| Thursday, September 20, 2018 |
| Mississippi State to serve as administrative lead for multimillion dollar research grant | |
 | Mississippi State University will collaborate with the state's three additional research universities as part of a $20 million National Science Foundation grant. The five-year grant was announced Tuesday, and will establish a center for emergent molecular optoelectronics. It was awarded through the NSF Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research program. Mississippi State will serve as the administrative lead. Several MSU faculty members will also be involved in the research. "There's just multiple reasons why this is a great opportunity," said MSU Vice President for Research and Economic Development David Shaw, who also serves as the grant's principal investigator. "Anytime you have these types of long-term projects of this size that are funded by the National Science Foundation, it just creates a tremendous amount of momentum, that you can then capitalize on to leverage it in the other opportunities." |
| MSU-Meridian's Mark Fincher named to Council for the Study of Community Colleges | |
 | An associate professor in Mississippi State University-Meridian's Division of Education has been elected vice president for research and publication for the Council for the Study of Community Colleges. Mark Fincher, who teaches as part of MSU's community college leadership program, will work to encourage students and two-year college professionals to engage in research during his CSCC tenure. He also will oversee the organization's annual "Dissertation of the Year" competition. "Dr. Fincher is a leader in his field and a leader in the Division of Education. We are excited to see the great work that will come out of his commitment to enhancing higher education research, policy and practice," said Kimberly Hall, head of the Division of Education at MSU-Meridian. |
| Mississippi State's T.K. Martin Center prepares for annual Fun Run on Friday | |
| The T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability on the Mississippi State campus will host its annual Fun Run on Friday, with hundreds expected to attend to support a worthwhile cause. The fundraiser is the biggest of the year for the center, which provides individualized care for children with different disabilities. While the center is funded by the Mississippi Department of Education, the costs for necessary equipment is staggering, especially considering the fact that children attend for free and at no cost to their parents. Christan Toney, a speech-language pathologist at the T.K. Martin Center, said the 5K will begin at 5 p.m. at the center and will be open to families and people of all ages. "It was made to be for the families to be around other families in their situation that have children with other developmental disabilities and a way for the community to get involved," Toney said. |
| MSU Relief Organization Help Aid Florence | |
 | A relief organization at Mississippi State University helps students impacted by disasters like Hurricane Florence and other crisis situations. The MSU Student Relief Fund is run by the Student Affairs Office and helps students in a time of crisis. That includes any situations that displaces students like a natural disaster like a hurricane or tornado or a tragedy like a house fire. Students in the past have received textbooks, financial aid, and clothing, and other necessities from this organization. If you want to find out more ways on how to help with Hurricane Florence relief you can visit the Maroon Volunteer Center for more information. |
| Checkoff Approves Nine Research Projects in Latest Round of Funding | |
 | If you purchased alfalfa seed this year, part of your purchase has now been dedicated to funding nine new research projects. The U.S. Alfalfa Farmer Research Initiative, better known as the Alfalfa Checkoff, recently awarded the third round of funding to research projects submitted by researchers from a diverse collection of geographic areas of the country. The checkoff, now in its second year, attracted proposals which covered a wide range of topics intended to drive innovation and profitability in the alfalfa industry, as well as a broad geographic area. Research projects in California, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Washington, and Wisconsin were approved for funding and include "Impact of Poultry Litter Application on Yield & Quality of Alfalfa Grown in Mississippi," Brett Rushing, Mississippi State University. |
| Board approves $22 million in revenue bonds for Starkville Utilities | |
 | The Starkville board of Aldermen on Tuesday authorized Starkville Utilities Department to issue up to $22 million in revenue bonds to fund major electric and water system projects. Starkville Utilities' requests are for up to $12 million for electric projects and up to $10 million for water and sewer projects. Aldermen approved the bonds 6-1, with Ward 6's Roy A. Perkins opposing. Perkins said after the meeting he was concerned the bonds might lead to future rate increases. Department General Manager Terry Kemp said the bonds for the electric department are primarily meant to build a new substation. He said the new station -- planned for Azalea Lane -- will replace the one on Industrial Park Road, which is the oldest in the city's system. "The majority will be the station," Kemp said. "But in addition to that, there's quite a bit of transition line associated with this." |
| Hyde-Smith: McDaniel's 'Toxic Image' Similar to Roy Moore's | |
| Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is criticizing her opponent, State Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, for recent comments she says "demeaned" black Mississippians and a history of "derogatory" comments about women. McDaniel "demeaned the African-American population in Mississippi, saying they had been "begging for scraps" for the past 100 years," Hyde-Smith campaign communications director Melissa Scallan wrote in a press release Tuesday night. "He claims it was taken out of context, but we all know that isn't true." During a week when treatment of women is front and center in the wake of a professor's accusations against U.S. Supreme Court hopeful Brett Kavanaugh, Hyde-Smith is trying to use opponent McDaniel's history of commentary about women against him. "Chris has a history of spouting inflammatory, divisive rhetoric and has made derogatory comments about women," Scallan wrote. |
| Fact check: McDaniel's claim that women fake '99 percent' of sexual assault claims | |
| On Monday, state Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, grabbed headlines for the second time in a week while defending Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Senate Judiciary Committee, which holds hearings on Supreme Court nominees before they go to the full Senate for a confirmation vote, is scheduled to hear testimony from a woman named Christine Blasey Ford who says Kavanaugh and a friend assaulted her at a party when they were in high school. Kavanaugh denies the accusation. Conservatives, including Mississippi U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith, have questioned the timing of Ford's revelation and accuse Democrats of attempting to derail Kavanaugh's nomination to the court. McDaniel, who is running for the U.S. Senate, went farther and suggested that only 1 percent of all sexual assault allegations have merit. |
| Chris McDaniel supporter accused of beating man in Tupelo before town hall | |
 | A Chris McDaniel supporter and former county co-chair for his U.S. Senate campaign is accused of beating a Kentucky man at a Tupelo hotel Sunday night before a McDaniel town-hall meeting on Monday. The alleged victim, Lance Acton, remained hospitalized on Wednesday. He said he has multiple orbital bone fractures and is being told he will have to have surgery. The assault allegedly took place at the Holiday Inn and Suites in Tupelo, the same hotel where McDaniel and members of his campaign were staying after weekend events in Oxford and Southaven and before the Tupelo town hall at the Lee County Library. McDaniel spokesman Tanner Watson said the accused, Mario Barnes, is no longer Tishomingo County chairman for the campaign and is not a paid or volunteer staffer. |
| Lawsuit over Mark Mayfield's suicide after political scandal ends for some defendants | |
 | A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed some defendants, but not others, from a civil rights lawsuit filed by relatives of a Mississippi man after he killed himself following a bitterly-fought U.S. Senate race. U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves on Tuesday ruled Mark Mayfield's widow and sons can't sue the Butler Snow law firm and its chairman, or Madison Police Chief Gene Waldrop, over claims they were part of a political network illegally retaliating against Mayfield's political activity by pushing him to suicide after he was charged with conspiracy to exploit a vulnerable adult. However, Reeves said Mayfield's heirs could proceed with some claims against the city of Madison and said he wants more argument over whether they can sue Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler and two city police officers. |
| AG Jim Hood focuses on economy in Meridian visit | |
| Despite passing nearly a decade from the 2008 recession, Mississippi has recovered slowly economically by roughly 1.7 percent annually, state Attorney General Jim Hood told Rotary Club members Tuesday. "We've lost more kids than any state in the union," Hood said. Meanwhile, in neighboring states, economic growth has reached the double digits, adding more jobs and recovering better from the 2008 crisis, Hood said. Hood said a lot of this lack of growth could be attributed to the legislature not pursuing different streams of revenue, such as a fuel tax to fix roads and bridges or using "sin tax" monies for education. Millions in corporate tax cuts have benefited out-of-state companies and the legislature has kept Internet sales taxes for itself, rather than giving it back to the municipalities. |
| Mississippi senators to be fingerprinted to get paid | |
| All 52 members of the Mississippi Senate are being fingerprinted -- not for alleged wrongdoing, but so they can get paid. A fingerprint scanner has been installed at the entrance of the Senate docket room on the third floor of the Mississippi Capitol. When fully operational -- most likely sometime next month -- senators will be expected to stop by the docket room and scan their fingerprint to be paid for their visit to the Capitol. "Technology is advancing and so is the Mississippi Senate," said Pro Tem Terry Burton, R-Newton, who oversees the management of the Senate and its staff. He said many professions now require people to be fingerprinted for identification purposes. |
| Judge orders ex-DMR chief Bill Walker back to prison | |
 | Bill Walker, former director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, is back in prison for what U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett described Wednesday as 'willful and obstinate failure" to pay restitution for defrauding the government. Since he was released from prison in November 2017, Walker has paid only around $10,000 of the $572,689 in restitution he owes in a highly publicized public-corruption case. Federal or state investigations also netted his son and six other former DMR employees. "This is real money," Starrett told Walker. "This is real money the taxpayers are out and the court feels strongly it should be repaid." Starrett also found Walker willfully refused government demands to document monthly expenses of $16,563. Walker says he doesn't have enough money left to pay the government $5,000 a month in restitution. |
| First responders, MUW nursing students hone skills at mock tornado drill | |
| A tornado ripped through Propst Park Tuesday morning causing numerous fatalities and injuries. Though just a drill, local agencies responded to the scene as if the disaster happened in real life. Typically Mississippi University for Women nursing students act as the victims in the annual disaster drill. However, this year senior nursing students helped survey the scene and triage the victims before the responders arrived. First responders from Baptist Memorial Hospital Ambulance Services, Columbus Police Department, the Lowndes County Sheriff's and Coroner's offices, Columbus Air Force Base, Columbus Fire and Rescue, Mississippi Department of Health and other agencies all participated in the scenario. Susan Arroyo-Hall, a MUW nursing student, sprung into action when more than 30 victims started calling for help. There were at least 50 "injuries," 30 of those severe, and 15 "fatalities." |
| Chancellor Vitter condemns 'racial overtone' in post made by Ole Miss alumnus, donor Ed Meek | |
 | Ole Miss alumnus Ed Meek, namesake of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media, posted a pair of photos and commentary to Facebook that drew widespread criticism. Meek served as the university's assistant vice chancellor for public relations and marketing for 37 years beginning in 1964. Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter responded to Meek's post, condemning its "racial overtone" and suggesting Meek delete the post. In his original post, Meek wrote, "Enough, Oxford and Ole Miss leaders, get on top of this before it is too late." He attached images of two black women he claimed were visiting the Square on Saturday night. Within four hours of its posting, Meek's words had garnered more than 500 comments and 600 shares. One of those comments came from Vitter's Facebook account. |
| UM journalism donor Ed Meek under fire for social media posts | |
| A Facebook post by Ed Meek, namesake for the University of Mississippi's Meek School of Journalism and New Media, went viral Wednesday afternoon for what some have deemed racist undertones. The post apparently came as a response to a series of fistfights that took place on the Square and in The Grove last weekend, but Meek's post featured two pictures of African-American women on a night out, seemingly unaware their photos had been taken. The post read: "On The Oxford Square Saturday Night. I hesitated until now to publish these pictures but I think it important that our community see what the camera is seeing at 2 a.m. after a ballgame. ...Enough, Oxford and Ole Miss leaders, get on top of this before it is too late. A 3 percent decline in enrollment is nothing compared to what we will see if this continues... and real estate values will plummet as will tax revenue." |
| 'Highly offensive' Facebook post made by Ed Meek, namesake of Ole Miss' journalism school | |
| The namesake of the Meek School of Journalism at the University of Mississippi made a "highly offensive" Facebook post Wednesday night with an "unjustified racial overtone," according to the school. Ed Meek, an Ole Miss alumni who donated $5.3 million to the journalism school, made a post on his personal Facebook page Wednesday night regarding late-night activity on the Square in Oxford. The post was accompanied by two photos of African American women. In his post, Meek said the photos were taken in the early morning hours of Sunday morning after the Ole Miss-Alabama game Saturday night. As of Thursday morning, the apology post had either been edited or deleted with an updated apology that read: "I am sorry I posted the pictures I posted and I apologize to those offended by my post. I in no way intended to imply this is a racial issue. My intent was to point out we have a problem in The Grove and on the Oxford Square." |
| USM hosts first Transition Camp for high school students with disabilities | |
 | Dozens of area high school students with disabilities are at the University of Southern Mississippi this week, learning about job hunting, financial planning and other career skills. It is all part of the school's first Transition Camp, sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services. The goal is to help the students make a more successful move from high school to careers or college. "The purpose is to prepare our youth with disabilities, ages 14 to 21, to obtain jobs," said Sabrina Singleton, with Vocational & Rehabilitation Consultants, LLC, which is hosting the conference. "We want to equip them with skills and knowledge." |
| Economy, development puts Hattiesburg in league with other thriving mid-size cities of the South | |
| After Hurricane Katrina sent developer Rob Tatum packing from New Orleans back to his native Hattiesburg in 2005, Tatum started working on a real estate deal at home -- renovating some historic buildings downtown into loft apartments. As Tatum and his brother, Craig, began renovations, they kept finding traces of the century-old Tatum legacy in Hattiesburg. Sitting in the lobby of the Hotel Indigo, which opened earlier this year in Hattiesburg's District at Midtown, Tatum represents the newest chapter of Tatums to remake the landscape of the city. USM Dean of Students and former Hattiesburg councilman Eddie Holloway is heartened by what he calls instead the "re-gentrification" of downtown and midtown, but said he anticipates a challenge in establishing homeownership -- over rentals -- in coming years. |
| Alumni give birthday gifts to Delta State University | |
| Tuesday afternoon Delta State University faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members gathered in the Nowell Student Union to celebrate the 93 anniversary of the university. During the ceremony DSU President William LaForge reminisced about those who had gone before and explained the need to continue to the work they began. "We stand on the shoulders of giants. We are charged to carry on the tradition of excellence and to make sure that our future is bright. It is our turn to educate our students well, prepare them for the future and build a solid foundation as a university," he said. He mentioned some of the projects that are currently underway, such as the cafeteria renovations. LaForge also told those in attendance, "This week we will break ground on a new president's home where the old home formerly stood." |
| Employers, students look to fill high-demand jobs at Itawamba Community College interview day | |
 | Some 120 students enrolled in Itawamba Community College's career and technical programs polished their resumes and their shoes for Wednesday's Careers in Advanced Manufacturing and Technology, or CAMT, interview day. More than 20 companies, were participating in the second year of the CAMPT interview day, which is a little different from traditional job fairs. "We more than doubled the number of companies this year," said Joe Lowder, ICC's dean of economic and community services. "This is a transformative process because it allows students to earn money while they go to school. And if you're an adult learner with a house payment or a car note and you think you can't come back to school, this program allows you to do that." |
| Council approves furnishings, equipment purchase for The Edge business incubator | |
 | As moving day for The Edge business incubator draws near, the Tuscaloosa City Council is spending more than $500,000 to outfit it with new furnishings and equipment. City officials said more than $1.6 million has been set aside for furniture and technology items needed for the center's operation, and on Tuesday, the City Council approved the use of $526,975 of that funding in order to outfit the new facility. The Edge Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation began in 2012 in a 9,000-square foot building on 22nd Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa. Its purpose, as a partnership among the University of Alabama, the city of Tuscaloosa and the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, was to foster and grow new business and industry within the region. In addition to more room, The Edge will bring several major upgrades to aid entrepreneurs. Last month, an expanding Mississippi-based technology company announced that it would be the first official tenant for The Edge's new facility. |
| Former economics chair sues Auburn University | |
 | The former economics chair at Auburn University has filed a lawsuit against the university, stating that his First Amendment rights were violated when he questioned the number of student-athletes with a particular major. Michael L. Stern filed the lawsuit Tuesday, in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Eastern Division. "The university has not been served with a lawsuit from Michael Stern," a spokesman for the university told the Opelika-Auburn News on Wednesday. "However, Auburn is fully committed to free speech, intellectual diversity and robust discussion of ideas." In the lawsuit, Stern recounts a decades-long tale of his struggle with university administrators. The summary opens with the fall 2007 semester and spring 2008 semester, when the complaint reads that, "The College of Business Administration sold out to the Koch Foundation and engaged in rigged hiring in exchange for money. Much of this was hidden from the majority of the Economics Department faculty, who found out about it from Auburn University President Jay Gogue in early 2008." |
| National ATO fraternity dissolves U. of Kentucky chapter after death of four-year-old | |
 | The national Alpha Tau Omega chapter has dissolved its University of Kentucky chapter following the death of a four-year-old boy who was struck by a vehicle allegedly driven by an ATO pledge. Jacob Heil, 18, was charged with DUI Saturday at the scene, not far from a UK football game. UK put ATO on suspension Tuesday after finding the fraternity had allegedly served alcohol to pledges at a tailgate before the game. "Following an investigation conducted by the national fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega has revoked the charter of the University of Kentucky Mu Iota chapter," the ATO statement said. "Violations of the fraternity's health and safety policy prompted the decision. The chapter is closed and ATO no longer has a presence on campus." |
| Attorney: U. of Kentucky student 'despondent' over death of 4-year-old | |
| Jacob Heil, the University of Kentucky student who allegedly struck a 4-year-old boy Saturday with his car, is "despondent" over the child's death, said Heil's attorney, Christopher Spedding. "Mr. Heil's family is absolutely crushed over this whole situation," Spedding said Wednesday after entering a not guilty plea to a charge of driving under the influence on Heil's behalf in court. "Their hearts go out to the victim's family. There's really nothing that they can say at this point to comfort the victim's family other than they are certainly praying for them and feel terrible about this accident. They would like the family to know that." Marco Lee Shemwell, 4, and his family were waiting to cross Cooper Drive near Scoville Drive around 2 p.m. Saturday, during the University of Kentucky football game, when the boy was struck by a car allegedly driven by Heil. The attorney said he has not been contacted by the University of Kentucky, which is conducting its own investigation into the circumstances. |
| U. of Tennessee Considers a Politically Connected Businessman to Run Its System | |
 | The University of Tennessee is reaching outside academe for an interim leader to guide a system that has been buffeted by controversy. On Tuesday the president of the Board of Trustees recommended the appointment of Randy Boyd, a businessman and philanthropist with political ambitions, to run the system for up to two years. If approved by the board at a special meeting next week, Boyd would represent a pivot away from traditional academic leadership for the system, at least temporarily, after several years of strife and scandal, especially at the flagship campus, in Knoxville. A Tennessee alumnus, Boyd has no background as a faculty member or in academic leadership, but he played a key role in Gov. Bill Haslam's signature higher-education policies. Boyd would take the reins of a system that has been embroiled in a string of controversies, many of them involving the ire of elected officials. |
| Boyd tweets his excitement at consideration for interim U. of Tennessee president | |
 | Shortly after being announced as a candidate for interim University of Tennessee System President, Randy Boyd tweeted that he's "truly honored & humbled to have the opportunity to serve my alma mater, University of Tennessee, and our great state." His tweet continued: "If selected, looking forward to listening & learning about how we can accelerate the positive momentum across all of our campuses & throughout the UT system!" UT Board of Trustees Chairman John Compton discussed his recommendation of Boyd at a Wednesday afternoon news conference. Tiffany Carpenter, associate vice president of communications and marketing for UT, said Boyd would not be speaking to members of the media until the board meeting next week. But Boyd tweeted his remarks. |
| Growing needs and changing demographics strain college fund-raising | |
 | A look at the student bodies and the development staffs of many colleges and universities might make evident the demographic mismatch occurring at institutions across the country -- the students are more diverse in race and income; the development staff members are largely white. This was not a problem when deep-pocketed donors were mostly white and male, but it will likely present fund-raising challenges at many colleges going forward. A new generation of moneyed philanthropists has come of age -- women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ -- who not only want to support their alma maters but specifically want to help people who look like them or share similar backgrounds or life experiences. Their numbers are expected to keep growing and surpass the limited pool of fund-raisers that reflect the increasing diversity of donors. Meanwhile, a shortage of fund-raisers overall is exacerbating the problem. |
| Average Loan Debt for Graduates of Four-Year Colleges: $28,650 | |
| The average student loan debt last year for graduates of four-year colleges who took out loans was $28,650, according to the latest version of an annual report from the Institute for College Access and Success. The average amount was up $300, or 1 percent, from 2016. Figures from the report were based on debt levels from college seniors who graduated from public and private colleges last year. Roughly two-thirds (65 percent) of this group took on at least some student debt. "While student loans can be an excellent investment, there is a crisis among the millions of students who struggle to repay their loans, and they are disproportionately students of color or from low-income families," James Kvaal, the group's president, said in a written statement. "We need to invest more in student aid and in colleges to reduce students' need to borrow, and make their loans easier to repay." |
| UCLA student sues fraternities, says they should do more to protect against rape | |
| More than a year ago, a female student at the University of California, Los Angeles, told the institution she was raped in August 2016. Her attacker, she alleged, had already sexually assaulted another of her sorority sisters. The university found her accusation credible. It expelled the young man, a campus fraternity member, in 2017. In February, he lost his appeal to return to campus. But the student who filed the complaint was not satisfied. She maintains that the expelled student's fraternity -- and UCLA's fraternity system as a whole -- should have known the assault could occur and should have protected her. The fraternity had hosted a party that August night during which she drank until she couldn't walk, she said. Last month, the student anonymously filed a lawsuit against her alleged rapist, his fraternity, as well as Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the UCLA Interfraternity Council. Her lawsuit comes at a time when the Trump administration intends to overhaul the regulations around Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the federal gender antidiscrimination law that bars sexual misconduct at colleges and universities. |
SPORTS
| Joe Moorhead changes Mississippi State's routine on Sundays | |
| Most coaches combat the emotions of a college football season with a 24-hour rule: players take 24 hours to celebrate a win or mourn a loss, then move on to the next one. Mississippi State has no such 24-hour rule. Twenty-four hours after games, they're on the practice field. Former coach Dan Mullen held Sunday practices early in his MSU tenure, but strayed away from them in his final years. They are back under Joe Moorhead and under sound reasoning. "I'm not quite sure what the standard is across the country, but that's something every program I've been with has modeled," Moorhead said. "What I like about it is, you meet, watch the film, you make the corrections and midway through practice, you put closure on that game. What you said about compartmentalizing, making the corrections, fixing what needs to be addressed and then moving forward, I think that's a good observation." |
| On the Job: Field of dreams at Mississippi State's Davis Wade Stadium | |
 | If you've ever been to a college football game, you'll see there are a lot of moving parts. But it's not just the players who are putting in a lot of work to prepare for game day. We're focusing on the crew behind the scenes, working to make the field perfect. The day before game day, the stands are empty at Mississippi State's Davis Wade stadium, but we're not alone. There's a small crew making sure every line is straight, the paint is even and there is not a single blade of that lush Hybrid Bermuda Grass that stands too high. "It's all hands on deck with all the guys you see. It's a lot of moving parts out here," MSU sports turf superintendent Brandon Hardin says. "I've got four full time guys, and they're all over here today. We put this ahead of everything else for seven weeks out of the year for game days." |
| Mississippi State's Elgton Jenkins is the 'brain' behind Bulldogs' offense | |
| Elgton Jenkins sat in a Mississippi State classroom taking an automated systems test Monday morning. The test, Jenkins said, wasn't as easy as he had hoped. Then, the senior center glanced at his phone. No, he wasn't trying to cheat. A two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor wouldn't dare do that. A plethora of notifications distracted him from the exam, and he wanted to know what the fuss was about. It didn't take long for Jenkins, an industrial technologies major who happens to be a pretty solid football player, to learn he had been named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week. "I saw that and it was a really proud moment for me," said Jenkins, who got back to work and passed the test. That shouldn't come as a surprise given that head coach Joe Moorhead called Jenkins the eyes, ears and brain of the offense. Jenkins said that means a lot coming from an intelligent coach like Moorhead, who was an English major at Fordham University. |
| Winding, rewarding journey for Mississippi State's Dontea Jones | |
| Sept. 1, 2018 is a day that Dontea Jones will likely remember forever. In his first meaningful reps at Mississippi State, the redshirt sophomore made a leaping, one-handed catch for a 17-yard touchdown in the Bulldogs' season-opening win over Stephen F. Austin. Jones' first thought after securing the ball in the end zone was, "Finally!" "That feeling was really a sigh of relief," Jones said. "I was really happy and excited more than anything. That was my first catch and hopefully more to come. To be able to do that here at home and in front of my family and teammates was really fun." Jones' journey to Mississippi State may have been winding but those years of sacrifice are now starting to be rewarded with recognition. "I've really learned a lot about life and to be patient," Jones said. |
| Mississippi State wide receiver Stephen Guidry is just getting started | |
| When Mississippi State recruited Stephen Guidry from Hinds Community College where he was the top ranked junior college wide receiver in the nation, the Bulldogs had long, vertical touchdowns in mind. Saturday night against Louisiana, they got the first of what could be many. "I think he's training himself on a daily basis to be a top-level player in this league," head coach Joe Moorhead said. "I certainly think he has the talent to do so." Guidry is bigger, stronger and faster than he's ever been. But before making the transformation from a junior college standout to a Division I producer, Guidry arrived on campus with a bum shoulder and a questionable mindset. |
| Mississippi State has something to prove against No. 13 South Carolina | |
| MaKayla Waldner knows there is plenty of more work to be done. The junior forward had an open mind entering the Mississippi State women's soccer team's match against then-No. 9 Auburn on Friday. Following a 3-0 loss in Auburn, Alabama, Waldner feels MSU may have been humbled and realizes it needs to prepare even harder for the rest of its Southeastern Conference schedule. "Although we lost by three, I think the score didn't reflect how the game went," Waldner said. "We were all disappointed, but (MSU coach) Tom (Anagnost) told us we won more first balls, more second balls. We connected more passes than Auburn. We had more shots than Auburn. We didn't capitalize on our chances. Even though we lost 3-0, it doesn't reflect on what type of program we are." MSU (7-1) won't have to wait long to take on that challenge when it plays host to No. 13 South Carolina (7-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday (SEC Network+) in its SEC home opener at the MSU Soccer Field. |
| Steve Dudley resigns as Mississippi State track and field coach | |
| Steve Dudley, head coach for the Mississippi State track and field program since 2010, has announced his resignation. "I have decided to resign for personal reasons," Dudley said. "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Mississippi State. It's been a great run, and I am proud of what we were able to accomplish as a program. It's been a privilege to coach so many outstanding student-athletes who not only achieved success on the track but in the classroom and life. I wish the program nothing but the best moving forward." "We wish Coach Dudley well on his future endeavors, and we appreciate all of his service to Mississippi State," Director of Athletics John Cohen said. "Chris Woods will serve as our interim head coach. Chris has head coaching experience, and he's done a tremendous job as an assistant coach on our staff the past five years." |
| Ole Miss AD Ross Bjork believes ruling on NCAA appeal could come 'any week now' | |
| Nine weeks after Ole Miss appealed the punishment handed down by the NCAA Committee on Infractions, the school is still waiting for a response. But athletics director Ross Bjork believes that could be coming soon. "I've kind of held the same belief that [the final ruling] would come sometime this fall," Bjork told 247sports.com. "Obviously, that clock is ticking. I think it could be pretty much any week now. We're just waiting." In his comments to 247sports.com, Bjork also addressed what the school may do after the ruling is announced. "From an official NCAA process, that's the end of the road," Bjork told 247sports.com. "But then you have to evaluate the options that are out there. Is there a legal route? Is there something else you can do? Those are all the things that have to be left on the table at this point and time. But until we have the final answer, you can't really answer those questions until you know what it is." |
| 'The future is very bright': Malzahn confirms $2M donation to Auburn football ops project | |
| Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn publicly confirmed Wednesday that his family has made a $2 million donation toward building the university a new football operations facility in the future. Malzahn spoke about the donation made by himself and his wife, Kristi, on the SEC's weekly teleconference meeting. Auburn athletics director Allen Greene shared a concept for a proposed future football operations building with the university's board of trustees during the board's work session last Thursday. The project is still in its early stages. Malzahn signed a seven-year, $49 million contract extension with Auburn this summer, ahead of his sixth season as the Tigers' head coach. "Auburn's made an investment in me, and I want to do the same thing," Malzahn said during the teleconference. "I just think it's a good thing, and me and Kristi are very excited to do that." |
| Plans for big renovations at U. of South Carolina's Williams-Brice Stadium revealed | |
 | Williams-Brice Stadium will get a facelift soon that includes an area where fans could be served alcoholic beverages during the game. The renovations, which were approved unanimously Wednesday by the USC board of trustees, will affect all four sides of South Carolina's home football stadium. A $750,000 project to renovate the first floor of the Floyd Building on the north side of the stadium is projected to be completed in time for the 2019 season. A $21 million project that will add premium areas to the south, east and west sides of the stadium is expected to be completed in time for the 2020 season. In total, the renovations are expected to create 9,000 "premium access opportunities," athletics director Ray Tanner said Wednesday. The athletic department expects to earn more than $1 million annually (after repaying the $1.3 million of annual debt the project will create) by selling the access to the premium areas, Tanner said. |
| LSU to unveil Billy Cannon statue outside Tiger Stadium night before matchup with Ole Miss | |
 | LSU will unveil a statue of the late Dr. Billy Cannon, the school's only Heisman Trophy winner, just outside Tiger Stadium on Sept. 28 --- one night before the Tigers' Southeastern Conference matchup with Ole Miss. The statue, which was made possible through donations to the Tiger Athletic Foundation, will commemorate the accomplishments of the most heralded football player in school history. It was unanimously approved by the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame Committee in August 2017. Cannon led LSU to the 1958 national title and the following year won the Heisman as the nation's top collegian. Cannon, who remains LSU's only recipient of the Heisman, had his No. 20 jersey retired by the university in 1959. |
| Funds for metal detectors at War Memorial Stadium OK'd | |
| Gov. Asa Hutchinson authorized more than $60,000 from his discretionary fund to install 18 metal detectors at War Memorial Stadium, Arkansas Parks and Tourism Executive Director Kane Webb said Wednesday. The security upgrade, which includes a ban on loitering on the concourse and a clear-bag-only policy, comes in response to an Aug. 25 incident during the annual Salt Bowl football rivalry between Bryant and Benton high schools when a fight and the firing of a stun gun sent more than 38,000 people fleeing from the stadium. "This will speed up the time it takes to enter the stadium while maintaining the highest level of security," Webb said after a meeting of the state Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission. Webb told the commission members that he's hopeful the metal detectors will be installed before the Razorbacks play the Ole Miss Rebels on Oct. 13. The Southeastern Conference announced earlier this year that school venues will be required to have metal detectors in place by the fall of 2020. |
| Killing of Champion Golfer in 'Senseless, Random Act' Stuns Iowa State | |
 | Celia Barquin Arozamena had played some of the best golf courses in the world, but her promising life ended on a humble public course down the road from her college, Iowa State University. Ms. Barquin Arozamena, a top amateur golfer from Spain, was finishing up the first nine holes by herself on Monday morning at Coldwater Golf Links in Ames, Iowa, when a man attacked her, the police said. She was stabbed in the torso and neck, her body dumped in a pond next to the No. 9 tee box. The killing of Ms. Barquin Arozamena, who won the Big 12 women's championship in April, has stunned the quiet college town of Ames and led her hometown in Spain to declare three days of mourning. "Losing one of our student-athletes is like losing a child," Jamie Pollard, the athletic director at Iowa State, said on Tuesday, fighting back tears. "Celia was the victim of a senseless, random act by a stranger in the middle of broad daylight playing something she loved." |
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