Jones College

Mary Kate Skelton
Mary Kate Skelton played soccer at Jones in 2016.

She was named an NJCAA Division I Honorable Mention All-American and All-Region 23 after leading the Bobcats to a stellar 15-2 record, clinching the MACJC/Region 23 Tournament titles, and earning a spot in the NJCAA Division I District H playoffs during her sophomore year.

As team captain, Skelton scored 21 goals, had 18 assists, and accumulated 60 points, ranking second in the conference and 15th nationally. She scored two goals and was named the South team’s Most Valuable Player in the MACJC All-Star Game, leading the South to a 5-0 victory over the North.

Skelton graduated from South Jones High School, where she consistently guided the Braves to the playoffs each season. She earned Most Valuable Player and First Team All-District honors in each of her varsity seasons and was selected for the 2015 South All-Star team.

During her senior year, she was elected homecoming queen and played football for the South Jones Braves, becoming the lead scorer and earning Second Team All-Region 3-5A honors as a kicker. Additionally, she was named the 2014 Laurel Leader-Call's Person of the Year and appeared as a guest on ABC’s The View.

In her freshman season at Southern Miss, Skelton played in all 19 games for the Golden Eagles, finishing second on the team in points (8) with two goals and a team-high four assists.

After graduating from Jones, she transferred to The University of Mississippi where she started in 16 games as a junior, scoring two goals and ranking second on the team with seven assists. In her senior year, she started 20 matches, served as team captain, and scored the opening goal in Ole Miss’s 2-1 victory at Clemson during the NCAA Tournament's opening round.

Following her graduation from Ole Miss, Skelton pursued her Master of Business Administration at Mississippi State University.

She married Trey Skelton, son of former Jones College men’s basketball coach Bubba Skelton, in March 2023. Mary Kate and Trey met on campus at Jones when Coach Skelton was named head coach in 2008.

The couple resides in Oxford, where Mary Kate works as the Alumni Fundraising Director for the Ole Miss Alumni Association. She is also pursuing her doctorate in education with an emphasis in higher education.

Tristan Jackson 
Tristan Jackson was a two-year starter in the secondary and was a return specialist at Jones in 2004-05.

As a freshman, he averaged 25.4 yards per punt return, which was second in the MACJC.

Jackson was a preseason All-American in the Hurricane Katrina-shortened 2005 season. He made First Team All-MACJC as a sophomore after recording 76 tackles with six interceptions and a touchdown.

Jackson, a Beaumont native, graduated from Perry Central High School. He was a three-year starter with the Bulldogs and participated in track, baseball and powerlifting.

After graduating from Jones, Jackson went to the University of Central Arkansas and enjoyed two excellent seasons.

As a junior at UCA in 2006, he led the team in interceptions with six, including a pick six, and led the team in punt returns. Jackson had 51 tackles, which was fourth on the team, and the Bears went 8-3.

As a senior in 2007, he again led the team in punt returns, including two returns for touchdowns. He also led the team in kickoff return average. He had 55 tackles, which was fourth on the team, and had one interception.

Jackson signed with the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos in 2008. He was named the team’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player in 2008-09 and Edmonton’s Most Outstanding Rookie in 2008. He set an Eskimos’ record for Most Kickoff Return Yards in 2009.

He played three years with Edmonton before going to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2011. He played with the Roughriders through 2015 and finished his playing with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2016.

Jackson was named Special Teams Player of the Year for the Riders in 2011 and 2012 and ranks second in Saskatchewan history in return yards. He was the Special Teams Player of the Year for the Redblacks in 2016.

Jackson played on two Grey Cup championship teams, one with Saskatchewan in 2013 and one with Ottawa in 2016.

He signed a one-day contract with Saskatchewan in 2019 so that he could officially retire as a Roughrider.

Jackson returned a missed field goal 129 yards for a touchdown for the Roughriders in a 23-19 win over the B.C. Lions in 2012.

He played nine seasons and in 124 regular season games during his CFL career. He is second all-time in the CFL in kickoff return yards (6,478) and fifth in combined return yards (10,868).

Jackson currently resides and works in the Edmonton area.

Fred Cooley 
Fred Cooley was a standout baseball and football player at Jones in 1985-86.

Cooley hit 17 home runs in 1986, which stood as the school record for many years.

Cooley played football at Jones under his father, Hall of Fame head coach Sim Cooley. He was an offensive lineman, as well as the team’s punter and placekicker.

He was a First Team All-MACJC and All-Region 23 performer in 1985-86, as well as a Second Team JC Gridwire All-American in 1985. He participated in the 1986 Mississippi Junior College Football All-Star Game.

Cooley graduated from South Jones in 1984 after leading the Braves to the 1984 1A baseball state championship. He played in the 1984 MAC High School All-Star Baseball Game and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. He was also selected to play in the state High School All-Star Football Game.

Cooley played baseball at the University of Southern Mississippi from 1987-89. He was All-Metro Conference as a pitcher in 1988 and was All-Metro and an American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-American in 1989.

As a senior at Southern Miss, he batted .351 with 23 home runs and 86 RBIs – both school records at the time. He was unable to pitch that season because of bone chips in his elbow.

As a junior with the Golden Eagles, he batted a team-leading .352 with 17 home runs, 70 RBIs and a .643 slugging percentage. He led the team in hits with 86 and tied for the team lead in doubles and triples with 14 and 3, respectively. As a pitcher, he made 19 appearances, pitched 32.2 innings, struck out 39 and had five saves.

During his sophomore year at Southern Miss, Cooley batted .303 with five home runs and 35 RBIs. On the mound, he posted a win and a save while making nine appearances.

He was inducted into the Southern Miss Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 12th round of the 1988 Major League Baseball Draft and by the Oakland Athletics in the 37th round of the 1989 MLB Draft.

Cooley played minor league baseball from 1989-92 in both the A’s and Minnesota Twins’ organizations before becoming a graduate assistant at Jones in 1992-93.

He was an assistant coach in football at Northeast Jones from 1994-2004. He was assistant football coach at South Jones in 2004 and from 2006-10 and head softball coach at South Jones from 2010-14.
Cooley met his wife, Melinda, while they were students at Jones. They were married from 1990 until her death in 2022.

Cooley is currently retired and living in Ellisville.

Bonnie Lee “Country” Graham 
Country Graham was the Jones County Junior College men’s basketball coach for seven seasons between 1939 and 1949. He missed three years because of serving in the military during World War II. He was a sergeant in the Army and taught recruits at Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg.

He was also the school’s first assistant football coach and was elevated to head football coach in 1947.

Graham led the Bobcats to state basketball championships in 1941, 1943 and 1946 and a state championship in football in 1947. Unofficially, he was 107-36 in seven seasons as men’s basketball coach. In football, Jones was 9-0-1 in 1947, 8-2 in 1948 and 6-5 in 1949, giving Graham a 23-7-1 record as head coach.

Graham was born in Baldwyn, Miss., on Aug. 24, 1914, and would go to Ole Miss and play basketball from 1936-38.

He was All-SEC in 1938 and was the Rebels’ first basketball All-American that year.

During his time with the Rebels, he averaged 16.6 points and established 36 SEC scoring records. He led the SEC in scoring for three straight seasons. The 6-foot-3 Graham pioneered the one-handed hook shot, which was known as “Country’s Fade-Away.”

He led the Rebels to a 53-27 record during his three seasons as a player, including the program’s first 20-win season in 1936-37 (20-6). In 1937-38, he helped Ole Miss reach the finals of the SEC Tournament and led all scorers in the tournament with 71 points. He played end on the 1938 football team, which posted a 9-2 record.

After graduating from Ole Miss, Graham came to Jones to be the men’s basketball coach and the school’s first assistant football coach. He was named head football coach in 1947.

After leaving Jones, he returned to Ole Miss as head basketball coach from 1950-62. He also served as an assistant football coach from 1952-60. He retired from Ole Miss in 1974 as Assistant Professor of Physical Education.

He was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1963 and was a charter member of the Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986. Graham was also named to the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel Star’s All-Time Southeastern Conference third team in 1974 and in 1978 was chosen by Sports Illustrated as one of the seven outstanding players in America for the decade of the 1930s. He is a life member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

A poll of alumni, faculty and sportswriters selected him as the Most Outstanding Player in Basketball at Ole Miss from 1893-1950. In 1999, he was presented the Mike Campbell Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding performance as an assistant coach in football. In 2002, he was named to the Ole Miss basketball Team of the Century. He was the winningest coach in Ole Miss basketball history with 144 victories.

Graham was named the SEC Ole Miss Basketball Legend in 2015.

A historical marker in his honor was recently placed in his hometown of Baldwyn.

Graham passed away on Oct. 13, 2001.

Mason Irby
Mason Irby played baseball at Jones in 2015-16.

During his sophomore season, he helped the Bobcats win the NJCAA Division II World Series with a 54-9 record. Irby batted .387 with eight home runs, 76 RBIs, 16 doubles, two triples and 71 runs scored. He stole 32 bases and drew 42 walks.

He was named an NJCAA Division II First Team All-American, All-MACJC, ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove winner and a Marucci Elite Hitter Award winner. He was also named to the NJCAA National Team, which competed in the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series in the summer of 2016,

As a freshman at Jones, Irby batted .395 with three home runs, 51 RBIs, 17 doubles and 25 runs scored. He was named NJCAA Division II Second Team All-American, All-Region 23 and First Team All-MACJC.

As a senior at Southeast Lauderdale High School, Irby batted .473 with six home runs and 36 RBIs. He was First Team All-MHSAA and First Team All-District. He played in the 2014 Mississippi High School All-Star Game and was class valedictorian with a 4.13 GPA.

During his junior year at Southern Miss, he batted .338 and was second on the team in hits (89) and doubles (20), while tying for second in runs (62), fourth in total bases (118) and walks (39). He was named Second Team All-Conference USA and made the NCAA Hattiesburg All-Regional Team. As a Golden Eagle senior, Irby batted .276 with 34 RBIs.

Irby made the school’s Dean’s List and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll while at Southern Miss.

He has been married to Caroline Irby for five years and they have a one-year-old girl, Carsen. Irby currently resides in Madison and works in Ridgeland.

Madison Manning 
Madison Manning was the official statistician for Jones College baseball in 2016-17.

He played an important role on the 2016 team that went 54-9, won the Region 23 Tournament and the school’s first NJCAA Division II World Series in Enid, Oklahoma. The 2017 team went 46-4 and won the conference.

The Bobcats were 100-13 during Manning’s two years with the team.

Manning graduated from South Jones High School before coming to Jones. After leaving Jones, he went to the University of Southern Mississippi.

He would eventually return to South Jones where he served as Director of Baseball Operations. He was known as “DOBO” at SJHS.

Manning was honored with the dedication of a plaque in his memory at Community Bank Park during a ceremony on Feb. 3, 2024. The plaque is on display in a brick column near the gate above the third base dugout.

Manning died due to cystic fibrosis on Jan. 24, 2023, at the age of 26.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Trace Manning. He is survived by his parents, Mike and Donna Manning.

Buck Anderson
Sidney S. “Buck” Anderson, Jr., played on the 1955 and 1956 Jones football teams.
 
The 1955 state championship team was undefeated in the regular season and went on to play Compton College (California) in the Junior Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. It was the first time an all-white athletic team from Mississippi played an integrated team.
 
That event was recognized in 2018 with a historical marker located on the Jones campus in a rose garden by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
 
The 1955 team outscored its opposition 326-110 in the first nine games of the season. The Bobcats would lose to Compton 22-13 in the Junior Rose Bowl before a crowd of 57,000.
 
The 1956 Bobcats would post a 7-3 record.
 
Anderson, the son of Sid and Dorothy Anderson, grew up in Jones County, attended school in Moselle and graduated from Petal High School. He would go to Northeast Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana-Monroe) after graduating from Jones.
 
He met his wife, Libby McCoy, while in school in Monroe. After graduating from senior college, Anderson began his career as a salesman for McMillian Feed Mills in Memphis, Tennessee. Nine months later, he accepted an offer from Taylor Publishing Company and spent the next 20 years working with students designing and producing yearbooks.
 
In the late 70s, Anderson, his wife and three children (Art, Debbie and Sid) relocated to Fitzgerald, Georgia, as he took over his uncle Bennie Anderson’s businesses, which included the Dixie Peanut Company and Fitzgerald Motor Company.
 
Anderson is a dedicated member of the Central United Methodist Church, serving his church as a trustee, Finance Committee Chairman and lifetime appointee to the Long-Term Investments Committee.
 
Anderson expanded his interests to the community, becoming actively involved in church, the Chamber of Commerce, the local technical college and the local high school. He quickly saw what a dynamic impact organized fund-raising could have on citizens and their community. Institutions such as Jones and Petal High School have also benefited from his leadership and vision.
 
Anderson is a dedicated Bobcat Club member, Jones Honor Alum and Jones Foundation Board member. He has shared much of his leadership and benevolence with Jones, contributing lead gifts to the Jones Foundation’s Reaching New Heights campaign in 1999 and the Inspiring Greatness…It begins with us! campaign in 2007. 
 
On a Waffle House napkin he wrote the first pledge to the Jones Foundation.  On a napkin which cost less than five cents it helped the Foundation award over 582 scholarships
 
Anderson joined others in initiating and helping to fund Radionian yearbook staff workshops, campus beautification and landscaping projects and numerous scholarship endowments. He designed the stop sign project and the directional signs on campus.
 
He donated the oaks which are planted in front of Jones Hall – the naming of each tree provides historical information for the college. He donated the swing project by the walking trail by the lake. He initiated the phone number 1-866-WE-R-JCJC project to have that implemented.
 
Anderson drew plans for the water fountain project in front of the campus and worked with Dr. Jesse Smith on campus lighting stands and the project of putting names on campus buildings.

Janet Eaton-Smith
Janet Eaton-Smith played basketball at Jones in 1988-89 and 1990-91.
 
She came to Jones from South Jones High School where she played on the undefeated, 37-0 1988 SJ MHSAA championship team. She was the starting point guard on that team, averaging 12 points and six assists per game. 
 
She was voted Most Athletic by her peers, named All-District and All-South State and made several All-Tournament teams.
 
After graduating from Jones, Eaton-Smith went to Dillard University in New Orleans, La., and graduated with a degree in health and physical education in 1994. She earned her master’s degree in administration with an emphasis in diversity from the University of Phoenix in Kenner, La., in 2001.
 
Eaton-Smith began her collegiate coaching career at Lamar University, where she was an assistant coach for the NCAA Division I women’s basketball program for four seasons.
 
Before coaching in college, she was the athletic director, women’s basketball coach and a teacher at Xavier University Prep High School in New Orleans. Before that, she was a teacher and a coach at St. Bernard High School in Louisiana. While at Xavier in 2001-02, she was the district’s Athletic Director of the Year, named Metro Coach of the Year, selected as the Co-Catholic Coach of the Year and the Orleans Parish Coach of the Year. She was also the sponsor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
 
Eaton-Smith spent six years at Wiley University where she was the head women’s basketball coach, an Associate Director of Athletics and Director of Athletics. She spent her final three years at Wiley as fulltime Director of Athletics.
 
She then served as assistant women’s basketball coach and adjunct professor at Indiana State University.
 
Eaton-Smith then went to Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio, where she was the Vice President of Athletics and the Senior Woman Leader. She was named the 2023 Nike NAIA Executive of the Year by Women’s Leaders in College Sports and was the 2020-21 Terry Bocian Athletic Director of the Year.
 
Under her leadership at Lourdes, the Gray Wolves were a five-time NAIA Gold Five-Star Institution, she added five athletic teams to the LU lineup, increased the department fundraising and worked to secure grants for facility improvements.
 
At Lourdes, Eaton-Smith became a member of the NAIA RISE (Respect, Inclusivity, Support, Education) program, providing an avenue for NAIA membership to participate in training and programming aimed at influencing positive change in the Association where all people are valued and provided equal opportunity in all aspects of life. 
 
She is also a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
 
Eaton-Smith has been Director of Athletics at Ottawa University in Kansas since March 2024.

Damon Mason
Damon Mason was a defensive back at Jones in 1993.
 
The Laplace, La., native was named All-MACJC and is noted for having a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown in the Bobcats’ 20-20 tie vs. Navarro College (Texas) in the Texas Shrine Bowl. The Bobcats finished 9-2-1 in head coach Parker Dykes’ second season.
 
Mason then went to a standout career at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now Louisiana-Lafayette).
 
He had one of the greatest games in school history on Sept. 14, 1996, when he led the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 29-22 upset of No. 25 Texas A&M.
 
Mason had a 46-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the game and intercepted another pass at the USL 13 with just 31 seconds left to seal the victory. 
 
He also forced two fumbles, had a sack and nine tackles and was named National Defensive Player of the Week.
 
He had his jersey retired after that season and was named Louisiana’s Defensive Player of the Year, the same year LSU’s Kevin Faulk won offensive honors. He was also named a third-team All-American that year.
 
Mason had 135 tackles that season, which ranks as the most ever by a Cajun defensive back. He had 21 tackles in a game vs. Houston that season. He also had four interceptions. He ranks fifth in school history with 243 career tackles.
 
He began his professional career under Jay Gruden with the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League in 1997.
 
Mason played from 1998-2011 and retired as the all-time leading tackler in Arena League history. He played on two league champion teams in 1998 and 2000 and was a three-time All-Arena League selection in 1999, 2000 and 2001.
 
He was a player/coach in the league for six seasons and was the defensive coordinator for the league champion Jacksonville Sharks in 2017.
 
Mason was inducted into the Louisiana-Lafayette Hall of Fame in 2018.
 
He is currently Recruiting Coordinator and Mentor with Diamonds of Distinction (DM9, LLC) and is an ISSA Certified Personal Athletic Trainer.