and his MBA at MC. He joined Haddox Reid Burkes & Calhoun, earned both the CPA and the Chartered Global Management Accountant designations, and later joined Ergon, Inc., helping to lead the business's expansion from a regional company with 10 locations in the Southeast to a multinational operation with more than 150 locations across the U.S. and Mexico. Named executive vice president and chief development officer at Ergon, Brooks also served on the board of directors of Blueknight Energy Partners. President of the Attaché Booster Club, he also served as president and treasurer of the Clinton Girls Softball Association and as a member of the Clinton Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

Blaine Crim '19 - Baseball

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Blaine Crim played high school baseball at St. Paul’s Episcopal School. At MC, he helped lead the Choctaws to the 2018 Gulf South Conference Championship and was named the 2018 Gulf South Conference Championship Most Valuable Player. Crim was a two-time All-Conference and All-South Region selection and was twice named an Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators/College Sports Information Directors of America. As MC’s all-time games played, at-bats, hits and doubles leader, Crim is a member of the GSC All-Decade Team. The 2018 Great Lakes League MVP was selected in the 19th round of the 2019 MLB Amateur Draft by Texas and made his Big League debut with the Rangers in 2025 before playing for the Colorado Rockies later that year. In 2026, he played for the NC Dinos of the Korean Baseball Organization.

Thomas Matthews – Men’s Basketball

After playing for Coach Mike Jones at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Thomas Matthews transferred to MC and played basketball under Coach Jones. A standout on the Choctaws basketball team, Matthews was named Newcomer of the Year and was a First Team All-Conference selection. Following his collegiate career, Matthews played professionally in Portugal for seven seasons. After serving as a Clinton police officer, he opened Corporate Security of Clinton, a company he has maintained for more than two decades.

Courtney Shires '01 – Women’s Soccer

A soccer star at Madison Central High School, Courtney Shires brought her athleticism to MC and was named the ASC Women’s Soccer Freshman Player of the Year in 1997. A three-time ASC Women’s Soccer Academic All-Conference selection, she was named the ASC Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Year and the ACS Female Sportsmanship Award recipient in 2000. The 2001 National M Club Outstanding Senior Player in Women’s Soccer, she was a four-time ASC Women’s Soccer First-Team All-Conference Defender. After obtaining her B.S. in biology from MC, she earned her M.D. at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and completed residency training in otolaryngology at the University of Tennessee, followed by a fellowship in head and neck oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. She now practices medicine at West Cancer Center in Memphis.

Brooke Smitherman '15 - Softball

A two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American, Brooke Smitherman was an Easton Fastpitch All-American in 2011 and the 2014 ASC Player of the Year. The NCAA walks leader, she was a First Team All-West Region selection in 2014. After earning her undergraduate degree from MC in business administration, Smitherman began her career in the finance industry before moving into supply chain management. She currently serves as a supply chain manager for a manufacturing company in Alabama.

James “JT” Trimble '80 - Track and Field

Convinced that track and field would make him a better football player, JT Trimble became the first state champion in track in both indoor and outdoor at Opelika High School in Alabama. Recruited by Auburn University, the University of Alabama and Mississippi State University, he decided that MC was the best fit to play both football and track. A member of three GSC championship teams in track, Trimble was a three-time GSC 110 hurdles champion, a two-time NCAA Division II All-American, and a four-year letterman on the Choctaws football team. After college, he spent 32 years teaching and coaching high school football, basketball and track at numerous high schools. He also coached hurdles and sprints and was a relay coach at MSU and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Lance Wedgeworth '98 – Football

A two-time All-Mississippi Gulf Coast standout in football at Hancock High School, Lance Wedgeworth led his team in rushing yards, receiving yards, tackles, interceptions and forced fumbles during his senior year. He was also an All-District performer in baseball as a senior and broke the school record for stolen bases. Named to the Hancock High School Hall of Fame, Wedgeworth excelled on the gridiron at MC, earning All-GSC honors in 1995 and All-ASC honors in 1997 and capturing the 1996 MC Sportsmanship Award. A 1997 Academic All-ASC selection and recipient of the 1997 Larry Suchy Award, Wedgeworth earned his B.S. in business administration at MC. At Farm Bureau, he earned District Agent of the Year accolades numerous times and was the 2005 Agent of the Year for Mississippi. He was promoted to agency manager in 2006.

Mike Williams - Football

A native of Atmore, Alabama, Mike Williams began his football career at Escambia County High School before playing for Northeast Mississippi Junior College and MC. A two-year starter at running back for the Choctaws, he was named the team’s Most Outstanding Offensive Back in 1981 and was an All-GSC selection in 1982. A three-time GSC Offensive Player of the Week, he finished in the Top 10 of MC’s single-season marks in rushing touchdowns (3rd), touchdowns scored (5th) and total points (6th). Drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 1983 NFL Draft as the league’s 89th overall pick, Williams played for the Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons.