SWAC REPORT
Edney Credited for
Improving SW AC Leadership
* Norris Edney is credited with stopping
a sinking ship.
If it wasn't for the leadership of
Edney, the Southwestern Athletic Confer
? ence might not exist.
He is credited with preventing the
demise of the SWAC after becoming Its
president in 1975. When he took over, the
SWAC had no automatic berths. But it did
have three lawsuits pending against it and
was $ 1 30,000 in debt.
When he stepped down in 1984, the
men's basketball and football, its legal
problems had been resolved and the confer
ence was on sound financial footing.
"If there was any one man to do the
job. it was Norris Edney." Mississippi Val
ley athletic director Chuck Prophet said.
"He was very instrumental in getting the
SWAC back on its feet."
Former Jackson State athletic director
Walter Reed concurred.
"Edney's leadership saved the confer
ence," said Reed, who is now athletic
director at Florida A&M. "After stepping
down as president. the conference was
operating at about $500,000 in the black. It
is a contribute to his astute leadership and
organization."
For his efforts in guiding the SWAC
through difficult times. Edney was induct
ed into the SWAC Hall of Fame recently
along with 16 other former athletes, coach
es and administrators. Ceremonies took
place at the Hotel Inter-Continental in New
Orleans May 28.
While Edney is pleased with the
honor, he is quick to point out that it wasn't
just his efforts that saved the conference.
"It was a challenge that a group of
people undertook," Edney said. "I helped
to contribute, hut it was a strong group of
athletic directors and coaches that didn't
want to see this conference die. This con
ference was a dear thing to us."
Edney spent several long ? and most
of the time unpaid ? hours working to
keep the conference alive.
"In my opinion he was a savior for the
SWAC," said Southern athletic director
Marino Casern, who was athletic director
and football coach at Alcorn during the
time. "When he took over, the conference
was in pretty bad shape. He walked us
through the rough times. To me, this con
ference is beholding to Norris. He was a
unifying force."
Edney, a native of Natchez, currently
serves as director of the Division of Gradu
ate Studies at Alcorn. He attended Touga
loo on a basketball scholarship.
"I've always had a love for sports,"
Edney said. "My strength is that people are
willing to help me."
Others going into the Hall of Fame
were:
ALABAMA STATE
George H. Lockhart, who served
Alabama State for 42 years and who
coached ASU's Laboratory High School in
eight national tournaments.
Dr. John H. Jones, ASU's track and
field coach from 1948 to 1961 and also an
assistant professor of English and speech.
ALCORN STATE
Samuel Crump, an all-conference run
ning hack from 1951 to 1954 and also a
standout at baseball, track and field and
baseball player.
(GAMBLING STATE
Willie Brown, track standout and four
year football Ictterman who went on to
play with Houston, Denver and Oakland
before his induction into the Pro Football
Hall of Fame in 1984.
A native of Yazoo City, Miss., played
for the G-Mcn from 1959-62, serving as ?
senior class president before graduating
with a degree in health and physical educa
tion.
Brown, at 6-1, 210 pounds, played
split end on offense and linebacker on
defense at Grambling.
He picked off a record 54 interceptions
during his 16-year NFL playing career. He
still shares an NFL record with four inter
ceptions in one game, that feat coming
against the New York Jets in 1964.
Fred C. Hobdy, Grambling athletic
director who won more college games
(567) than any other coach in Louisiana
basketball history.
A 1993 inductee into the Louisiana
Basketball Hall of Fame, Hobdy retired
from active coaching after the 1985-86 sea
son with a collegiate record of 567-287
during a 30-year tenure. His G-Men team
won 20 or more games 15 times and cap
tured eight SWAC championships, nine
NAIA regional titles, two NCAA regional
championships and one Midwest Confer
ence crowns. His 1960-61 team won the
NAIA national thampionship, while his
1 962-63 team won second place.
Known for his fastbreak style of bas
ketball, Hobdy assumed the head basket
ball post at GSU in 1956 after serving as an
assistant to Eddie Robinson for four years.
He also served as an assistant football
coach.
A native of Winnfield, La.t Hobdy, 69,
became athletics director at Grambling in
1989 aftei having served as assistant AD
the previous 14 years. A veteran of the U.S.
Navy, he was a standout athlete in the
sports of football, basketball and baseball
at GSU before receiving his baccalaureate
degree in health and physical education in
1949.
JACKSON STATE
Dr. John A. Peoples, former varsity
football player, tutor and student body
president before becoming JSU's sixth
president and first alumnus president in
1967.
Willie Richardson, former 1967-68
All-Pro wide receiver with the Baltimore
Colts who still holds most of the Tigers*
receiving records.
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE
Curtis G. Maddox, associate vice pres
ident of Norfolk State University who
coached baseball, basketball and football at
MVSU from 1959 to 1967.
Dr. William Ware, former coach and
administrator who has been a leading fig
ure in higher education at four U.S. univer
sities ? Southern California (1972-72), Cal
ifornia State (1973-78), Mississippi State
(1979-83) and Mississippi Valley State
(1990-present).
PRAIRIE VIEW
-Barbara J. Jackent, former distin
guished athlete and retired coach who was
head women's track and field coach for the
1992 U.S. Olympic team.
A 1958 graduate of Tuskegee Institute
(now Tuskegee University), Jacket came to
Prairie View nearly three decades ago and
immediately began to transform the
women's track program into a national
powerhouse. In face, before she retired
from coaching at the university in June
1991, she had captured over 20 national
championships, nine SWAC indoor titles,
six SWAC outdoor titles and six SWAC
cross country crowns.
Consequently, Jacket received a total
of 22 SWAC coach of the year awards as
well as five NAJLA best coach awards.
Jacket coached 57 All-Americans at
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