2001

WEEK OF ,~/ J .@Of

Billy Smith Selected ECCC Men's Head Basketball Coach

ting to work as soon as possible. I am also lookmg forward to a newchallenge and \\ orking hard to make the men's basketball program here at East Central the best it can be." An obvious highlight of his suc- cessful career at Neshoba Cen- 36-4 record.

mtroduced today as the new Wamor head basketball coach at a news conference held at the Brackeen-Wood Physical Edu– cation Building. Smith, 40, suc– ceeds Jay Bowen who resigned in August to take an assistant coaching position at AustinPeay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. In making the announcement, ECCC President Dr. Phil A. Sutphin said the College was very fortunate to hire someone who has had success on the high school level and is also a district coach. "His next challenge is to move the men's basketball program to the next level, and I feel confi– dent he will be able to do that," Sutphin said. Smith, whose Lady Rockets amassed a 388-151 record dur– ing his 16-year tenure, said, "I appreciate the opportunity given to me and look forward to get-

DECATUR--A successful coach on the high school level has been tapped to lead the men 's basketball program at East Central Community Col– lege in Decatur. Billy Smith, who has guided the Neshoba Central High School Lady Rockets since 1986, was

tral was winning the State Class Last season the Neshoba Cen- 4-A Championship in 1990-91. tral girls won the district title and The Lady Rockets were also di- advanced to the State 4-A semi– vision champions that year and finals en route to a 28- 11 mark. finished season action with a See "COACH" page 7

"COACH" continued from page one

A graduate of Neshoba Central High School. Smith attended East Central Commumt) Col– lege and received a bachelor's degree in phystcal education from Delta State Uni\ersit) He holds a master·s de!:,rree in physi– cal education from the t.:ni\cr– sityofSouthem Mississtppt and has a master's degree in admin– istration from Jackson State University. He is married to the former Su– san Lankston of Edinburg and they have three children. Andy, a senior at Neshoba Central; Chandler. a second-grader: and Ma..:kte. who's in kindergarten

In all. Smith's teamc; haYe won six dtstnct titles and finished dtstnct runners-up on fi,·e occa– SIOil't Pnor to JOming the 'leshoba Central staff. Smnh serYed as junior ,·arsll~ men's basketball coach and ,·arsity baskctbatl as– sistant at McKinne~ (Texas) Htgh School during llJ84-85.lle is also a fom1cr graduate assis– tant at th~ Universitv of South– em Misstssippt \1983-84) and Yarslt) men· s basketball assis– tant and head freshman basket– ball and t()otball coach at Phtla– delphta htgh anJ dementar~ sch00l s l 19~"~ \1\.

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CARTHAGINIAN

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