House Concurrent Resolution 54

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE HINDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE 2014 EAGLE BASEBALL TEAM UPON WINNING THE NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION 2014 REGION XXIII TITLE, PLACING SECOND AT THE MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES 2014 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, AND HAVING A SPECTACULAR SEASON.

WHEREAS, the Hinds Community College 2014 Eagle Baseball Team won the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) 2014 Region XXIII title, were the runners up at the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) 2014 State Championship, and ended the 2014 season as the No. 2 community college baseball team in the nation during a championship run in the Division II NJCAA World Series in Enid, Oklahoma; and

WHEREAS, the Hinds Community College 2014 Eagle Baseball Team won 40 games during the regular 2014 season, tying a Hinds Community College record; and

WHEREAS, the Eagles are currently ranked No. 2 in the NJCAA and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper preseason polls, as well as No. 1 in the South Region by the NJCAA office; and

WHEREAS, Head Baseball Coach Sam Temple, Assistant Coaches Dan Rives, Chad Bradford and Tim Axton, and members of the 2014 Hinds Community College Eagle Baseball Team displayed outstanding coaching talent, athletic skill and sportsmanship; and

WHEREAS, 2014 team members Marshall Boggs, Toler Robinson, Austin Sanders and Quade Smith were all named to the World Series All-Tournament Team; and

WHEREAS, Marshall Boggs received the Marucci Elite Hitting Award for breaking the College World Series record for hits in a tournament; and

WHEREAS, Casey Sutton earned the lone All-Region selection, along with being named to the MACJC All-State first team; and

WHEREAS, Matt Jones, Chase Lunceford and Luke Reynolds, all infielders, were three outstanding MACJC All-State first team recipients; and

WHEREAS, Randy Bell, Marshall Boggs, Houston Case, Brian Mills, Toler Robinson, Austin Sanders, Quade Smith and Caleb Upton were eight Eagles selected to the MACJC All-State second team; and

WHEREAS, the Eagles baseball program has produced over 90 players in the last nine seasons that signed with four-year colleges, including 11 Division I signees in the early signing period of Fall 2014; and

WHEREAS, the Eagles baseball team members have had a 3.0 or better grade point average for 18 consecutive semesters, showing that they excel not only athletically, but academically as well; and

WHEREAS, the 2014 Eagles baseball team produced 11 athletes that were inducted into the prestigious national junior college honor society Phi Theta Kappa, which speaks volumes to the caliber of athletes on the team and the gravity of weight placed on scholastic achievement; and

WHEREAS, the Eagles team's Caleb Upton was honored by the Mississippi Legislature in the 2014 Higher Education Appreciation Day — Working for Academic Excellence (HEADWAE) award program as the top student at Hinds Community College, and was chosen as a Capital One Academic All-American; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and honor the paramount achievements of student athletes such as the Hinds Community College Eagles Baseball Team who have brought honor to their school, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby congratulate the Hinds Community College Eagles Baseball Team, Head Coach Sam Temple, and Assistant Coaches Dan Rives, Chad Bradford and Tim Axton for their remarkable display of talent, athletic ability and sportsmanship, and extend best wishes to the coaching staff on the beginning of their 2015 baseball season.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be provided to Hinds Community College President Dr. Clyde Muse, Eagles Baseball Head Coach Sam Temple and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.