Mark Easley begins his 16th season as head coach of the Jones County Junior College tennis teams.
The Bobcats have enjoyed tremendous success under Easley’s guidance.
Last year, Easley guided both Bobcat teams to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.
The 2015 Lady Bobcats were 13-1 and shared the MACJC/Region 23 crown with Itawamba. They advanced to the NJCAA Division I Tournament in Tucson, Arizona, and finished ranked No. 16 in the final ITA poll.
It was the fifth straight season for the Lady Bobcats to reach nationals and the 10th time in the past 12 seasons.
The 2014 Lady Bobcats captured the MACJC/Region 23 Tournament at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The JCJC women’s team qualified for its fourth straight national tournament in Tyler, Texas, where they finished 19th. The Lady Bobcats were 13-1 in 2014.
The 2015 JCJC men's team was 11-2, finished third in the MACJC/Region 23 Tournament and qualified for nationals in Plano, Texas. They finished No. 17 in the final ITA poll.
In 2014, the JCJC men’s team posted a 10-4 regular season record, finished third in the MACJC/Region 23 Tournament and 20th in the NJCAA tourney in Plano, Texas.
In 2013, Lady Bobcats finished 19th in the nationals, which were held in Tucson, Arizona. The Lady Bobcats posted a 12-2 regular season record and finished second in both the MACJC and Region 23 Tournaments.
In 2012, the Lady Bobcats finished second in the MACJC Tournament and third in Region 23 tournament. They advanced to the nationals in Tyler, Texas, and finished 21st.
The JCJC men’s team was 7-7 in 2013 and tied for fourth in the state. The Bobcats finished second in the state and fourth in the regionals in 2012.
The Lady Bobcats claimed back-to-back MACJC state championships, winning in Tupelo in 2010 and Hattiesburg in 2009. The 2009 title was the team’s first state crown since 1996.
The 2011 men’s team was 10-3 in the regular season, second in the MACJC and third in the Region 23 Tournament. They finished No. 16 in the national tournament.
The 2010 Lady Bobcats posted a 17-1 regular season record, finished second in the Region 23 Tournament and advanced to the nationals where they finished 18th in in Tucson. George County freshman Arlette Cochran won the consolation round of No. 5 singles in the nationals.
The 2009 Lady Bobcats finished 25th in the nationals.
The Lady Bobcats were also MACJC and Region 23 runnerups in 2005.
Easley was named the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) Coach of the Year for the men’s team in 2011, the MACJC’s Women’s Coach of the Year in both 2009 and 2010 and he was named the MACJC’s and MAC Men’s Coach of the Year in 2008.
The 2010 men’s tennis team finished 13-3 and was third in the state. They were fourth in the Region 23 Tournament.
The men’s team has made nationals three times in the past six years.
The JCJC tennis teams have achieved success off the court as well.
The 2014 Lady Bobcats had a 3.35 GPA and were named as NJCAA All-Academic team.
In 2014, Elizabeth Wright had a 4.0 GPA and was the JCJC Women’s Presidential Scholar-Athlete Award recipient, sharing the honor with softball player Makenzie Hawkins.
Brenda Hegwood and Brooke Martin were both named MACJC All-State Academic and received NJCAA Exemplary Academic status. In 2011, Tiffany Hudson was the JCJC Women’s Presidential Scholar-Athlete Award winner, sharing the honor with softball/soccer player Janna Sullivan, and Tyler Shows was named the JCJC Men’s Presidential Scholar-Athlete Award winner.
In 2009, Lady Bobcat standout Rachel Whaley was named the JCJC Presidential Scholar-Athlete Award winner. Whaley and teammate J.J. Benson were named Distinguished Academic All-Americans.
The 2007 women’s team finished with the second highest GPA in the nation.
During his first seven years at JCJC, Easley coached soccer (2004 men’s team won the South Division and were MACJC and Region 23 runnerups), along with tennis. From 1991-99, Easley coached basketball at Northeast Jones High School. He also coached softball at NEJ for five years. From 1987-90, he coached basketball at Neshoba Central High School in Philadelphia. He is in his 24th year of coaching.
Easley is a Vardaman native and a graduate of Delta State University. At DSU, he played basketball from 1981-85 and was a graduate assistant in basketball from 1985-87. He is a member of the DSU Hall of Fame.
Easley and his wife, Melody, have been married for 28 years. They have three children: Katie Shores, who teaches at Jackson Academy and is married to Aaron Shores; Lauryn, a junior at Ole Miss; and Daniel, a junior at Northeast Jones High School
Easley is Dean of Student Affairs. He also does play-by-play for JCJC football and basketball broadcasts.
