Abernethy, Cozart and Fourcade headline 2023 Ole Miss M-Club Hall of Fame inductees

As announced Saturday, five Ole Miss Rebels across four different sports are set to be enshrined in the 2023 M-Club Hall of Fame this fall.

The class includes: Todd Abernethy (men’s basketball), Zack Cozart (baseball), John Fourcade (football), Jennifer Lorenzen (rifle) and Fred Roberts (football and baseball).

“With this year’s hall of fame class, the Ole Miss M-Club has once again proven what a storied history our University’s athletics programs have,” said Jessica Lynch, M-Club Director. “Each year our club awards a group of former student-athletes with this great honor and this class is second-to-none in their respective sports.

“The Ole Miss alumni family and the University’s M-Club members can be proud that these members will now represent them in our Hall of Fame.”

An induction ceremony is planned for Thursday, Nov. 2 at The Inn at Ole Miss.

Tickets will go on sale Sept. 11. The Hall of Fame Class will also be honored two days later at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium during the Rebels’ contest against Texas A&M on Nov. 4.

Abernethy was a four-year starter at Ole Miss. He played in 122 games, including 101 starts. Abernethy served as co-captain during his final three seasons and scored 1,036 career points over his four seasons. Abernethy as a senior was an All-SEC second-team selection voted SEC Sixth Man of the Year by league coaches. He was an SEC All-Freshman in 2004. 

Abernethy is currently an assistant coach at FAU. The Owls last season reached the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in school history and advanced to the Final Four.

Cozart starred at Ole Miss from 2005-07.

He became the first shortstop under long-time head coach Mike Bianco to start as a true freshman. Cozart helped lead Ole Miss to three straight Oxford NCAA Regional wins in his three seasons. The Rebels appeared in three NCAA Super Regionals over that span. He hit .312 with 237 hits and 24 home runs over his career and left Ole Miss ranked fifth in RBI (157) and eighth in hits (237).

Cozart was a two-time All-American. He went on to be drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 2007 MLB Draft and spent nine season in the majors. Seven came with the Cincinnati Reds. He started 791 MLB games and was an All-Star in 2017.

Fourcade was a quarterback for the Rebels from 1978-81. He completed 445 of 819 career passes for 5,412 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also rushed for another 1,301 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Fourcade over four Rebel seasons set Ole Miss career records for plays (1,275), yards (6,713), pass attempts (819), pass completions (445) and passing yards (5,412). He was a team captain as a senior in 1981 and led the SEC in total offense as both a sophomore and junior. Fourcade earned first team All-SEC honors in 1980 after totaling 2,299 offensive yards — the most ever at the time by a Rebel in an individual year. He played four seasons with the New Orleans Saints in the NFL. He also had a long playing and head coaching career with numerous non-NFL teams.

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Lorenzen will be rifle’s first M-Club Hall of Fame inductee.

Lorenzen was a three-time All-America from 2003-2007. As a senior, she was one of two Rebel shooters who competed in the 2007 NCAA Rifle Championships. Lorenzen finished No. 35 nationally in smallbore and was a second team All-American. She was an honorable mention All-American as a junior.

She set a new school record for air rifle (590 score) as a sophomore. Lorenzen also set a new school record for small bore (582) twice. She was the first All-American in program history.

Roberts was a two-sport athlete at Ole Miss, earning three letters in football (1961-63) and three in baseball (1962-64). He was a football fullback and linebacker and was a member of Ole Miss’ 1962 national-championship-winning team. He played in the Cotton Bowl and two Sugar Bowls over three varsity seasons. His 273 rushing yards in 1963 led the team. He had four career pass interceptions on defense.

He helped Ole Miss baseball capture an SEC crown in 1964. The Rebels that year also won an NCAA District III title to advance to the College World Series in Omaha. Roberts was an All-SEC selection in 1964 as an outfielder after leading the SEC in home runs (7). He finished his career with 77 hits, 16 doubles, two triples and 15 home runs. He drove in 59 runs.