Jones College Announces 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame Class
ELLISVILLE, Miss. — Jones College announced its 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class, featuring six former athletes and coaches. The ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. inside A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
The class includes Missy Bilderback, Major Nick Laviano, Chris Lofton, Adam Napier, Eugene Sims, and Timothy Weathersby. Each has achieved significant success in their respective sports and careers.
Missy Bilderback led Jones’ women’s basketball team to its first NJCAA Region 23 Tournament appearance and a program-record 30-2 season in 2017. She secured seven consecutive region titles and multiple national tournament appearances during her tenure from 2015 to 2023, compiling a 198-33 overall record, according to school officials.
Major Nick Laviano, a Jones County Junior College graduate, played soccer and golf at Ellisville. He later earned a mechanical engineering degree from Mississippi State and became a naval aviator, flying the FA-18E Super Hornet and training at TOPGUN, according to university sources.
Chris Lofton played baseball and football at Jones, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2010, and played in the minor leagues until 2014. He also contributed as a defensive back for the Bobcats, including a 60-yard interception return in 2008, sources say.
Adam Napier, from Collins, played two years of golf at Jones after high school. He served in the military following the September 11 attacks, inspired by his family’s military background, according to school records.
Eugene Sims transferred from Jones to West Texas A&M, where he became a top defensive lineman and was drafted in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. He played seven NFL seasons, sources report.
Timothy Weathersby, a former quarterback, remains Jones’ all-time leader in touchdown passes with 26 and ranks second in passing yards with 3,123. He earned multiple all-region and all-conference honors during his time with the Bobcats in the late 1990s.
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