Bill Text: MS HR63 | 2011 | Regular Session | Engrossed

Mississippi House Resolution 63 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Tonya Edwards; commend for being named 2010-2011 SWAC Women's Basketball Coach of the Year.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7)

Status: (Passed) 2011-03-21 - Enrolled Bill Signed [HR63 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2011-HR63-Engrossed.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2011 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Representatives Jones (82nd), Clarke, Wooten, Broomfield, Buck (5th), Holloway, Johnson

House Resolution 63

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY WOMENS HEAD BASKETBALL COACH, TONYA EDWARDS, FOR HER SELECTION AS THE 2010-2011 SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMENS BASKETBALL COACH OF THE YEAR.

WHEREAS, Tonya Edwards, the Head Womens Basketball Coach of the Alcorn State University Lady Braves, was recently named as the 2010-2011 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Womens Basketball Coach of the Year by the conference coaches and sports information directors; and

WHEREAS, now in her third year with the Lady Braves, Coach Edwards came to Alcorn State with superb credentials as a winner, including coaching a high school championship and winning two national championships as a player at the University of Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, Coach Edwards was born and grew up in Flint, Michigan, where she excelled in basketball at Northwestern Community High School, playing on two state high school championship teams in 1983 and 1984 and being named to the high school girls All-State and All-American Teams; and

WHEREAS, because of her outstanding athletic skills and winning performance in high school, Coach Edwards received a basketball scholarship to attend the University of Tennessee, where she led the Lady Vols to two NCAA championships in 1987 and 1989 and was named as the Most Valuable Player of the 1987 NCAA Tournament; and

WHEREAS, after graduation from college in 1990, there were no opportunities to play professional basketball in the United States at the time, so Coach Edwards played professionally in Spain, Turkey and Israel from 1991 to 1996, when she returned to the United States to play for the Columbus Quest in the newly formed American Basketball League (ABL), an independent professional basketball league for women; and

WHEREAS, Coach Edwards led the Quest to two ABL championship titles in 1997 and 1998, and after the ABL disbanded during the following season, she played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) for the Minnesota Lynx, Phoenix Mercury and Charlotte Sting from 1999 to 2002 and was named to the 1999 WNBA All-Star Team; and

WHEREAS, Coach Edwards began her coaching career by returning to her alma mater, Northwestern Community High School, where she coached from 1990 to 1995, guiding her team to the 1993 state championship with a perfect 28-0 record and being named as 1993 High School Coach of the Year in Michigan; and

WHEREAS, before being selected as the Head Coach of the Lady Braves in 2008, Coach Edwards had served as an assistant coach in the National Women's Basketball League and she was an assistant coach at the University of Detroit-Mercy from 2006 to 2008, where she oversaw the budget, scheduled nonconference games and team travel, served as recruiting coordinator and coached the guards; and

WHEREAS, Coach Edwards has always had a history of being a winner and she is superbly qualified to lead the Lady Braves to a bright future, as recognized by her coaching peers with the SWAC Coach of the Year honor; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend excellence such as that shown by Coach Edwards, who encompasses a winning spirit, positive attitude and tireless devotion to the athletic endeavors of young people:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Alcorn State University Womens Head Basketball Coach, Tonya Edwards, for her selection as the 2010-2011 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Womens Basketball Coach of the Year by the conference coaches and sports information directors, and extend best wishes for continued success in all of her future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Coach Tonya Edwards, Alcorn State University and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.