Senate Concurrent Resolution 600

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE "LADY TROJANS" GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH BURNADETTE MCDONALD FOR WINNING THE MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE.

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Delta Community College "Lady Trojans" Girls Basketball Team, under the direction of Head Coach Burnadette McDonald, finished the season with a 19-8 overall record; and

WHEREAS, the Lady Trojans won the college's first Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) State Championship title in women's basketball since 1940 by defeating the Northwest Community College Lady Rangers 71-59 in overtime; and

WHEREAS, the Lady Trojans were the first basketball team ever from MDCC to advance to the National Junior and Community College Athletic Association Region XXIII Basketball Tournament's "Final Four" bracket; and

WHEREAS, Coach Burnadette McDonald is in her sixth year as Head Coach of the MDCC Lady Trojans. In that time, she has directed the women's basketball team to one North Division title, three consecutive appearances in the MACJC State Championship Tournament and three consecutive appearances in the NJCAA Region XXIII Championship Tournament. This is a school record. Coach McDonald was named "MACJC Women's Coach of the Year for 2005;" and

WHEREAS, members of the team include: Sophomores: Vancherrika Mitchell (Cleveland), Latisha Brown (Merigold), Jazmine Cain (Mound Bayou), Stephanie Boggins (Brandon), Sophia Townsend (Shelby), Shaneeka Hunt (Sidon), Franiesha Johnson (Coldwater), and Sherelle Shipp (Wilmar, Arkansas); Freshmen: Jessica Boyd (Gunnison), Angela Allen (Farrell), Jameica Gross (Memphis, Tennessee), and Marie Gary (Greenwood); and Managers: Robyne Stout and Cassie Todd; and

WHEREAS, Burnadette McDonald was an Assistant Coach for the Delta State Lady Statesmen under Coach Lloyd Clark for nine years before coming to MDCC. She is the former standout for the Lady Statesmen playing for Coach Lloyd Clark from 1984 to 1987. She was an All-Gulf South Conference pick her senior year after leading DSU to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals and scoring 1,529 points in her 114-game career. The Madison, Mississippi, native was also a standout (and Honor Graduate) at Madison-Ridgeland High School where she earned all-county and all-metro (Jackson) honors. She was a Mississippi Prep All-Star at Madison-Ridgeland; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize the accomplishments of this group of student athletes who have brought honor to their college, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Mississippi Delta Community College "Lady Trojans" Girls Basketball Team and Head Coach Burnadette McDonald for winning the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges State Championship, and extend to them the best wishes of the Legislature for success in their future athletic and academic endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the Lady Trojans and Coach McDonald and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.