April 21, 2012

OXFORD, Miss. – The M-Club Alumni Chapter honored several members of 2011-12 Rebel squads with Spring Awards as part of the BancorpSouth Grove Bowl festivities on Saturday.

Senior defensive back Wesley Pendleton (Natchez, Miss.) was presented with the Jeff Hamm Memorial Award for the Outstanding Defensive Football Player based on Spring Practice Performance. The Eli Manning Award, honoring the Outstanding Offensive Player, was presented to junior wide receiver Ja-Mes Logan (Houston, Texas).

Offensive lineman Terrell Brown (Drew, Miss.) received the J. Richard Price Courage and Compassion Award, presented annually to the rising senior lineman who has demonstrated extraordinary courage and unusual compassion in his dedication to his team and to Ole Miss.

Redshirt freshmen offensive linemen Mitch Hall (Russellville, Ark.) and Ethan Hutson (Destrehan, La.) were each honored as Scholar Athlete Award winners by the Ole Miss Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.

Senior defensive end Jason Jones (Albany, Ga.) received the Chucky Mullins Courage Award on Thursday and was also recognized on the field Saturday.  Jones is the 23rd winner of the prestigious award which honors the memory of Mullins, who was paralyzed after making a tackle against Vanderbilt during the 1989 Homecoming game, and then passed away on May 6, 1991.

Among the graduating senior athletes distinguished at halftime was Brandon Bolden (Baton Rouge, La.), who was presented the John Howard Vaught Award of Excellence award.

Justin Smith (Alpharetta, Ga.) was honored with the Most Dedicated Player Award given by the Hinds County Alumni Club, for an Ole Miss Football graduating senior, and Marcus Temple (Manquin, Va.) received the Birmingham Alumni Club’s annual Leadership Award awarded in recognition of a graduating senior football player for his leadership qualities both on and off the field.

Vincent Moss (Munford, Ala.) picked up the Clower-Walters Scholarship established in 1974 by humorist Jerry Clower to honor Carl Walters, a veteran Mississippi sportswriter. 

The Eugenia Conner Memorial Award for Achievement went to women’s tennis player Kristi Boxx (Grenada, Miss.).  The award is presented to an outstanding junior or senior female athlete that exemplifies a true “Lady Rebel” with character and leadership both on and off the court/field.

Also honored on the field was a group of Ole Miss greats that participated in an awards ceremony and panel discussion on the National Football League earlier in the day. Those former players included two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, fellow NFL standout Stacy Andrews and former pros Ronnie Heard and Tre’ Stallings, who have both gone on to careers in college athletics.