Rick Cleveland

Mississippi Today columnist Rick Cleveland, a Hattiesburg native and Jackson resident, is the most decorated sports journalist in Mississippi history. A 1975 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, Cleveland has worked for the Hattiesburg American, Monroe (La.) News Star/Morning World, Jackson Daily News and Clarion Ledger and Mississippi Today as a reporter, editor and columnist.

He also served four years as executive director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. His work as a syndicated columnist and celebrated sports writer has appeared in numerous magazines, periodicals and newspapers. Rick has authored five books and has been recognized 14 times as Mississippi Sports Writer of the Year.

Rick received the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence in 2011 and has been inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame (2017), the Hattiesburg Hall of Fame (2018), the Southern Miss Communications Hall of Fame (2018), the Southern Miss Alumni Hall of Fame (2023) and the Mississippi Press Association Hall of Fame (2024). In 2000, he was honored with the Distinguished Mississippian Award from Mississippi Press Association. He has received numerous regional and national awards for his writing.