Hinds Community College will add a new women's sport to the Raymond campus during the 2008-2009 school year. The college unveiled on Wednesday that women's track and field and cross country will start in fall 2008. The addition will bring the total of sports at Hinds to 12.

Hinds will join Southwest Mississippi Community College as the only two member schools of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) to have both men's and women's track and field teams.

Bill Ferguson, a Learned native, will be the new Lady Eagles coach. Ferguson is a 1960 graduate of Hinds Junior College, where he was a star on the Eagles track team. Ferguson has worked in numerous job fields throughout his career, including having a private law practice from 1966 to 1999. He is a former prosecuting attorney who served as the Municipal Court Judge for the city of Raymond for 15 years.

Ferguson then jumped into the athletic and educational fields, first serving as Headmaster at REBUL Academy in Learned from 2001-2002. While at REBUL, Ferguson served as boys' basketball coach for five seasons, football coach for one season and track coach for four seasons. Ferguson then moved on to Mt. Salus Christian School in Clinton, where he was the cross country, football and track coach for two seasons.

"I am looking forward to the opportunity to bring competitive track and field to the young women at Hinds, giving them the chance to continue their athletic careers while they further their education," said Ferguson. "As a Hinds graduate, both high school and junior college, it is a coming home for me and an honor to be allowed to contribute to the Hinds experience for the current generation of students."

Ferguson is currently in the recruitment process for female athletes to compete in cross country and track and field. He mentioned that some of the athletes will be able to compete in both.

Ferguson can be reached at bferguson3@netzero.net temporarily until an office phone at Hinds becomes available.