The MSJC Athletic Department is proud to announce its 2025 Hall of Fame class. The latest group to join the Hall includes a pair of former athletes, a state championship team, and two individuals who have shown decades of dedication to the program.
Britney Thomas (women's basketball), Dennis Smith (basketball/football), Dan Nelson (Emeritus Service), Dr. Thomas Jackson (Emeritus Service), and the 2018 women's basketball state championship team will be inducted into the MSJC Athletic Hall of Fame on October 10th, 2025.
Thomas was the first female player in the history of the 3C2A to earn Southern California State Player of the Year honors twice when she won the award both in 2016 and 2018. Britney led the Eagles to the 2018 3C2A state championship and the team posted a record of 65-4 in games she played. She also earned the Pacific Coast Conference Player of the Year honor twice and finished her MSJC career as the program's all-time leader in both scoring (1,392) and rebounding (901). Britney was part of two conference championship teams before moving on to Cal Baptist University. In her first season at Cal Baptist, she was named the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Newcomer of the Year. She would go on to score 997 points and collect 641 rebounds in her CBU career.
Smith was a standout on both the football field and the basketball court for the Eagles where he starred from 1997-1999. On the football field he was part of back-to-back bowl teams for MSJC, and the team posted a combined record of 15-7 over his two seasons. Smith and his basketball teammates reached the state championship game in his sophomore season. Despite falling short in the title game, the team finished the year with a record of 32-6. The Eagles basketball team won two straight conference titles with Smith on the squad. Smith came to MSJC after serving as a US Marine where he was promoted four ranks in just two years. He would go on to play football at the University of Utah.
The 2018 women's basketball team captured the first team state championship in school history. They concluded the season with a record of 32-2 and defeated Merced in the State title game 91-52. During the season, the team went on a 21-game winning streak on their way to the title, also winning the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championship. They led the state in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 84.1 points per game and pulling in 58 rebounds per game. During the season, the Eagles had an average winning margin of thirty points (84.1-54.1). At the conclusion of the year, Britney Thomas was named the Southern California Player of the Year, and Delacy Brown was named to the All-State Team.
Dan Nelson was a member of the MSJC men's basketball team from 1987-89 after a standout career at Hemet High School. Nelson helped the Eagles to conference titles in both 1988 and 1989. Nelson went on to Cal State San Bernardino where he was a member of the basketball team from 1990-92. After college he returned to Hemet where in 1993, he bought Stadium Pizza in San Jacinto. Since then, Nelson has been heavily involved in the community volunteering his time to various service organizations throughout the San Jacinto Valley. Beyond his support of the MSJC Athletic Department, Nelson is also involved in the Chamber of Commerce, Hemet Kiwanis, Hemet Sportsman's Club, Hemet Elks Club, and Valley-Wide Parks and Recreation among numerous other charitable groups.
Dr. Thomas Jackson was an integral part of the department for over thirty-five years, beginning his service as team physician in 1984. Dr. Jackson administered thousands of physicals for MSJC student-athletes as well as being the attending physician at home football games. Jackson, a graduate of Wayne State University, is board certified in orthopedic surgery. Dr. Jackson began working for Community Medical Group of Riverside in 1983 and has served as the organization's president. Dr. Jackson and his wife Sandy have four children: Bradley, Scott, Ashley, and Bradley Wales. They also have seven grandchildren. Dr. Jackson's dedication proved invaluable to decades of MSJC student-athletes and their healthcare.