From Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum
PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) – The winningest coach in Mississippi college baseball history is headed to the Hall.
William Carey University baseball coach Bobby Halford will be part of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.
The seven-person class was announced Wednesday at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum.
“Each of these honorees has elevated Mississippi athletics on a national and even international stage,” said Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Executive Director Andrea Patterson. “Their impact extends beyond their wins and records.
“They represent the perseverance, leadership and integrity that define Mississippi sports.”
Halford passed Mississippi State University legend Ron Polk last season for career wins by a Mississippi baseball coach, and now has 1,375 wins in 39 seasons as Crusaders’ head baseball coach.
Halford has guided the Crusaders to 19 conference titles, 26 national tournament appearances and two, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics World Series semifinal runs. He was named NAIA Coach of the Year in 2017.
The inductees will be enshrined formally during the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, scheduled for July 31– Aug. 1, 2026.
Tickets will go on sale in January 2026.
The Class of 2026 also includes:
Glen Collins – A first-team All-American defensive lineman at Mississippi State University and a first-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1982, Collins enjoyed a five-year National Football League career that included time with the San Francisco 49ers. The Jackson native was named a Southeastern Conference Football Legend in 2013 and selected to Mississippi State’s All-Century Team in 2014.Louis Guy – An All-SEC performer at the University of Mississippi, Guy helped lead the Rebels to national and SEC championships in the early 1960s and went on to play professionally with the New York Giants and Oakland Raiders. Following his playing days, he built a career as a Jackson-area orthodontist and community leader.Michael Haddix – A two-time All-SEC running back at MSU and the eighth overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft, Haddix played eight seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers. His career average of 6.0 yards per carry remains a Mississippi State record.Ronnie Mayers – A legendary swimming and diving coach and later athletic director at Delta State University, Mayers led his teams to 11 conference titles and 15 NCAA championship appearances while producing 56 All-Americans. The Delta State aquatics facility bears his name.Johnny Parker – A pioneer in strength and conditioning, Parker coached for 35 years at the college and professional levels, winning three Super Bowl rings with the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His training methods influenced generations of coaches and athletes nationwide.Brittney Reese – One of the most decorated athletes in Mississippi history, Reese is a four-time Olympian and seven-time world champion in the long jump. The Gulfport native won Olympic gold in 2012 and silver medals in 2016 and 2021. She was a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association champion at Ole Miss, she remains among the greatest long jumpers in world history.
William Carey University baseball coach Bobby Halford (far left) was selected for induction as part of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.(Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum)
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