In just one year, Trinity Valley Community College has transformed a simple phrase into a powerful identity: Home of Champions. What began as a spirited tagline has become a bold declaration of the culture, drive, and excellence found on each campus and in every academic and athletic program.
“It’s hard to fully capture everything that’s happened at Trinity Valley Community College this academic year, but if I had to sum it up in one sentence, it would be this: We are the Home of Champions,” TVCC President Dr. Jason Morrison shared. “Every single day, we are developing and nurturing students, staff, and faculty to exemplify a championship mindset. We’re showing the state—and the nation—why that title goes beyond athletics. Our academic excellence is recognized at the state, national, and even international levels, all because we truly are the Home of Champions.”
As of April 18, 2025, TVCC proudly boasts 36 national championships—a remarkable achievement that reflects decades of dedication, talent, and tenacity. Leading the way is the nationally renowned TVCC Cheer Program, with an astonishing 17 national titles, including the first-ever coed National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) championship.
Women’s basketball holds eight national championships, the Cardettes have earned eight national titles of their own, football holds two national victories, and most recently, men’s basketball captured its first-ever national title in 2025.
Men’s Basketball:
If the crown fits…and it does. The Cardinals will wear it proudly for the next year as the NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball champions after a 69-61 win over the Connors State Cowboys in their first-ever championship game appearance at Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kansas.
In claiming their first title on March 29, the Cardinals set a school record for wins in a season, finishing 34-3 and surpassing the previous mark of 33 wins set by the Cardinal teams in 1982 and 2016.
"The season was a process and a long grind," said first-year head coach Greg Heiar. "These kids bought in — this is one special group. I just can't say enough good things about them or how much they mean to me, and always will."
Coach Heiar was also named NJCAA Division I Coach of the Year.
Cheer:
At the 2025 National Cheer Association National Championship, TVCC Cheer delivered standout performances that kept The Valley spirit shining bright.
The Advanced Large Coed Junior College team earned a strong second-place finish with a final score of 93.0542, while the Advanced Small Coed Junior College team soared to a national championship with a dominating score of 94.8292, outpacing Dodge City Community College and Mount San Antonio College.
Cardinal Cheer has now won national titles in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 — officially returning from the National Cheerleaders Association competition in Daytona Beach with 16 national titles. Plus, the team won the first ever National NJCAA Cheer Co-Ed National Championship on Feb. 1. 20-time
Cardette Showgirls:
Adding to the winner’s circle, the Cardette Showgirls made headlines of their own. Competing at The College Classic on April 13 in Orlando, Florida, under the direction of Coach Emma Cox, the Showgirls claimed not just one but two national titles capturing the Jazz Division and Open Pom titles.
This marks the second time the Showgirls have doubled up on titles, a feat they also accomplished in 2021.
“We are very excited and proud of what Emma and the ladies accomplished,” said TVCC Athletic Director Eddie Kite. “They brought great focus, enthusiasm, and energy to the competition, resulting in incredible wins.”
The Cardette Showgirls’ growing legacy now includes national titles in 2017, 2019, 2021 (two titles), 2022, 2024, and now 2025 (two titles).
Student Government Association:
The winning spirit isn’t just found in athletics — TVCC Student Government – Athens Campus delivered championship-level success in leadership too.
The SGA - Athens Campus once again claimed the coveted Texas Junior College Student Government Association Chapter of the Year award on April 14 at the Texas Junior College Student Government Association convention in Galveston, going back-to-back with this year’s win!
“These recognitions reflect the hard work, leadership, and school spirit that our SGA continues to pour into our campus and community,” shared Director of Enrollment Services and SGA Athens Chapter Advisor Courtney Skiles.
In addition to Chapter of the Year, the Athens SGA Chapter also brought home:
1st Place – Event of the Year
1st Place – Region of the Year for their High School Leadership Summit
Sweepstakes Award (highest scoring delegation across all competition categories)
Gold Standard Chapter of Excellence
Success extended across all TVCC campuses:
Pathways:
TVCC was recognized at the 2025 Talent Strong Texas Pathways Conference on April 4 with the prestigious Recognition of Dedication to Educational Outcomes (RODEO) Award for improvements in creating supportive and strategic pathways for students.
“I am so incredibly proud of our TVCC Pathways group,” said Morrison. “They have worked so hard over the last year to create a strong identity and a vision for positive impact at Trinity Valley. They have improved communication across campus and departments, and it’s making a real difference for our students. They are a national championship team.”
Through Pathways, a comprehensive, statewide strategy to redesign the student experience through guided pathways with several integrated components, TVCC is creating strategic in-house plans that focus on four foundational pillars: Mapping pathways to student end goals, helping students choose and enter a pathway, keeping students on their pathway, and ensuring students are learning. Through these pillars, TVCC strives to deliver a comprehensive and student-centered educational experience that supports both academic and career achievement at every stage of their college career.
“Pathways is about removing barriers that our students may encounter,” Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Erica Richardson explained. “We are removing all barriers and creating pathways for our students.”
Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Iota Alpha Chapter was awarded the prestigious Honors in Action (HIA) Project Award on April 6, a recognition given to only 50 chapters out of approximately 700 submissions worldwide. This award was presented during the final awards gala at the 2025 Catalyst International Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.
“We are so proud of our students, who spent countless hours working collaboratively on their HIA and CP entries,” exclaimed Athens Campus PTK Advisor Nancy Long. “Their dedication, research, and teamwork truly paid off.”
The chapter’s success at Catalyst follows a strong showing at the Texas Regional Convention earlier this year, where they earned one of 17 Top Texas Chapter Awards, Awards of Merit for both Honors in Action and College Project, the Five Star Chapter Award, and Hall of Honor recognition for Chapter Officers Ruby Brand and Seth Pineda.
Beyond Our Campuses
Championships also extended to the arts, alumni, and lifesaving acts.
On April 30, TVCC was excited to announce incredible news. The school received an historic $1 million gift from Kevin and Jeaneane Lilly—the largest single donation in school history. In recognition, the Fine Arts Building will be renamed the Kevin and Jeaneane Lilly Music Education Center, with a special dedication ceremony scheduled for September 2025. Their endowment will provide scholarships for future music students and will also honor Kevin’s mother, Valerie Y. Lilly, with a piano room named in her honor.
“Kevin and Jeaneane truly put the ‘community’ in community college,” said Board of Trustees President Steve Grant. “Your vision aligns with everything our college strives to be.”
Speaking of the Fine Arts programs. During the Fine Arts Building Re-Dedication on February 28, Dr. Kristin Huggins, Division Chair of Fine Arts and Kinesiology, shared thrilling news: the TVCC Cardinal Singers have been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The group will take the stage May 22–26, 2026.
The Cardinal Singers will have the opportunity to premiere a powerful new work, Stabat Mater, under the direction of renowned conductor Marc-André Bougie.
“This is a dream for any performer,” Huggins said. “It’s more than a performance—it’s an opportunity to grow as musicians and represent our college on an international stage.”
In another moving ceremony, TVCC also officially renamed the former Math and Journalism Building as the Archie and June Dennis Academic Education Center, honoring a couple whose lifelong support for education has made a profound impact.
“Archie and June are true trailblazers,” Morrison shared. “They helped lay the foundation for scholarship opportunities here at Trinity Valley. This is not just about a building. It’s about honoring a legacy of love, generosity, and a passion for learning. Archie and June exemplify what it means to give back and believe in others.”
When seeing a need for growing educators, TVCC made a choice to answer the call to help fill the shortage of early educators by announcing its launch of a Bachelor of Arts and Applied Science (BAAS) in Early Childhood Education & Teaching.
“One of the key reasons we pursued this opportunity is to support and partner with our area school districts,” Morrison shared. “We understand the challenges they face in recruiting and retaining teachers. Trinity Valley felt we could help fill that gap by starting this program. A program like this is transformational. You’re not just educating future teachers; you’re shaping the lives of the children they’ll go on to teach during such a crucial stage in their development. We have the resources, the talent, and the heart to make this program a success.”
The program is set to welcome its first class of degree students by August of 2025.
And from center stage to the national spotlight, TVCC alumnus Umonte Grant made a surprise appearance in the national Salesforce Super Bowl commercial "Gate Expectations," alongside Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.
"I’m just a kid from a small town with a big dream,” Grant shared. “It’s all about the little steps that gradually become bigger. Those couple of seconds on screen will soon be hours.”
Meanwhile, Pharmacy Tech student Joshua Oliver turned his classroom training into real-world impact when he saved a choking child during his clinicals at Gibson Pharmacy in Seven Points.
"No student ever hopes they’ll have to use Heimlich maneuver skills in real life," said instructor Stephanie Fuller, "but when the moment came, Joshua didn’t hesitate."
From national titles and record-breaking gifts to Super Bowl commercials and life-saving heroism, this year has proven one thing: At TVCC, champions aren’t just born—they’re made here.