PEARL - Former Northwest star receiver and two-time NJCAA All-American selection Andre Rone was chosen as this year's inductee into the Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame, a ceremony that took place Tuesday evening at Hinds Community College's Clyde Muse Center.
Rone became the 20th selection from Northwest into the Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame since its inception in 2008. He is also the seventh Ranger football athlete or coach inducted, joining coach Bobby Franklin, Pro Football Hall of Famer Cortez Kennedy, current Southern Miss head coach Will Hall, NFL veteran Fred Thomas, Don Randolph and G. Max Lee.
A native of Daytona Beach, Fla., Rone spent the 1994-95 seasons at Northwest, earning Second Team All-NJCAA accolades as a freshman and Honorable Mention recognition as a sophomore. Rone caught 117 passes during his Ranger career, which remained the program's all-time record until this past season, when
D.T. Sheffield passed that total with 135.
Rone also finished with 1,927 receiving yards, which now ranks third all-time, while his 14 receiving touchdowns remain in the program's top 10.
After leaving Northwest, Rone excelled at Ole Miss where he emerged as one of the best playmakers in the SEC. In his two seasons with the Rebels, he recorded 56 receptions for 738 yards and three touchdowns and added 26 punt returns for 246 yards. One of his most notable moments was catching a 10-yard touchdown pass from Stewart Patridge with 25 seconds left that led to a 15-14 win over Mississippi State in the 1997 Egg Bowl.
Rone played professionally in NFL Europe for the Berlin Thunder and went on to spend several seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills.
After his playing career, Rone settled in the Atlanta metro area, coaching receivers and soccer players on the high school level, as well as several other sports at the recreational level. He remains active in the community, volunteering with many organizations, including Head Start, the March of Dimes and the Special Olympics.
