°µÍø³Ô¹Ï

CORSICANA, Tx – °µÍø³Ô¹Ï College's Bulldog Hall of Fame will add seven members in its Class of 2024 when induction occurs during a luncheon Saturday, September 21 at the Cook Education Center.

The honorees from five sports feature four NJCAA and two NCAA All-Americans, a first-round NFL draft pick and an MLB second rounder, an Arena Football League legend, and another who drove his Bulldogs the extra mile for more than two decades.

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï College Executive Director of Student Services and Director of Athletics Michael Landers introduced the new class during a press conference Tuesday on the °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Sports YouTube Channel.

Deeanna Williams King, Softball (1998-2000) The team RBI leader on a memorable first °µÍø³Ô¹Ï team that won the Region XIV Championship and qualified for the NJCAA Tournament.  She transferred to the University of Texas where she earned All-Big XII honors.

Jess Todd, Baseball (2005-2006) A 2007 second-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals, Todd compiled a 9-2 record with a 1.42 earned-run average in his only °µÍø³Ô¹Ï season. Regarded by many as °µÍø³Ô¹Ï's best all-time pitcher, Todd transferred to The University of Arkansas, where he earned All-SEC Tournament. 

Hernandez James "Hunkie" Cooper, Football (1989-1990) Versatile, multi-talented Cooper starred at every level – from Palestine Westwood High School to °µÍø³Ô¹Ï, to UNLV, to a legendary Arena Football League career with the Arizona Rattlers.  Cooper quarterbacked °µÍø³Ô¹Ï to its first NJCAA Championship in 1989.  He earned NCAA All-American honors at UNLV, where he played as many as six different positions in games.  An Arena Football League Hall of Famer after 13 seasons, the league MVP (1993) and Ironman Award Winner (1999 and 2000) is the AFL's all-purpose yardage leader (20,587 yards).

DeAndre Brown, Basketball (2007-2009) The NJCAA first team All-American led °µÍø³Ô¹Ï to the Region XIV Tournament Championship and its first appearance at the NJCAA Tournament in Hutchinson, KS.  The first team All-Region XIV and Tournament MVP ranks top five in single season and career scoring at °µÍø³Ô¹Ï College.

Carolina Barbosa, Volleyball (2016-2018) The middle hitter from Rio de Janeiro was °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Volleyball's first NJCAA All-American in 2017 when she led the Bulldogs to a 27-12 record and the Region XIV Tournament Semifinals.  The first team all-conference and all-region player ranks among °µÍø³Ô¹Ï's Top 5 statistically in kills, attacks and scoring. 

Derek Sherrard "DJ" Hayden, Football (2009-2010) – Hayden played cornerback on °µÍø³Ô¹Ï teams that went 22-2 with a pair of SWJCFC Championships and the 2010 NJCAA Championship.  Hayden played shutdown corner at The University of Huston and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 2013 draft.  He later played with the Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Washington Redskins. Hayden passed away as a result of a traffic collision in Houston on November 11, 2023.

Cassias Phillips, Community, (2003-2024) "Cash," as he is known, was an 'unofficial' member of the athletics team for 21 years, while he was assigned to the maintenance department as a bus driver at °µÍø³Ô¹Ï College.  More than a bus driver and a caretaker, he epitomizes everything about being a °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Bulldog.  He has driven more miles and attended more games than the entire coaching staff, while supporting student-athletes in every sports program.