04/16/2026
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
Get ready to celebrate SWAC legends and share some laughs at the annual SWAC Alumni roast and banquet! 'M SWAC
