Montgomery Bears
Encyclopedia
| Montgomery Bears | |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Arena | Garrett Coliseum Garrett Coliseum The Garrett Coliseum is an 13,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The arena is the centerpiece of the Alabama Agricultural Center, home to the Alabama National Fair. It was built in 1951 and named after W.W. Garrett, the first chairman of the Alabama Agricultural Board. The... |
| Based in | Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city... |
| Colors | Brown, red, black |
| League | American Indoor Football Association |
| Head coach | Carlos Clayton |
| President of Football Operations | Michael Mink, John Morris |
| Dance Team | Honey Bears |
The Montgomery Bears were a professional indoor football team that played their home games at the Garrett Coliseum
Garrett Coliseum
The Garrett Coliseum is an 13,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The arena is the centerpiece of the Alabama Agricultural Center, home to the Alabama National Fair. It was built in 1951 and named after W.W. Garrett, the first chairman of the Alabama Agricultural Board. The...
in Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
. They are a member of the American Indoor Football Association. The team began play as the Montgomery Maulers of the National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, af2, however, that changed briefly with their expansion into AFL...
and won the Atlantic Conference Central Division Championship in 2005. The 2005 season ended in the conference semifinals of the playoffs to the Rome Renegades
Rome Renegades
The Rome Renegades were a professional indoor football team, based out of Rome, Georgia. The Renegades played their home games at Forum Civic Center. They began as a 2002 expansion member of the National Indoor Football League, as the Oklahoma Crude. After three unsuccessful seasons, they moved...
, who went on to appear in the NIFL Championship Indoor Bowl V.
The team folded in October 2007.http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071002/SPORTS/710020331/1002
Entire Team Fired
Late in April, 2006, the second year of the club's existence, Donald Jackson, an attorney representing members of the team said the club had not paid the players, staff or coaches in more than a month. The team's owner (Jamie LaMunyon) made national news on April 27, 2006, by terminating the contracts of all players and announcing that replacements would be hired. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/04/27/bc.fbo.teamfired.ap/index.html?cnn=yesNew Ownership
On May 3, 2006, the Maulers came under new ownership. After losing five of their first six games, the team has rallied under new management, winning five of the next six (the lone defeat was a 1 point overtime loss in an away game). The Maulers showed their renewed tenacity most recently in the Osceola rematch. After a downed Montgomery player was speared in the back of the head (with no penalty having been assessed), the teams broke out into a 17 minute bench clearing brawl resulting in 19 players being ejected. Montgomery managed to overcome a 15 point deficit in the fourth quarter to pull off the 1 point win. Although this was officially the second time these teams have played, the first meeting was actually fielded by players from the SSFL's Gulf Coast Raiders (a team owned by Michael Mink) due to the previously mentioned contract disputes. Following the loss, Michael Mink and John Morris decided to become more involved with arena football and purchased the Maulers franchise with Mink becoming head coach and Morris becoming general manager. Subsequently, a number of Raiders players have been signed to the Maulers roster, which has brewed speculation that the Raiders will be used as a farm team for the Maulers.2006 Playoffs
Following a drumming by the top ranked Fayetteville GuardFayetteville Guard
The Fayetteville Force is the former name of a professional indoor football team in the Southern Indoor Football League. They debuted the SIFL following the SIFL/AIFA merger and play home games at the Cumberland County Crown Coliseum....
, the Maulers were 6-7 overall with the surprising opportunity to still make the playoffs. Tied for 7th place in the conference with the Charleston Sandsharks whom was scheduled the final game of the regular season, the winner was to receive the final playoff spot (only 6 teams per conference qualify). The Maulers lost the game 28-39, but Charleston's general manager Al Bannister had already stated the organization would skip the playoffs and refocus its energy on next season. It was noticed that the official NIFL web site had an asterisk by the teams name and stated no team with outstanding operational items (stats) would be eligible for the playoffs. Later, it was revealed the franchise had cheated by using at least six illegal players and also had outstanding fines due to administrative issues (not exchanging film with opponents or keeping statistics at home games). Subsequently, the Sandsharks were banned from the playoffs for the infractions, with the Maulers being awarded the sixth Atlantic conference spot. However this all proved academic as the Maulers lost in the first week of the playoffs on July 8 at Lakeland
Lakeland Thunderbolts
The Lakeland Thunderbolts are a professional indoor football team. They are a member of the American Indoor Football Association. They play their home games at the Lakeland Center.- History :...
. Falling behind 27-0 in the first quarter, Montgomery stormed back but could not quite complete the comeback falling 70-62, ending their season 7-8.
After the 2006 season, the team announced they were changing their name to the Montgomery Bears and moving to the American Indoor Football Association.
Season-By-Season
|-| colspan="6" align="center" | Montgomery Maulers (NIFL)
|-
|2005 || 8 || 6 || 0 || 1st Atlantic Central || Won AC Quarterfinal (M. Morays
Florida Frenzy
The Florida Frenzy are an indoor football team. They began play as a 2005 expansion member of the National Indoor Football League under the name Miami Morays...
)
Lost AC Seimfinal (Rome
Rome Renegades
The Rome Renegades were a professional indoor football team, based out of Rome, Georgia. The Renegades played their home games at Forum Civic Center. They began as a 2002 expansion member of the National Indoor Football League, as the Oklahoma Crude. After three unsuccessful seasons, they moved...
)
|-
|2006 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 2nd Atlantic East || Lost AC Quarterfinal (Lakeland
Lakeland Thunderbolts
The Lakeland Thunderbolts are a professional indoor football team. They are a member of the American Indoor Football Association. They play their home games at the Lakeland Center.- History :...
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Montgomery Bears (AIFA)
|-
|2007 || 5 || 9 || 0 || 5th Southern || --
|-
!Totals || 21 || 24 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
2007 Season Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Home Home team In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans... /Away Home team In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans... |
Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 10 | Mississippi Mudcats Mississippi Mudcats The Mississippi MudCats are a team of the American Indoor Football Association. They play their home games at BancorpSouth Arena in Tupelo, Mississippi.-History:... |
Away | Lost 27-57 |
| February 26 | Carolina Speed | Away | Lost 16-48 |
| March 17 | Tallahassee Titans Tallahassee Titans The Tallahassee Titans were an American Indoor Football Association team that began play as a 2007 member. The team played its home games at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Florida.-History:... |
Away | Lost 26-30 |
| March 24 | Tallahassee Titans Tallahassee Titans The Tallahassee Titans were an American Indoor Football Association team that began play as a 2007 member. The team played its home games at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Florida.-History:... |
Home | Lost 34-55 |
| April 2 | Mississippi Mudcats Mississippi Mudcats The Mississippi MudCats are a team of the American Indoor Football Association. They play their home games at BancorpSouth Arena in Tupelo, Mississippi.-History:... |
Home | Lost 37-62 |
| April 7 | Florence Phantoms Florence Phantoms The Florence Phantoms was a professional arena football team based out of Florence, South Carolina, in the United States. They are a 2006 expansion member of the American Indoor Football Association, and the current AIFA Champions as of the 2008 season's end... |
Home | Lost 40-46 |
| April 14 | Baltimore Blackbirds Baltimore Blackbirds The Baltimore Blackbirds were an indoor football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. They played the 2007 season as an expansion member of the American Indoor Football Association, at the 1st Mariner Arena.-History:... |
Away | Won 51-22 |
| April 21 | Carolina Speed | Home | Won 63-34 |
| April 28 | Reading Express Reading Express The Reading Express are a professional indoor football team based out of Reading, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Indoor Football League, having begun play as a member of the American Indoor Football League 2006... |
Away | Lost 57-73 |
| May 5 | Florence Phantoms Florence Phantoms The Florence Phantoms was a professional arena football team based out of Florence, South Carolina, in the United States. They are a 2006 expansion member of the American Indoor Football Association, and the current AIFA Champions as of the 2008 season's end... |
Away | Won 48-40 |
| May 12 | Baltimore Blackbirds Baltimore Blackbirds The Baltimore Blackbirds were an indoor football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. They played the 2007 season as an expansion member of the American Indoor Football Association, at the 1st Mariner Arena.-History:... |
Home | Won 58-11 |
| May 19 | Lakeland Thunderbolts Lakeland Thunderbolts The Lakeland Thunderbolts are a professional indoor football team. They are a member of the American Indoor Football Association. They play their home games at the Lakeland Center.- History :... |
Home | Lost 32-34 |
| May 25 | Johnstown Riverhawks Johnstown Riverhawks The Johnstown Riverhawks was a professional indoor football team based out of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association. They played their home games at Cambria County War Memorial Arena.... |
Home | Won 32-9 |
| June 2 | Lakeland Thunderbolts Lakeland Thunderbolts The Lakeland Thunderbolts are a professional indoor football team. They are a member of the American Indoor Football Association. They play their home games at the Lakeland Center.- History :... |
Away | Lost 56-72 |
Current roster
| Name | Height | Weight | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Barnett | 6 ft 8 in | 303 lb | DL | Faulkner Faulkner University Faulkner University is a private Christian university, located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, and affiliated with the Church of Christ. The University was founded in 1942 as Montgomery Bible School. In 1953 the school's name was changed to Alabama Christian College . In 1965, the college was moved to... |
| Ryan Tyrone Beneby | 6 ft 4 in | OL | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
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| Dante Booker Dante Booker Dante Booker is a professional American football player. Booker grew up in Akron, Ohio, where he was a three-time all-city selection in High School basketball. Booker played college football at Montgomery Junior College prior to transferring to Auburn University, where he majored in sociology... |
6 ft 3 in | 285 lb | DL | Auburn Auburn University Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts... |
| Brian Bostick | 5 ft 11 in | 210 lb | PK | Alabama University of Alabama The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States.... |
| John Campbell | 6 ft 2 in | LB | ||
| Kevin Campbell | 6 ft 3 in | 250 lb | RB | Troy |
| Joshua J.C. Chambers | 6 ft 2 in | 280 lb | DL | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
| Markeith Cooper | 5 ft 10 in | WR | Auburn Auburn University Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts... |
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| Jermaine Copeland | 6 ft 2 in | WR | Grambling State Grambling State University Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over... |
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| Monreko Crittenden Monreko Crittenden Monreko Crittenden is an American football offensive lineman for the Alabama Vipers of Arena Football 1. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2004... |
6 ft 3 in | 253 lb | OL | Auburn Auburn University Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts... |
| Undrae Crosby | 6 ft 4 in | 290 lb | DL | UAB University of Alabama at Birmingham The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System... |
| Silas Daniels Silas Daniels Silas Daniels III is a professional American football player who plays wide receiver, currently signed to the Carolina Speed of the Southern Indoor Football League. Daniels attended Jean Ribault High School, where he was an honorable mention his senior year for USA Today's 1999 Florida Player of... |
6 ft 0 in | 190 lb | WR | Auburn Auburn University Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts... |
| Cliff Darrington II | 6 ft 1 in | 300 lb | DL | Lakeland High Lakeland High School (Lakeland, Florida) Lakeland Senior High School is the oldest public high school in Lakeland, Florida, United States. Lakeland Senior High School belongs to the Polk County School Board and is a member of Polk District Schools. Lakeland High School was the original high school in the city. It also shares its campus... |
| Roosevelt Echeverry | 5 ft 11 in | PK | Tuskegee Tuskegee University Tuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund... |
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| Santino Fitzpatrick | 6 ft 6 in | DE | ||
| Reginald Glover | 6 ft 1 in | WR | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
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| Tyvon Green | 6 ft 2 in | QB | Stillman Stillman College -Marching Band:The school's marching band is named the Blue Pride Marching Band.In February 2010, Stillman College dedicated the brand new facility, the Thomas Lyle Band Center, named in honor of former band director Thomas Lyle, in conjunction with the Wynn Fine Arts Center.Organizations include:... |
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| Jonathan Harrell | 6 ft 2 in | 235 lb | LB | Northern Iowa University of Northern Iowa The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has... |
| Shaun Holmes | 5 ft 10 in | 202 lb | WR | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
| Eric Hudson | 6 ft 3 in | 230 lb | LB | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
| Ray Johnson | 6 ft 2 in | DB | Miles Miles College Miles College is a historically black college founded in 1898. It is located in Fairfield, Alabama, which is six miles west of Birmingham, Alabama. It is a private liberal arts institution of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church... |
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| Travis Lee | 6 ft 5 in | 290 lb | DL | Auburn Auburn University Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts... |
| Deon Lewis | 6 ft 3 in | 195 lb | DB | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
| Quincy McCall | 6 ft 2 in | 275 lb | OL | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
| James Prince | 6 ft 1 in | LB | Morris Brown Morris Brown College Morris Brown College is a private, coed, liberal arts college located in the Vine City community of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is a historically black college affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church... |
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| J.R. Richardson | 6 ft 2 in | 228 lb | QB | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
| Charlie Rollins | 5 ft 10 in | 205 lb | RB | Miles Miles College Miles College is a historically black college founded in 1898. It is located in Fairfield, Alabama, which is six miles west of Birmingham, Alabama. It is a private liberal arts institution of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church... /ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
| Nate Sconiers | 6 ft 4 in | 302 lb | OL | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
| Archie Smith | 6 ft 0 in | 175 lb | DB | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
| Clinton Smith | 5 ft 8 in | QB | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
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| Wesley Smith | 5 ft 10 in | DB | West Georgia University of West Georgia The University of West Georgia is a comprehensive doctoral-granting university in Carrollton, Georgia, approximately 45 miles west of Atlanta, Georgia. The University is built on 645 acres including a recent land gift of 246 acres from the city of Carrollton in 2003... |
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| Craig Orlando Smith | 6 ft 1 in | WR | ||
| Alan Thompson | 5 ft 9 in | DB | Stillman Stillman College -Marching Band:The school's marching band is named the Blue Pride Marching Band.In February 2010, Stillman College dedicated the brand new facility, the Thomas Lyle Band Center, named in honor of former band director Thomas Lyle, in conjunction with the Wynn Fine Arts Center.Organizations include:... |
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| Ryan Paul Vandervort | 6 ft 4 in | OL | Samford Samford University Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V.... /Delta St Delta State University Delta State University, also known as DSU, is a regional public university located in Cleveland, Mississippi, United States, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta... |
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| Keldrick Williams | 5 ft 9 in | RB | ASU Alabama State University Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :... |
Former players
- Jeff Aaron 6'3" 215 lb QB UABUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamThe University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
- Curtis Chance 6'3" 290 lb DL USFUniversity of South FloridaThe University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
- Tim Daniels 6'2" 265 lb DE SouthernSouthern UniversitySouthern University and A&M College is a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Baton Rouge campus is located on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section...
- Octavius "Gator" Day 5'7" 160 lb WR Gulf CoastMississippi Gulf Coast Community CollegeMississippi Gulf Coast Community College consists of four campuses and four centers: the main campus, located in Perkinston, Mississippi; the Jackson County Campus, in Gautier; the Jefferson Davis Campus, in Gulfport; the Community Campus, a non-traditional campus without walls; the George County...
- Jamaal Fletcher 6'2" 205 lb DB ASUAlabama State UniversityAlabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
- Derrick Graves 6'1" 230 lb LB AuburnAuburn UniversityAuburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
- Antoine Hill 5'11 177 lb DB ASUAlabama State UniversityAlabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
- Roger Medlock 6'5" 320 lb OL ASUAlabama State UniversityAlabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
- Rodrice Merkerson 6'3" 220 lb WR oncordia College,Selma|]
- Julius Mills 5'11" 190 lb DB ASUAlabama State UniversityAlabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
- Jay Newton 5'9" 175 lb WR ASUAlabama State UniversityAlabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
- Machion Sanders 5'9" 190 lb WR ASUAlabama State UniversityAlabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
- J.D. Verchuere 6'3" 290 lb C Gulf CoastMississippi Gulf Coast Community CollegeMississippi Gulf Coast Community College consists of four campuses and four centers: the main campus, located in Perkinston, Mississippi; the Jackson County Campus, in Gautier; the Jefferson Davis Campus, in Gulfport; the Community Campus, a non-traditional campus without walls; the George County...