Headlines
Meet the Only Black Male Cheerleader on the Ole Miss Spirit Squad this Fall Semester
Lee Anthony Williams, photo by Melody Dixon
Growing up and watching Saturday football games on television, Lee Anthony Williams had always looked at the Ole Miss male cheerleaders in admiration as they lifted girls with one hand and did seemingly impossible stunts.
He now has the chance to be one of those guys and happens to be the only African-American on the Ole Miss Cheer squad this football season.
“I thought I’d never be able to do that, and look at me now,” he said. “I’m still learning and progressing, and I love it.”
Williams is a Lambert, Mississippi native and the son of Brenda and Leon Williams. He had his start on the varsity team of Madison Shannon Palmer High School. After graduating, he didn’t sit down on his gift so he continued cheering for Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia, Mississippi.
Williams credits assistant cheer coach Trey Griffin, who also coached him at NMCC, for encouraging him to try out. The hard work he put in the three-day process including a fitness test, stunt test and an interview earned him a spot on the team.
He said, “There was a lot going into it, and now I’m here. When I told my family and friends, they thought it was the coolest thing.”
He didn’t expect for them to respond with how proud they were.
“It feels good when you have that kind of title behind your name, but you don’t want to let that determine who you are,” he says. “You don’t want to be big-headed. You want to still be the person you are and be thankful.”
Photo courtesy Facebook/ Ole Miss cheer
Despite his race difference, he sees the entire team as a family and doesn’t really care what color they are.
Courtney Mitchell, who is a cheerleader at NMCC, says she misses him at practice and keeping her laughing. After cheering with him during her freshman and sophomore years, she can say that she loves Lee like a brother.
“He’s an amazing mentor and is always encouraging me to do my best. Through determination and hard work, he has made it so far, and I couldn’t be more proud of him,” says Mitchell.
Williams gets an adrenaline rush that prepares him for flight rather than fright when performing with the cheerleading team.
“I don’t really get nervous,” he said. “I’ve performed in front of thousands of people before and the game is 60,000 plus. It’s real fun. I like looking into the fans’ faces. I get smiles back. I’ll get waves, high fives, or a ‘Go Rebels.’ I love the fans.”
One challenge he has met that has also been beneficial for him is physical training. To him, workouts are the ‘real deal.’
“I came in benching 150, now it’s 240,” Williams said.
Photo courtesy Facebook/ Ole Miss Cheer
As soon as they are finished with their mandatory exercise, they consume protein shakes and healthy foods to stay healthy.
As a junior in his first semester, he is majoring in criminal justice, a discipline that his father and other family members involved in law enforcement took up.
“At first, I thought ‘This is not for me,” he said. “Then something pulled me right back into it, and I thought about homeland security. For some reason, it sounds so interesting to me.”
Because he is intrigued by the fact that protecting the country could range from monitoring borders to airport jobs, his long-term goal is to get as far as he can on that career path.
Melody Dixon is a senior print journalism major at Meek School of Journalism and New Media. She can be reached at mddixon@go.olemiss.edu.
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | W, 63-51 |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | W, 73-66 |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | W, 77-65 |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | W, 74-64 |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | L, 81-84 |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | L, 62-63 |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | 8:00 PM ESPN2 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | 3:00 PM TBA |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | 6:00 PM ESPN |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |
Trace Gold
November 6, 2015 at 12:35 pm
Will someone publish an article about the number of whites on the BB team? No
belle
November 6, 2015 at 2:19 pm
Where’s the significance?
belle
November 6, 2015 at 2:23 pm
There is great significance in Lee Williams being the only African American of a “once all white” university. He defied the odds. He is noticed for the positivity he brings rather than the negativity that usually comes with his racial profile.your blessed Lee . keep moving forward and loving everyone of every kind.
Marlon Jones
November 6, 2015 at 5:05 pm
Lee, keep striving Bruh! This is awesome!!! Great article, Melody!!
British Conley
November 6, 2015 at 6:32 pm
I am very proud of you being able to stand out and be different! Just know that God is ordering your steps and as long as he is guiding you, beating the odds will be easy to do… Continue on the path of great destiny and watch God excel you!!!
LaShundra Harris
November 6, 2015 at 8:12 pm
Great article Melody! Awesome way to highlight a young man deserving of recognition. Very well written.
antonio mccloud
November 6, 2015 at 8:42 pm
Great job lee hard work does pay off way to follow your dreams and di what you like. Cheer leading is a very hard sport and is no different than any physical sport continue being positive you never know whose live you touch…by the way I’m a Fla Gator
Allen Ball
November 6, 2015 at 8:56 pm
I don’t get how this is a story Ole Miss has had Africa America males on the squad for the past five or 6 years, a few of them were my cousins!
Allen Ball
November 6, 2015 at 8:57 pm
*African American excuse the typos
Laquita Furr
November 6, 2015 at 10:03 pm
Great job!!! Continue to strive for the best. I’m so proud of you and John.
Kay Wages
November 6, 2015 at 10:04 pm
Congratulations, Lee. I was born and raised in Lambert. Your grandmother, Johnnie, is a good friend of mine. First met her when we worked at Garan. I know your dad and several other family members. You just keep on following your dreams. God bless you in whatever you choose to do. Love the Rebels!