2011-12 Basketball Guide

Melinda Clanton
Director of Basketball Operations

(PRCC, 1995)
First Season

Melinda Clanton begins her first season with the first season as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Lady Eagle program. Her duties

The Clanton Family: Melinda and Tim Clanton

will include coordinating team travel, marketing, directing public relations and speaking events for the program, assisting with equipment, liaison for “The Wings”, coordinating the annual golf tournament and summer camps as well as assisting in monitoring the players’ academic progress.

Prior to joining the Lady Eagle basketball staff, Clanton worked in private business for the past 19 years and most recently as Vice President of Clanton, Inc., as an owner of a local fast food and casual dining restaurant. While working there, her duties include supervising of employees, maintaining all bookkeeping records, handling all new hires and marketing for the store.

The Carriere, Miss., native earned a degree in accounting from Pearl River Community College in 1995. She is married to Tim Clanton of Dadeville, Ala., and the couple has two children, Whitney and Chase.

Mack Gardner

Graduate Assistant

(Tennessee-Martin, 2011)
First Season

Mack Gardner is in his first season with the Southern Miss basketball program serving as a graduate assistant.

Prior to joining Southern Miss, Gardner was a student assistant at Tennessee-Martin for one season.

Gardner earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education K- 12.

The Lexington, Tenn., native graduated from Lexington High School in 2006.

While at LHS, Gardner played basketball, football, golf and tennis. He was also on the Student Council and Renaissance Club. He was selected to Who’s Who Among High School Students and was among the top 10 finalists in the state of Tennessee for the Wendy’s High School Heisman award. On the hardwood, Gardner was a 4 time All-District selection, 2 time All-Region, All-State one year and was selected to play in the East-West All-Star game his senior year. Gardner also holds the TSSAA record for most assists in a career with 787. Was a member of the 2003 A-AA State Championship golf team at LHS. Voted All-Region in football his senior year while LHS had a perfect regular season and made it to the state quarterfinals.