Former NFL star Robert Mathis headlines a six-member class selected for induction into the SWAC Hall of Fame in December.
The SWAC announced its 2026 class, which will be enshrined at 7 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 11, at the Omni Hotel in Atlanta. The ceremony also will stream live on SWAC TV.
The class includes Mathis of Alabama A&M, Brad Baxter of Alabama State, Lisa L. Powell and Alvin Moore of Alcorn State, Willie H. Barnes Jr. of Jackson State and Roger Totten of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The inductees were nominated by their respective institutions and selected by the SWAC Hall of Fame Selection Committee.
Mathis, one of the most accomplished defensive players in Alabama A&M history, recorded 20 sacks during his senior season in 2002, establishing an NCAA Division I-AA single-season record at the time. A three-time All-SWAC selection, he finished his college career with 44 sacks and earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
The Indianapolis Colts selected Mathis in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He spent 14 seasons with the franchise, earning five Pro Bowl selections and helping Indianapolis win Super Bowl XLI. He retired with 123 sacks and 54 forced fumbles.
Baxter was Alabama State’s all-time leading rusher at the end of his college career, finishing with 3,732 yards and 30 touchdowns from 1985 to 1988. A three-time All-SWAC selection, he played seven NFL seasons with the New York Jets.
The Class of 2026 is here! 📰
Congratulations to our 2026 Hall of Fame Inductees – forever etched in SWAC History.
Read more here: https://t.co/sEzTPg97o7
#SWACHallofFame | #HonortheHeritage https://t.co/VUxcBN5C7m
— Southwestern Athletic Conference (@theswac) October 14, 2026
Powell starred in women’s basketball at Alcorn State from 1987 to 1991, finishing with 1,743 points and 1,001 rebounds. She helped the Braves win SWAC regular-season and tournament championships before continuing her career as a coach, including a stint at Southern University.
Moore helped Alcorn State win multiple SWAC championships and consecutive Black College National Championships in 1968 and 1969. He later spent more than four decades in education and coaching in Birmingham, Alabama, recording more than 600 basketball victories.
Barnes will be honored for his longtime service as Jackson State’s athletic trainer, supporting the university’s football and basketball programs during a significant era in Tigers history.
Totten’s career spans football coaching and athletic administration. He helped UAPB win the 2012 SWAC football championship before leading its men’s golf program to conference titles in 2023, 2024 and 2026. He has earned SWAC Men’s Golf Coach of the Year honors six times.
