MONTICELLO — Four former student-athletes, one former coach and a supporter of University of Arkansas at Monticello Athletics have been chosen for induction into the UAM Sports Hall of Fame and to receive the UAM Spirit Award, Director of Athletics Hud Jackson announced Monday.
The new inductees will be honored in the 2025 UAM Hall of Fame Ceremony on Oct. 2. The inductees will also be recognized during pregame ceremonies at Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium on Oct. 4 prior to the 2 p.m. kickoff when Arkansas-Monticello hosts Southern Nazarene in a key Great American Conference game. Both events will be livestreamed on the official UAM Sports YouTube page.
The 2025 induction class, chosen by a selection committee, includes Braden Chambers (baseball), Felicia Crowe (women’s basketball and cross country), Von Mixon Jr. (football), Scott Howell (football) and the late Harold Tilley (football coach).
“We are extremely excited about this year’s inductees into the 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame,” Jackson said. “Several sports are represented by some great people who had outstanding careers here at UAM. We’re also very excited about Coach Harold Tilley being inducted as a coach. I find it very rewarding, being able to call the inductees to give them the great news. You can always feel the excitement in their voices. And I know their families are pumped up for them as well. Looking forward to having them back on campus to celebrate their great accomplishments.”
Chambers was a right-handed pitcher from 2015-18. Over his four-year career at UAM, he received national, regional and conference recognition. His name continues to rank at the top of many Boll Weevil records for both individual season and career records, including being the all-time career wins leader at 28. In 2016, Chambers was selected as one of 41 semifinalists for the Brett Tomko award, presented annually by D2 Baseball News to the most outstanding pitcher at the NCAA Division II level.
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Crowe was a dual athlete from 1991-1995. As a basketball Cotton Blossom, Crowe earned an Academic All-American nod. In addition, Crowe set many top 10 records with the Blossoms that still stand today. Her 223 made 3-point field goals rank second all-time and helped her become a member of the Blossoms’ 1,000-point club.
Mixon was a wide receiver at UAM in both the 2004 and 2005 seasons. During his first year as a Weevil, Mixon made a name for himself when he earned All-American honors from D2football.com. His career-defining game was against Delta State in 2004 when he recorded 10 receptions for 170 yards and two touchdowns. His performance in that game led him to break the school record of most receiving yards in a season at 1,245 yards, a record that still stands today.
Howell played as an offensive tackle for UAM from 1992-95. After starting midway through the 1992 season, Howell would play 40 consecutive games, earning him first-team and second-team All-AIC nods. In addition, Howell earned an NAIA All-American Honorable Mention selection in 1994, alongside a selection to the North/South National All-Star Classic. During his senior year, Howell stayed with Arkansas-Monticello during their transition into the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference, forcing himself and the entire team into a probation year, which rendered UAM ineligible for any postseason award selections. However, it is safe to say that if eligible, Howell may have seen more awards in his favor.
The late Tilley served as the head coach for Boll Weevil Football from 1978-85. Coach Tilley took over a struggling team that had won just 21 games in the previous 10 seasons, to a 39-29-1 record in his seven seasons as head coach. His 1979 team remains one of the best in Boll Weevil history, achieving a 9-2 record and producing many top spot holders in the record books, four of which still stand in 2025. Coach Tilley was named Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference and NAIA District 17 Coach of the Year in 1979, becoming the first coach in school history to lead a UAM athlete selected as a first-team All-American. He mentored Melvin Patrick, who was named an NAIA First Team All-American. If his records and achievements weren’t enough, Coach Tilley was inducted with the 1979 team into the UAM Hall of Fame in 2019, and his seven teams have produced eight UAM Sports Hall of Famers.
Introduced in 2006, the UAM Spirit Award is given to individuals who show exceptional support and dedication to the UAM athletic programs. This award is given to someone who goes above and beyond for our student-athletes and sports programs. The recipient of this award embodies the heart and soul of the team. They are not only there for the wins, but for the losses, rain delays and the nail-biting moments. They truly bleed green and white. The 2025 honoree will be announced at a later date.
