Bill Text: MS SR128 | 2026 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Extend condolences of Mississippi Senate on the passing of former Ole Miss Athletic Director Warner Alford, Jr.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 9)
Status: (Passed) 2026-03-31 - Adopted [SR128 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2026-SR128-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2026 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Michel, Hopson, Boyd, Chassaniol, Sparks, Suber, Parks, McCaughn, McLendon
Senate Resolution 128
(As Adopted by Senate)
A RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES OF THE MISSISSIPPI SENATE TO THE SURVIVING FAMILY OF LEGENDARY UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI ATHLETICS DIRECTOR WARNER ALFORD, JR., OF MCCOMB, MISSISSIPPI.
WHEREAS, we join the Ole Miss family in mourning the passing of legendary former Ole Miss Athletics Director Warner Alford, Jr., on March 27, 2026; and
WHEREAS, a student-athlete, coach, and administrator, Alford has been recognized for his success and dedication to Ole Miss athletics. He was inducted into the M-Club Alumni Hall of Fame in 1999, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, the University of Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame in 2009, and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Hall of Fame in 2018. In 2018, he received the University of Mississippi Alumni Service Award. The School of Business Administration at the University of Mississippi inducted Alford into its inaugural Hall of Fame in 2024. He was also honored with the Service Award for his numerous contributions to the school; and
WHEREAS, a guard for legendary Head Coach John Vaught, Alford and quarterback Jake Gibbs were permanent co-captains of the 1960 squad, defeating the Rice University Owls 14-6 in the Sugar Bowl, and were named National Champions by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). The Rebels also won the 1960 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championship with a 5-0-1 league record; and
WHEREAS, graduating with a BBA degree in June of 1961, Alford was a young business executive in McComb for four years. In 1965, he decided that he wanted to return to football. After earning his Master's degree in Economics, he joined the collegiate coaching ranks at Davidson College in North Carolina, where he served 14 months as defensive coordinator before spending the next three years as an assistant coach at Georgia Tech. Alford returned to Ole Miss after six years, when he was named the Rebels' defensive line coach in 1971 and served in that position for three seasons; and
WHEREAS, in 1974, Alford was named Assistant Director of Athletics and Director of Rebel Recruiting. In 1977, he relinquished his recruiting duties in order to devote full attention to administrative duties, before being named Director of Athletics in 1978; and
WHEREAS, during his 16 years as director, Alford helped produce one of the nation's finest athletics programs, including progress on the fields of competition, in the classroom, and in facilities. With the culmination of the Drive for Athletics, a $10-Million-Dollar effort, Vaught‑Hemingway Stadium received a major facelift, a new press box, and 29 sky boxes. Included in the stadium project was the addition of a lighting system installed in the summer of 1990, bringing night football to the campus. Additionally, 7,000 end zone seats were installed and natural grass replaced the artificial turf; and
WHEREAS, Alford oversaw the construction of Swayze Field, a new tennis center, renovations to the golf course and the track facility. Also constructed during his tenure was the capstone of the Drive for Athletics, a $3.5-Million-Dollar Athletics Training Center addition to the "Doc" Knight Field House; and
WHEREAS, Alford's efforts did not stop with physical improvements. When he took over as athletics director in 1978, Ole Miss sponsored eight sports, increasing that number to 15 when he left the position in 1994, including eight sports for men and seven sports for women. Alford also served on the committee to formulate plans to bring women's athletics into the Southeastern Conference; and
WHEREAS, a strong leader in the field of athletics, Alford served on the NCAA Council, as President-elect of the Division I-A Athletics Directors Association, as the first Vice President of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), as Chair of the CFA Athletic Directors Committee, and was a member of the CFA Board of Directors. He was also a member of the NCAA Professional Sports Liaison Committee, a member of the NCAA Honors Committee, and a member of the NCAA Certification Committee. Alford served on the Southeastern Conference Executive Committee, was on the SEC Basketball Tournament Site Selection Committee and on the CFA Television Committee; and
WHEREAS, after retiring as Director of Athletics in 1994, Alford returned to Ole Miss and held positions as Executive Assistant for Development for the University of Mississippi Foundation, coordinator of external programs for the Trent Lott Leadership Institute and worked with the Ole Miss First scholarship program. He served as Executive Director of the Ole Miss Alumni Association from 2004 to 2008, overseeing significant growth in the club program and the addition of the tower to The Inn at Ole Miss; and
WHEREAS, in 2013, to honor the Alford's longtime service and lasting contributions, the University of Mississippi Foundation created the Warner and Kay Alford Ole Miss Opportunity Endowment with a $50,000.00 gift and invited alumni and friends to help build the fund. Annual income from the endowment provides Ole Miss Opportunity scholarships to academically deserving students from lower-income families in Mississippi.
WHEREAS, Alford married the former Kay Swayze of Oxford, Mississippi, on February 11, 1961. After almost 64 years of marriage, Kay passed away on February 3, 2025. They have three children: Swayze Alford (Melinda), John Alford III (Michelle), and Phyllis Alford Daniels (Darrell); grandchildren: Lilly, Grace (Christian), Grant, Clayton, John Swayze, John Warner, and Jude; and
WHEREAS, we pay tribute and cherish fondly the memory of this most dedicated university athlete and administrator whose enormous civic energy will be missed:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby extend the heartfelt condolences of the Mississippi Senate to the surviving family of legendary University of Mississippi Athletic Director Warner Alford, Jr., of McComb, Mississippi, and recognize his lasting impact on the University of Mississippi and on our state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the surviving family of Warner Alford, forwarded to the Chancellor of the University of Mississippi, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
