The Upward Bound program at Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, will present its graduation and awards ceremony at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2, in Foundation Hall of the Donald W. Reynolds Campus and Community Center located on the University campus.
Eric Bozeman, head coach of the SAU men’s basketball team, will be the guest speaker.
The graduation and awards ceremony is free and open to the public.
Bozeman is in his second season as head coach for the men’s basketball team at SAU. He came to SAU after assisting Rod Barnes at the University of Mississippi for seven years. While at Ole Miss, Bozeman helped direct the Rebels to their most successful era in school history. Since 1998, Ole Miss advanced to four post-season tournament berths and to the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 in 2001.
He joined the Ole Miss staff after directing the Henderson State University program for five years, 1993-98. In his final two seasons with the Reddies, Bozeman posted back-to-back 20-win seasons. He had an overall record of 71-67. Bozeman was an assistant at Henderson State for two seasons before being named head coach.
A native of Little Rock, Bozeman served as assistant athletic director and head coach at Shorter Junior College in Little Rock from 1989-91. He was an assistant coach to Charles Ripley at Little Rock Parkview High School from 1981-89.
Bozeman played collegiate basketball at Arkansas Tech University and was a unanimous All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference selection 1981. He was one of the top scorers in the conference with a 20.9 average and served as team captain for three seasons. He played high school basketball at Little Rock Parkview and was an AAU basketball All-American in 1972.
He earned his B.S.E. from Arkansas Tech in 1981 and his master’s degree in social counseling from Henderson State University in 1986.
The Mulerider coach is married to the former Felicia Boone of Smackover. She is currently employed as training coordinator for the Small Business Development Center at SAU. The couple has two sons, Solomon and Jeremiah. Solomon has played for the Arkansas Hawks AAU program, is a graduate of Magnolia High School, and continues his collegiate playing career at the University of South Florida. Jeremiah is a third grader and a member of the Arkansas Hawks traveling basketball team.
