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ICC to honor Carrie Ball-Williamson, Nanci Gray for legacy

Award-winning Itawamba Community College women’s basketball coaches Carrie Ball-Williamson of Pontotoc and Nanci Gray of Tupelo will be honored for their legacy during homecoming activities at the Fulton Campus beginning at 3 p.m., Oct. 6.

            The Fitness Center will be named the Carrie Ball-Williamson Recreational Center at 3 p.m., and the court of the Davis Event Center, for Gray during the Alumni awards which will be presented beginning at 4 p.m. A reception for all honorees will be in the DEC lobby between events.

            Ball-Williamson, who retired in June, became ICC’s athletic director in 2002, after serving in various roles since 1993, including director of student activities and both head women’s softball and basketball coach. Her honors include ICC Adviser of the Year, Trailblazer of the Year, MACJC Coach of the Year (three times), NJCAA Loyalty Award and inductee into both the ICC and MACJC Athletic Hall of Fame. She also served as the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XXIII assistant director. From 1993-2006, Ball-Williamson’s coaching record included two North Division championships.  Her softball teams won three North Division championships and one state title. From 1981-93, she taught eighth and ninth grade and was junior high and high school basketball and softball coach in the Pontotoc City Schools. She is married to Troy Williamson.

            Gray retired in 2019 after 40 years in basketball, including junior high, high school and community college. She never had a losing season in 30 years as a head coach. In 13 seasons at ICC, she compiled a 250-101 record, one that included six 20-plus winning seasons. Gray, who began her career as an assistant for her former coach, Jimmy Guy McDonald, at her alma mater in Houlka, also led high school programs at Bruce and Tupelo. Highlights of her career from 2007-19 include seven North Division Championships, two MACJC championships, three NJCAA Region 23 Championships, three NJCAA National Tournament appearances, two-time MACJC Coach of the Year, three-time NJCAA Region 23 Coach of the Year and inductee into both the ICC and MACCC Athletic Hall of Fame. At ICC, in 1975 she was a member of the revitalized women’s basketball team, which in its first year won the MACJC State Championship and participated in the NJCAA National Tournament. She also was named honorable mention, All-American. She is married to Joel Gray, and they have two children and six grandchildren.

            The public is invited.



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