Ole Miss Family, Friends, Fans Honor Park Coleman Stevens

Ole Miss friends and players come together in support and love for Park Coleman Stevens.
Photo by Marc and Liza Miley

Family, friends, fans and players joined together to honor the life of Park Coleman Stevens during funeral services on Saturday at Mt Vernon Church in Columbus, Miss. Park Stevens, 20, of Columbus, Miss., a member of the Ole Miss football team, passed away Wednesday in an automobile accident. Park’s Rebel teammates and coaches served as honorary pallbearers.

“Our team is hurting with the loss of Park,” said Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze. “He was a tremendous young man that was loved by his teammates and coaches, and Rebel Nation will never forget him. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Stevens’ family, his friends, our team and all those he touched during his life.”

From Ole Miss Athletics: Ole Miss offensive lineman Park Stevens died in a car collision near Okolona, Miss. on Wednesday when his pickup truck collided with an 18-wheeler, according to the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

Photo Courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics/ Josh McCoy

The fatal accident occurred around 3 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Egypt Road and U.S. Highway 45A.

The Columbus, Miss., native, who joined the Rebels in the spring as a walk-on, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

Services for Stevens  will be held at 1:30 p.m. CT at Mt Vernon Church at 200 Mt Vernon Road in Columbus. Park’s Rebel teammates and coaches will serve as honorary pallbearers.

The funeral will be preceded by visitation from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., also at Mt Vernon Church.

“Our team is hurting with the loss of Park,” said Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze. “He was a tremendous young man that was loved by his teammates and coaches, and Rebel Nation will never forget him. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Stevens’ family, his friends, our team and all those he touched during his life.”

Stevens transferred to Ole Miss in January and joined the football team for 2013 spring drills. He arrived in Oxford after two seasons at East Central Community College in Decatur, Miss., where he redshirted in 2011 and started at right guard in 2012.

Stevens is a 2010 graduate of New Hope High School, where he started on the offensive line for the first time as a senior and helped the team reach the second round of the 5A state playoffs. He participated in the Max Emfinger All-American Bowl and the Mississippi-Louisiana All-Star game following his senior season

Stevens spent his sophomore and junior seasons at Oak Hill Academy and started at defensive tackle.