| Years at Northeast: | 1985-87 |
| Sports: | Women's Basketball |
| Occupation: | Student-Athlete |
Phyllis Stafford Dilworth joined the Northeast Lady Tiger basketball team in Kunshinge Sorrell Howard’s final year with the Lady Tigers but the duo made an impact on the basketball world.
Stafford, who was a member of the Lady Tiger basketball team from 1985-87, helped lead Northeast to the national tournament in both her years in Booneville.
During her freshman season, Stafford and the Lady Tigers dropped only one game all season and posted a 31-0 record heading into the national championship game against Odessa, Texas in 1986.
Stafford bested her freshman year one season later when the Lady Tigers went undefeated -- 34-0 -- en route to the 1987 national championship. Stafford made sure of the return trip to the national tournament when the forward broke out for 31 points and 14 rebounds in the Region XXIII championship game in Clinton against Utica (Hinds) in earning the return trip to the national tournament.
During her two years at Northeast, Stafford amassed a 65-1 record on the hardwood and was named to the MACJC All-State and NJCAA Region XXIII teams both years at Northeast. Stafford’s sophomore season at Northeast saw her selected as a first-team All-American by the NJCAA.
Northeast swept through the regular season during Stafford’s sophomore year undefeated and knocked off Northwest Mississippi Community College 80-78 for the MACJC State Championship and then swept through the Region XXIII tournament before heading to Senatobia for the NJCAA National Basketball Tournament.
Northeast made good on its return trip as the Lady Tigers won four straight games in the Division I women’s national tournament -- including the national championship game when Northeast upended St. Gregory’s in the national championship game 68-64.
Following her time at Northeast, Stafford took her talents to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) where she was named to the coaches’ All-Southeastern Conference second team in 1989.