Southwestern Athletic Conference Alumni Association

Views from the 23rd Annual Legends Awards and Roast 😎

TONIGHT 7pm!!

We hope to see you there!!!

915 SOUTH JACKSON STREET
MONTGOMERY, AL 36104

"Six former stars with ties to SWAC institutions will be honored at this year's Legends Awards & Roast in Montgomery"

See news release below ⬇️⬇️⬇️

NEWS RELEASE
RELEASE: IMMEDIATELY​​​​​​​​ DATE: April 14, 2026

SWAC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ANNUAL LEGENDS AWARDS AND ROAST SET FOR MAY 16 IN MONTGOMERY

BY SAM JEFFERSON
SWAC AA Media Services

​MONTGOMERY, AL - The Southwestern Athletic Conference Alumni Association’s 23rd Legends Awards and Roast will be held in Montgomery, Alabama on Saturday, May 16, 2026. The event will take place on the campus of Alabama State University in the J. Garrick Hardy Center, 915 South Jackson Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, at 7 p.m.

​During the banquet, recipients are honored with the Association’s Roscoe Nance Lifetime Achievement Award, the Charles “Chuck” Prophet Wagon Master Award and the Dennis Thomas Distinguished Service Award (the Association’s highest honor).

​One of the highlights of the occasion is a legend’s roast, which lightheartedly pays homage to someone who has made notable achievements on a national level.

​This year, three individuals are slated to receive the Roscoe Nance Lifetime Achievement Award. The awardees will be retired Alabama State University Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer and former Alabama State Representative, John Knight, and the Alabama State University Hornets former legendary head football coach Houston Markham (posthumously). Alvin Hollins, retired athletics media relations director at Florida A&M University and Southern University, is the third recipient of the Roscoe Nance Lifetime Achievement Award.

​The Charles “Chuck” Prophet Wagon Master Award will be presented to Alabama A&M University’s Assistant AD/Athletics Communications Director, Brian Howard.

The Dennis Thomas Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Lonza Hardy, Jr., former president of the SWAC Alumni Association and former athletics administrator at Southern University, Alcorn State University, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, Mississippi Valley State University, and the SWAC Office. He also worked in athletics administration at Hampton University of the Mideastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Albany State University of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).

​The Roast guest of honor is former Alabama A&M head men’s basketball coach Vann Pettaway.

​Tickets for the 23rd Annual Legends Awards and Roast are $75 dollars each, or with a table of eight (8) selling for $600 dollars. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/swac-alumni-association-annual-legends-banquet-and-roast-tickets-1986591428440?aff=oddtdtcreator , or Zelle – [email protected] .

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Association’s NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) program and will benefit a male and a female athlete from SWAC institutions.



ABOUT THE SWAC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

The purpose of the SWAC Alumni Association, which was founded on December 10, 1999, in Birmingham, Ala., is to support Southwestern Athletic Conference events, support the conference’s athletics heritage and help preserve its legacy of competitive excellence. Former student-athletes from any SWAC-sponsored sport and from all current or former member institutions are eligible for membership, as are coaches, staff members as well as game officials, employees of the conference office and supporters of SWAC athletics.

- SWAC AA –

Contact: Sam Jefferson
(601) 750-7903

SWAC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ANNUAL LEGENDS AWARD AND ROAST Get ready to celebrate SWAC legends and share some laughs at the annual SWAC Alumni roast and banquet! 'M SWAC

FOUNDED DEC. 10, 1999

LONNIE WESLEY, III., PRESIDENT – 1825 W GADSDEN STREET, PENSACOLA, FL 32501 – (850) 207-8904

NEWS RELEASE
RELEASE: IMMEDIATELY​​​​​​​​ DATE: April 14, 2026

SWAC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ANNUAL LEGENDS AWARDS AND ROAST SET FOR MAY 16 IN MONTGOMERY

BY SAM JEFFERSON
SWAC AA Media Services

​MONTGOMERY, AL - The Southwestern Athletic Conference Alumni Association’s 23rd Legends Awards and Roast will be held in Montgomery, Alabama on Saturday, May 16, 2026. The event will take place on the campus of Alabama State University in the J. Garrick Hardy Center, 915 South Jackson Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, at 7 p.m.

​During the banquet, recipients are honored with the Association’s Roscoe Nance Lifetime Achievement Award, the Charles “Chuck” Prophet Wagon Master Award and the Dennis Thomas Distinguished Service Award (the Association’s highest honor).

​One of the highlights of the occasion is a legend’s roast, which lightheartedly pays homage to someone who has made notable achievements on a national level.

​This year, three individuals are slated to receive the Roscoe Nance Lifetime Achievement Award. The awardees will be retired Alabama State University Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer and former Alabama State Representative, John Knight, and the Alabama State University Hornets former legendary head football coach Houston Markham (posthumously). Alvin Hollins, retired athletics media relations director at Florida A&M University and Southern University, is the third recipient of the Roscoe Nance Lifetime Achievement Award.

​The Charles “Chuck” Prophet Wagon Master Award will be presented to Alabama A&M University’s Assistant AD/Athletics Communications Director, Brian Howard.

The Dennis Thomas Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Lonza Hardy, Jr., former president of the SWAC Alumni Association and former athletics administrator at Southern University, Alcorn State University, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, Mississippi Valley State University, and the SWAC Office. He also worked in athletics administration at Hampton University of the Mideastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Albany State University of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).

​The Roast guest of honor is former Alabama A&M head men’s basketball coach Vann Pettaway.

​Tickets for the 23rd Annual Legends Awards and Roast are $75 dollars each, or with a table of eight (8) selling for $600 dollars. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite -

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/swac-alumni-association-annual-legends-banquet-and-roast-tickets-1986591428440?aff=oddtdtcreator , or Zelle – [email protected] .

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Association’s NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) program and will benefit a male and a female athlete from SWAC institutions.



ABOUT THE SWAC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

The purpose of the SWAC Alumni Association, which was founded on December 10, 1999, in Birmingham, Ala., is to support Southwestern Athletic Conference events, support the conference’s athletics heritage and help preserve its legacy of competitive excellence. Former student-athletes from any SWAC-sponsored sport and from all current or former member institutions are eligible for membership, as are coaches, staff members as well as game officials, employees of the conference office and supporters of SWAC athletics.

- SWAC AA –

Contact: Sam Jefferson
(601) 750-7903

SWAC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ANNUAL LEGENDS AWARD AND ROAST Get ready to celebrate SWAC legends and share some laughs at the annual SWAC Alumni roast and banquet! 'M SWAC

SWAC Family and Friends, I’m sorry to inform you of the passing of Mr. Byron Johnson, a longtime sports official. Mr. Johnson was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame in December.

Viewing
The viewing for Mr. Byron Johnson will take place on Tuesday, January 13th, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at St. Monica Catholic Church, located at 8421 W Montgomery Rd, Houston, TX 77088.

Rosary
A rosary will be held on Tuesday, January 13th, 2026, at 10:30 AM at St. Monica Catholic Church, immediately following the viewing.

Mass of Christian Burial
The Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 13th, 2026, at 11:00 AM at St. Monica Catholic Church.

Memorial Contributions
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the St. Monica Catholic Church Food Pantry. Your generosity will honor Mr. Johnson's memory and support for those in need.
St. Monica Catholic Church Food Pantry Donation: URL1

The SWAC Alumni Association’s outgoing president was honored last night at the College Sports Communicators Hall of Fame (Formerly College Sports Information Directors of America)! Congratulations Lonza Hardy Jr. we are proud of you!

CSC Hall of Fame Class of 2025 - Intro and Lonza Hardy

More pictures of the PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE 2025 SWAC Alumni Association Legends Awards and Roast, held at the Sheraton Flowood, The Refuge Hotel and Conference Center in Flowood, Mississippi on May 17.