MPISD announces the 2026 Athletic Hall of Fame class: Kendrick Chism, Joe Cluley, Doug Galloway, Roy Henry, Michael Kopec, and Marci Prewitt Clanin.

Each inductee will be recognized prior to kick off of the football game against Marshall on Friday, October 16 starting at 6:50 p.m. A private, pre-game ceremony will also be held for the honorees, their families, and close friends. The inductees will serve as honorary captains and participate in the pre-game coin toss. In recognition of their selections, each inductee will wear a commemorative gold jacket during the pre-game ceremony. Portraits of each inductee will later be displayed in the hallway of the Willie Williams Gymnasium.

Kendrick Chism graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1992 where he was a standout Tiger basketball player. The Tigers were Area champions that year and Chism was named the MVP. Chism also garnered accolades such as All State Honorable Mention, All East Texas-1992, First Team Ark-La-Tex, District 15 MVP, TABC-All Region 2nd Team, and BEALLS All Star Selection-1992. “I enjoyed making friends and playing basketball,” said Chism. “I am still friends with many of my classmates. We were all full of laughter back then.”

When asked how athletics has molded or shaped him into the person he is today, Chism said, “I have remained friends with many of my teammates and opponents. We made great memories. It’s all about perseverance, training for what you want, and pushing through.”

He concluded with, “This is an immense honor. I have lived most of my life here in Mt. Pleasant and am so proud of all that I accomplished in high school academically and through sports. My coaches, teammates, and family taught me that you always have to put your best foot forward an anything that you do and never give up. I have truly enjoyed seeing how MPHS continues to grow, sending our young adults into the world prepared for their own one-of-a-kind life experience. There are many teachers and other staff members who do what is best for our kids every day.”

Chism and his wife, Karen, have been married for 10 years and live in Mount Pleasant. They have two children, Kedrick and Jordan, and two grandchildren, Rylan and Addalyn. He currently works for Atlas Roofing.

Joe Cluley was the Athletic Director and Head Football Coach for Mount Pleasant High School from 1986-1990. In 1989, he led the Tigers to a District Championship, Bi-District Championship, Area Championship, Regional Championship, and eventually lost to eventual State Champions, Tyler Chapel Hill, in the quarterfinals. He was named District Coach of the Year that same year.

“My greatest memories from my time at Mount Pleasant are the relationships I built with my staff and most importantly the kids I coached,” said Cluley. “These have lasted a lifetime. Going 12-2 in 1989 and the work that went into that season is something I’ll never forget.”

“The funniest memory I have, which occurred in my first week at Mount Pleasant in 1986, was looking out of my office window and seeing our high school punter booming the ball 70 yards down the field,” he said. “I immediately got out of my seat to go introduce myself only to find out it was Mount Pleasant graduate and Super Bowl Champion Maury Buford, who was home for the spring following his super bowl championship with the Chicago Bears!”

After graduating from high school, Cluley went on to play football at Peru State in Nebraska where he played Tight End from 1974-1977. After graduating from Peru State, Cluley went on the earn a master’s degree from Sam Houston State University. Additionally, Cluley coached football at SHSU from 1981-1983.

“Athletics taught me early that every person matters,” said Cluley. “Championships are never won by one star player they are won by the countless people behind the scenes who make success possible. Because of that, I’ve come to believe that everyone has a role, and every role has value.”

Cluley continued, “Being inducted into the MP Hall of Fame is incredibly humbling because it represents something bigger than individual accomplishment. What I would say is these accomplishments aren’t in the past, they are the things all of us use from that time to become successful in our everyday lives as a person of character, discipline and loyalty. For encouraging words, I would say ‘nothing you do is about the wins and losses. The most important thing is to stay the course and trust the process. The journey is far more important than the result.’”

Cluley ended with, “I’m so proud of our son Joey, who is now the current Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Mount Pleasant High School. Being around his teams and his staff have brought me back close to this game once again and to my relationships that I built here so long ago. It has been so much fun reconnecting with the Mount Pleasant community and especially the players, coaches and families who I was blessed to be around.”

Cluley and his wife Lindsey of 46 years have three children, Joey and Courtney Cluley, Gilbert and Teresa Cluley Alvarado, and Kenneth and Hollis Cluley, and seven grandchildren, Kate, MJ, Olive, Chase, Lindsey, Ward, and Millie. They live in Burkburnett, Texas where he is a State Farm agent in Graham, Texas.

Doug Galloway graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1979 where he lettered in baseball, basketball, and football. As a Tiger baseball player, Galloway earned all-district pitcher and shortstop, District MVP, and All-State accolades.

Galloway cites winning the state championship in baseball as his greatest memory participating in athletics at MPHS. “The championship was not just for MPHS, but for the entire city of Mt. Pleasant,” he said. “It is a memory that I will forever cherish.”

After high school, Galloway played baseball at Paris Junior College for two years then transferred and played at Texas Tech University before a torn rotator cuff ended his career. He was drafted in the 15th round by the Chicago White Sox after his freshman year in college but chose to continue playing collegiate baseball.

Galloway was inducted into the Paris Junor College Hall of Fame in 1995. While at Paris, he was a two-time All-Conference pitcher, member of the Texas Junior College All Star team, and recipient of the McLemore Cup as being recognized as the most valuable athlete in all sports.

“My greatest memory from my college days was probably the lifelong friendships that develop as you work as a group to accomplish goals and push each other to success,” he said.

When asked how athletics shaped him into the person he is today, Galloway said, “Participating in athletics instills discipline, produces character, teaches you how to set goals that you can carry into everyday life. You learn the value of teamwork as common goals are shared. Athletics teaches you how to handle success and just as importantly, if not more so, how to handle failure. So much of what I learned through athletics, I have carried with me in my daily life.”

Of the honor of being chosen for the Hall of Fame, he said, “It is very humbling to be inducted into the MPHS Hall of Fame. It is an honor to be recognized in the company of so many great athletes that have been a part of MPHS. I was very fortunate to be surrounded by great athletes and great coaches that pushed me daily. To all student athletes, don’t ever take anything for granted. Athletics is so much more than just competing on a court or a field. It teaches you lessons that you can carry for the rest of your life. Keep striving to be the most successful person you can. Celebrate the wins in life and learn from the failures. Give your best on the field and in the classroom. You are a student first, athlete second.”

Galloway closed by saying, “Again, this honor is very humbling and something that I will always cherish. My 4 years at MPHS were filled with many successes and to be recognized years later for all the hard work that was put in to achieve goals, team and individual, is without a doubt a memory that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my life. I want to thank MPHS faculty and staff, past and present, and those that played a part in selecting me for this honor.”

Galloway works as a Design Services Manager for Carlisle Architectural Metals. He and his wife of 38 years, Angela, live in Whitehouse. They have two daughters, Shelby and Haley, and a grandson, Harrison.

Roy Henry graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1957 where he was a multisport athlete in football, basketball, baseball, and track. As an athlete, Henry celebrated a state championship in track in 1955, baseball state runners-up in 1955, two football district championships, and a basketball district championship. His high school letter jacket and sweater recognizing those accomplishments are on display inside the Pilgrim’s Center at Oaklawn Park.

His greatest memory of Booker T. Washington athletics include scoring five touchdowns in a game against a team that had defeated them the previous year.

After graduating from high school in 1957, he received a full football scholarship to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Also, his love for sports continued after high school when he coached Little League baseball in California. His team won several championships, and Henry also had the privilege of coaching NFL legend, Ken Norton, Jr.

“Athletics taught me discipline, a strong work ethic and resilience,” said Henry. “It also taught me to stay strong when things are not going well.”

About being chosen for the Hall of Fame, Henry said, “I am deeply honored to receive this prestigious award and sincerely grateful for the recognition. The guidance by caring individuals and their words of wisdom made a positive impact on my life.”

To the current student athletes, Henry said, “Value the opportunities that are availed to you and apply yourself wholeheartedly. Remain resilient because you will be confronted with circumstances that are inconvenient, disappointing and painful. Remember that education should be as important as your involvement in sports.”

Henry finished by saying, “Upon returning to Texas in 1980, I began to immediately follow all MPISD sports. I went to the practices as well as the games and developed a great rapport with the students. I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy every moment. I was honored at the MPISD Girls Basketball Banquet in 2023, was an NAACP Honoree in 2024, and received the Biggest Fan Award by the MPISD Athletic Department in 2025.

Henry retired from the postal service in Los Angeles County in California in 1980 and retired from his job as a mechanic with Texas Utilities in Mount Pleasant in 1997. He then worked part-time as a bus driver for MPISD for many years. He and his wife Loyce, a long time MPISD educator, have been married for 62 years and reside in Mount Pleasant. They have two children, Ronald Henry and the late Teresa Everett, five grandchildren, Jaymi, Ronda, Ronald Jr., Ugunda and Dontrell, seven great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

Michael Kopech graduated Cum Laude from Mount Pleasant High School in 2014 and was a 4-year Varsity baseball player. He earned first-team all-district and all-state honors as a pitcher, throwing three no-hitters, including a perfect game, during his senior season. Kopech was drafted by the Boston Red Sox the day before graduation.

“One of my greatest memories is the rivalry our baseball team developed with Whitehouse, dating back to our first playoff appearance,” said Kopech. “Patrick Mahomes and I went head-to-head several times, and those matchups made that rivalry especially memorable.”

After graduation, Kopech was drafted in 2014 and spent two years in the Boston Red Sox minor league system. He was then part of the trade for Chris Sale and spent another two years in the Chicago White Sox minor league system before making his debut for Chicago in August of 2018. Kopech remained with Chicago until the 2024 trade deadline, when he was sent to Los Angeles to compete for a championship with the Dodgers. He stayed with the Dodgers through 2025, becoming part of a second championship team. He is currently a free agent.

His greatest professional memories are winning two championships with the Dodgers. “Being part of those two championship teams stands out as the greatest memory of my professional career,” he said.

Kopech said that almost everything he has learned about life, he learned on the baseball field. “I have learned selflessness and resilience, and I have learned that the smallest choices can affect the entire outcome,” he said. “I cherish the lessons baseball has taught me over the years.”

Of the honor of being chosen for the Athletic Hall of Fame, Kopech said, “I’m extremely grateful to receive such a high honor. When I set out to pursue my goal of becoming a major leaguer, I wanted to achieve greatness. I wanted to discover the highest level of success I was capable of achieving through hard work, dedication, and pure love and joy for the game. But success doesn’t feel like trophies, honors, or accolades. Success feels like years of training showing up on the field. Success feels like conquering the anxiety of performing at your highest potential in front of tens of thousands of people.”

Kopech continued, “What makes me proudest isn’t where this game has taken me, but who I’ve become through the daily decision to keep showing up. I’ve made many mistakes along the way, but I’ve continued working relentlessly toward what I always set out to do.

There were multiple times I wanted to quit and many days I didn’t want to get up and do the work. People see the results, but they don’t always see the days you had to fight just to keep going. Those private victories are the ones that stay with you. God gave me a dream early in life and allowed me to chase it. He gave me the responsibility of showing up and cherishing it. I encourage any of you who have a dream to chase it with all that you have.”

To the current MPHS student-athletes, he said, “Control the things you can control: effort, attitude, punctuality, respect, resilience, coachability, and preparation. You cannot control every outcome, but you can control how you show up. Stay faithful to those things and give your dream every opportunity to become reality.”

Kopech finished with, “I’ve been able to live an incredible life, and much of that started right here at Mount Pleasant High School. I will never forget the team I played with. Many of those guys are still my best friends. Thank you to my catcher, Riley Greenlee, who caught me from the time we were four years old through my last game before I was drafted. Thank you to Coach Pearson and Coach Sears for understanding the passion to win behind my intensity.”

Kopech lives in Daingerfield and is still playing and pursuing his baseball career while also operating Resonance Baseball, a training facility for professional and amateur baseball players who want to elevate their game. He has been married to his wife, Morgan, for 3 years and they are raising five children including Veda (8), River (5), Vander (4), Clover (2), and Valor (1 month).

Marci Prewitt Clanin graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1997 where she participated in varsity track for 4 years and played basketball for the Lady Tigers. In discus she was the district runner-up as a freshman and sophomore, and the district champion as a junior and a senior, qualifying for regionals all four years of high school. She was named Track MVP her senior year. And in 1997, she was a member of the district champion basketball team.

“My greatest memory from MPHS athletics was getting first place in discus my junior year,” said Clanin. “I had worked so hard my freshman and sophomore year and came in 2nd place both years, but that first 1st place medal hit different and made all the long hours in the ring worth it. And winning district in basketball senior year and getting to cut down the net!”

“One of the craziest memories I have from my time at MPHS was at track practice, I believe my junior year,” she said. “I was in my spin and under rotated which caused my release to happen well out of bounds. At the same time the maintenance guy (Ray Flynn) just happened to be driving by the field. My discus collided with the back glass of that single cab maintenance truck and smashed the glass out with the discus landing on the seat next to him. He was nice enough to reverse back to the ring and return my discus.”

After high school, Clanin attended Northeast Texas Community College then transferred to the University of Texas at Austin where she graduated with a degree in Government and a minor in History.

“Athletics has shaped so much of who I am today,” said Clanin. “I have always been competitive, and athletics gave me a way to channel that competitiveness into something productive. It taught me that hard work, drive, and sometimes just sheer stubborn willpower can get you where you want to be. But athletics also taught me that things aren’t always going to work out the way you planned. Sometimes you can give everything you have and still come up short. In those moments, you have to take that same work ethic, drive, and stubbornness and use it to pivot, learn from the failure, and try again.”

Clanin continued, “Giving up has never really been an option for me. Athletics taught me that learning from the failure is the win, being willing to pivot your plan is the growth, and ultimately achieving your goal is the reward. Those lessons have followed me far beyond athletics and have shaped the way I approach challenges in every part of my life.”

Of receiving the honor of being inducted, Clanin said, “Receiving this honor was never on my radar. When the coaches reached out and told me I was going to be inducted, I honestly couldn’t believe it. To me, this honor means that somewhere along the way, without even realizing it, I made a difference for my teammates and my school. It means that the work I put in, the hours I gave, and the way I competed counted for something. That’s incredibly special to me.”

She continued, “To the student-athletes listening, I would say: Do the Extra. It’s the little things and the details that will set you apart. Not just in athletics, but in life. Give everything you have at every practice and every game. When you leave the field, court, or track, your tank should be empty because you gave everything you had. Then show up the next day ready to do it again. Be the teammate your team can count on. Be coachable. Work hard even when no one is watching. Listen to your coaches, take care of your teammates, and don’t take these years for granted because they go by faster than you think. You may not realize it while you’re in the middle of it, but the work you’re putting in and the memories you’re making right now will stay with you long after the wins, losses, medals, and scores are forgotten. Do the extra. It matters.”

Clanin and her husband Jimmy have been married for 19 years and live in Bertram, Texas. They have two daughters, sixteen-year-old Mac and fourteen-year-old Lynnlee, who are students at Burnet High School. Most of her career was spent working for the Texas Senate, but she is now in her second year of teaching and coaching at Burnet Middle School. She coaches volleyball, basketball, and is the throw coach for track.