Thomas Billups Inducted Into the VWSD Hall of Fame 

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Thomas Billups, one of the most accomplished coaches in Mississippi high school history, was inducted Thursday into the Vicksburg-Warren School District Athletics Hall of Fame.

Billups was one of nine individuals honored at the ceremony, a recognition that he called “long overdue” after decades of coaching success. He began his career in Vicksburg, serving 12 years as an assistant basketball and football coach before becoming head football coach at Vicksburg Junior High. He later moved to head junior high and ninth grade basketball coach, winning four Little Six Championships and two Ninth Grade Little Six Championships. Billups also helped the Gators win a state championship in 1980 as an assistant coach.

On Thursday, Billups was truly honored as it was long overdue for the championship coach as he is officially in the VWSD Athletics Hall of Fame. At the special ceremony, Billups gave a speech about his time in coaching.

“I’ve coached a lot of great players,” he said. “I’ve coached, baseball, basketball, football, cross country, track, and volleyball.”

During his speech, Billups pointed out that he never had a losing season in all those sports due to hard work. He also mentioned the times that of his team didn’t win by the big margin of points, he would have them get right back in the gym after the game. The crowd got a big laugh after that.

Billups grew up with 13 sisters and brothers with a mom who had a 10th grade education and dad made it to fifth grade. He was the only one to graduate from high school and college.

“My mom only made it to tenth grade but she was the smartest lady you ever wanted to meet,” he said. “If she was here tonight you can see her smile from a mile away.”

Billups credited his high school coaches as his motivation.

“Those guys were the best coaches and teachers I had as a kid coming up,” Billups added.

Billups was raised on a farm in Louisville, Mississippi, where he attended Camile Street High School where he played quarterback on the football team. Billups mentioned that times were hard back then and he had to pick cotton, feed the pigs, and plow mule which caused him to miss many days of school. He shared a story from when one of his high school teachers told him that he wouldn’t amount to anything.

“The whole class laughed when he said that and I was ashamed but look at me now,” he said.

He went on to play quarterback at East Central Community College along with baseball where he set a single-game strikeout record of 19. He then played a year of football at Jackson State University before he would enter his true calling of coaching.

By 1991, Billups got his chance to be a varsity Head Coach at Lanier High School in Jackson, Mississippi. At Lanier, Billups won eight state championships, one Grand Slam state championship, 13 state championship appearances, 14 District Championships, and 10 North State Championships, and Lanier was ranked as high as No.2 in the nation.

Coach Billups spent one season at Oak Grove High School before moving on to become the Head Coach at Tougaloo College. Billups spent eight seasons as Head Coach at Tougaloo where he boasted a 127-85 record, was named the GCAC Coach of the Year in 2018 and won multiple conference championships. His final season was in 2021-2022 where Tougaloo went 21-9 and won the GCAC regular season and conference championship.

After eight seasons as head coach, Billups stepped down and passed the torch to his former player Eric Strothers. Billups still serves as Assistant Head Coach and is now entering his 50th year coaching.

Besides being inducted into the VWSD Hall of Fame, the Vicksburg Daily News renamed their Junior High Coach of the Year Award in his honor back in 2024.

Early Coaching Career

• Led Canton’s ninth-grade basketball team to a winning season while student-teaching.

Vicksburg Junior High

• Began as assistant basketball and assistant football coach in Vicksburg.
• Promoted to Head Football Coach at Vicksburg Junior High.
• Became Head Junior High and Ninth Grade Basketball Coach, winning:
  
  • Four Little Six Championships
  • Two Ninth Grade Little Six Championships

High School Coaching

• Assistant coach at Vicksburg High School; won a state championship in 1980.
• Served as an assistant coach for 12 years at Vicksburg High School.

Blackburn Junior High (Jackson)

• Head Football Coach; football team played in two city championships.
• Head Ninth Grade Basketball Coach; won three straight basketball championships.

Lanier High School (Jackson)

• Took over in 1991; improved the team from 7 wins to 26-6 in his first year.
• Won state title in his second year with a 30-3 record.
• Turned Lanier into a powerhouse, surpassing Murrah as Jackson’s top basketball school.
• Career at Lanier included:
  
  • Eight state championships
  • One Grand Slam state championship
  • 13 state championship appearances
  • 14 District Championships
  • 10 North State Championships
  • Team ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation
• Coached Monta Ellis, who was drafted out of high school into the NBA.

Overall Coaching Record

• 617-130 head coaching record

Awards and Recognition

• Clarion-Ledger State Coach of the Year – 3 times
• Metro Coach of the Year – 6 times

Tougaloo College

• Took over a struggling program (only 10 wins the year prior).
• Over 8 seasons as Head Coach:
  
  • Posted a 127-85 record
  • Named GCAC Coach of the Year in 2018
  • Won multiple conference championships
  • In 2021-22 season, went 21-9 and won GCAC regular season and conference championship
• Stepped down as Head Coach in 2022 but remains an assistant coach at Tougaloo.

Legacy

• The Vicksburg Daily News named its Junior High Coach of the Year Award the Thomas Billups Junior High Coach of the Year Award in his honor.