Screenshot
Josh Aldridge, Paula Fuller, Bo Hardegree, Jake Overbey and Tony Shutes are the newest members of the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame.
The five will become the 39th class inducted when ceremonies are held at 6:30 p.m., April 10, 2025 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.
Josh Aldridge – Graduate of Jackson Christian School, and as an offensive and defensive lineman for coach Brian Stewart’s Eagles, he was a member of the 2006 Class 1A State Champions – the only state championship won on the field by a Jackson team in history.
His senior year he was his team’s leading tackler – accounting for 141 tackles which included nine sacks.
He played college football at Harding University where he was a four-year starter, was twice named All Gulf South Conference, and became a team captain.
He began coaching football in 2013 at the college level and after a two-year stay at Auburn University, he is in his first year as the defensive coordinator at East Carolina, a position he officially began on Dec. 18, 2024.
Paula Fuller – played collegiately at then-Memphis State University after helping lead Jackson State Community College to a third-place finish in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s National Tournament and a 23-1 record.
A native of Denmark in West Madison County, she averaged 10 points per game and was second in rebounding – averaging nine per game.
Paula was named All-State her senior year at West High School in Denmark.
Bo Hardegree – an all-around athlete in football and tennis, he quarterbacked the Jackson Central-Merry Cougars to a 10-0 record his senior year and a trip to the state semifinals.
He played collegiately at the University of Tennessee and began his coaching career as a graduate offensive assistant at Duke University.
After three years, he spent the next three years coaching at LSU and would begin coaching in the NFL with the Denver Broncos.
He is now the quarterbacks coach with the Tennessee Titans.
Jake Overbey – a three-year starter at quarterback at the University School of Jackson, Jake was a Mr. Football Finalist for three seasons – 2008, 2009, 2010 – winning the award twice – 2009 and 2010.
A member of the USJ baseball team, Jake – a shortstop – was all-state in 2011, and was drafted in the 10th round of the MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies the same year.
He signed to play baseball at Ole Miss but transferred to the University of Memphis for the 2014-15 seasons.
Tony Shutes – continues to enjoy a long and distinguished career coaching high school basketball in Jackson-Madison County.
He became the head basketball coach at USJ in 1991, and over the next 30 years he constructed a program that boasted 22 district championships, seven regional titles, 20 sub-state appearances, 10 state tournament trips, five semifinal games and two-state runner-up titles.
With 629 wins (and counting) Tony is now the head basketball coach at Jackson Christian School.
