The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians/Pearl River Resort announced today an agreement for title sponsorship of the annual basketball and baseball awards presented to the Most Outstanding College Player in Mississippi in each sport. In basketball the women compete for the Gillom Trophy named for Ole Miss All-American Peggie Gillom-Granderson, while the men receive the Howell Trophy named in honor of Bailey Howell, the first male Mississippian elected to the National Basketball Hall of Fame. The baseball award is named for Dave “Boo” Ferriss, the former Mississippi State and Boston Red Sox great and long-time Delta State University coach.
The Howell Trophy has been present annually since 2005, and the 2021 winner was Ole Miss guard Devontae Shuler. The women’s award began in 2008, and the most recent winner was Shakira Austin of Ole Miss breaking a string of six straight winners from Mississippi State. The Ferriss Trophy was first awarded in 2004, and the 2021 winner was Tanner Allen of the National Champion Mississippi State Bulldogs.
“We are very pleased to be associated with these prestigious honors that go to the top college players in our state,” said Choctaw Chief Cyrus Ben. Hall of Fame Executive Director Bill Blackwell said, “We are honored to have the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the Pearl River Resort take over sponsorship of these cherished trophies and begin what we think will be a strong partnership going forward.”
This year’s basketball awards will be presented on Monday, March 7, 2022, and the baseball banquet will be Monday, May 23, 2022. Tickets for The Howell and Gillom Trophies presented by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and Pearl River Resort are on sale now at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame or at www.msfame.com.
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