TABLE OF CONTENTS CHOCTAW BASKETBALL Quick Facts .................................2 Team Information .......................2 Coaching Staff ............................2 Sports Information .....................2 Media Services ...........................2 On the Internet ...........................3 A. E. Wood Coliseum ..................4 Strength Center ..........................5 About MC ....................................6-7 Mike Jones ..................................9 Staff Directory.............................9 COACHING STAFF Don Lofton ..................................12-13 Josh Brooks ................................14 Thomas Gray ...............................14 Michael Williams ........................14 Athletic Trainers ..........................16 KELVIN LESTER Record Book ...............................17 Season Preview ..........................18-19 Mississippi College point guard Kelvin Lester leads an inexperienced Choctaw team into the 2010-2011 2010-11 Season Statistics ........20 season after averaging three assists per game last season. 2009-10 PLAYERS THE ASC CREDITS Ken Black ....................................21 Team Logos .................................27 The Mississippi College men's basketball Eric Davis ....................................21 Amy Carlton .................................27 media guide is written, designed and published Kelvin Lester ...............................21 Greg Weghorst ............................27 by the Department of Sports Information under Joey Tisdale.................................21 2010-11 Preseason Poll ............28 the supervision of Sports Information Director Kerry Geter ..................................22 2009-10 All-ASC .........................28 David Nichols. Demarius Jones ..........................22 E.C. Williams ...............................22 Team Photo .................................29 Printing: Quality Printing / Jackson, MS Cameron Bounds ........................23 Photography: Chris Brooks / David Nichols Brian Billups ...............................23 Writing: David Nichols Marlon Ester ...............................23 Rodney Brumfield .......................23 From President Lee G. Royce Ronnie Ealey ...............................23 As we prepare for another season on the court, I would like to say Pierre Hadley ..............................24 thank you for your support of athletics at Mississippi College. It is this support that encourages our athletes to pursue excellence in Chad Jones .................................24 all their endeavors. Desmond Morales ......................24 At Mississippi College we realize the importance of vision statements. They represent the best of our aspirations and are Greg Pulliam ...............................24 a picture of the future reality we continually seek. Our vision statement reads: “Mississippi College seeks to be a university Xavier Ruth ..................................24 recognized for academic excellence and commitment to the cause Kendre' Smith .............................24 of Christ.” The philosophy of intercollegiate athletics at Mississippi Col- Jesse Taylor .................................25 lege is fully compatible with this vision statement. Student-athletes are afforded the opportunity to pursue athletic excellence in a JaCorey Wright ............................25 positive environment while continuing their academic and spiritual Andrew Howell ............................25 growth. We are proud of our basketball program under the leadership Micah McNally ............................25 of Head Coach Don Lofton and believe we have a staff of coaches committed to the vision of our university as well as success on the Pate Shackelford ........................25 court. Josh Lancaster............................25 We anticipate an exciting season as the Choctaws enter the 2009-10 campaign poised for a successful season. The reputation Connor Neuman .........................26 of our program is proudly mentioned among the best in the confer- ence. Caleb Vaughan ...........................26 Please pray for our coaches and young men as we begin a new season. Pray for their safety as they continue to represent the best of Mississippi College. 11 2010-11 CHOCTAW BASKETBALL 11 MEDIA INFORMATION MEDIA OUTLETS SPOrts INFORMATION NEWSPAPERS Chris Clarion Ledger ................201 S. Congress, Jackson, MS 39205 Phone ................601-961-7294 BROOKS Fax .....................601-961-7224 Sports Information Director Vicksburg Post ................1601 N. Frontage Rd., Vicksburg, MS 39180 [email protected] Phone ................601-636-4545 Office: 601-925-3234 Fax .....................601-634-0897 Cell: 769-798-7143 Clinton News ...................311 N. Jefferson, Clinton, MS 39060 www.GoChoctaws.com Phone ................601-924-7142 Fax .....................601-924-7976 David TELEVISION WAPT (ABC) .....................7616 Channel 16 Way, Jackson, MS 39209 NICHOLS Phone ................601-922-1607 Graduate Assistant Sports Information Fax .....................601-922-1663 [email protected] WJTV (CBS) .....................1820 T.V. Road, Jackson, MS 39204 Office: 601-925-3234 Phone ................601-372-6311 www.GoChoctaws.com Fax .....................601-372-8798 WLBT (NBC) ....................715 S. Jefferson St., Jackson, MS 39215 Phone ................601-948-3333 Fax .....................601-948-7830 MESSAGE TO THE MEDIA We hope that this publication is useful to you as you cover INTERNET Mississippi College this season. All efforts have been made to Video and Audio Broadcast ..www.gochoctaws.com include information within these pages that you might find use- ful in covering the Choctaws and Lady Choctaws. IntervieW REQUESTS If further information is needed then please don't hesitate to To request an interview with Coach Lofton or Coach Duke or contact me directly so that request can be made. any assistant coaches, do so by contacting the SID via email Also be aware that all Choctaw home games and most MC or by phone at 601-925-3234. Coaches are available to the home athletic events are digitally photographed and photo- graphs are immediately available upon request. media but not during practice. Once practice is completed, all We appreciate all of your efforts to cover the Choctaws and requests can be filled. we look forward to working with you this season. On Choctaw game days, coaches and players are available Sincerely, following a ten minute cooling off period. No interviews can be David Nichols, Sports Information Director conducted on game days prior to the game. OFFICE OF SPOrts INFORMATION Phone interviews with players and coaches are also pos- The Mississippi College Office of Sports Information is located sible by contacting the SID. The best time to request a player or in the upper level of A. E. Wood Coliseum. A. E. Wood Coliseum, coach for a phone interview is in the morning. also known as the "Golden Dome", is one of the most recogniz- able structures in the Clinton community. The office is the first door on the right after entering the office hallway. QUICK FACTS Location ............................................Clinton, MS 39058 MEDIA Services Founded ............................................1826 Pre-game notes or media guides are available upon request. Enrollment ........................................5000 Game notes are released electronically on the Mississippi Col- Nickname..........................................Choctaws lege periodically. They are also distributed to the media through School Colors ....................................Blue and Gold email. Coliseum ...........................................A. E. Wood Coliseum All player and coach interviews must be scheduled through Capacity ............................................3500 the SID. Please make these requests 24 hours in advance. All Affiliation ...........................................NCAA DIII coaches and players are available for post-game interviews after Conference .......................................American Southwest a ten-minute cooling off period. President ..........................................Dr. Lee G. Royce CREDENTIAL REQUESTS Alma Mater .......................................Vanderbilt To request a credential or interview, do so by contacting the Athletic Director ................................Mike Jones SID via email or by phone at 601-925-3234. Credentials must Alma Mater .......................................Mississippi College be requested 24 hours in advance. Athletic Dept. Phone ......................601-925-3341 MC ON THE INTERNET Athletics Web Address .................................www.GoChoctaws.com General Web Address ..................................www.mc.edu SID Email ......................................................nichols@mc.edu ASC Web Address .........................................www.ascsports.org NCAA Web Address ......................................www.ncaasports.com D3hoops.com Web Address ........................www.d3hoops.com 22 2010-11 CHOCTAW BASKETBALL 22 ON THE INTERNET WWW.MC.EDU The Mississippi College home page can be found on the internet at www.mc.edu. Here students can find important information about the university and campus life. Links to other departments including athletics can also be found there. WWW.GOCHOCTAWS.COM The Mississippi College home page for athletics can be found at www.GoChoctaws.com. Here Choctaw fans and media can find all types of information regarding the Mis- sissippi