Wednesday, April 17, 2019   
 
MSU-Meridian veterans lounge provides space for studying, socializing
Anna Jones is glad she has a space to take a break at MSU-Meridian. "I am excited about it, because not only am I a full-time student, I'm a mom," said Jones, a retired Navy chief petty officer. "So it gives me a place to study, to start homework and complete homework." Jones is one of many service members who will use the new G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Center for America's Veterans Lounge on the College Park campus at MSU-Meridian. The lounge, which features comfy couches, a work station with a computer and printer, a microwave and coffee maker, was unveiled during a ribbon cutting Tuesday morning. A mural representing different aspects of military service covers the wall of the lounge, which will be open to student veterans and military family members enrolled at MSU-Meridian.
 
Lounge dedicated to veterans at MSU-Meridian
Mississippi State-Meridian now has a lounge dedicated to veterans enrolled there. The G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Center for America's Veterans dedicated the space Tuesday at the College Park campus. The director of the Montgomery Center proposed the idea during the fall semester and head of campus, Dr. Terry Dale Cruse, quickly approved it. The lounge has seating, work stations and a free printer, along with a microwave and coffee maker. There are about a hundred military-connected students each semester attending MSU-Meridian.
 
MSU-Meridian dedicates lounge to veterans and their families
With nearly one hundred of MSU-Meridian's students being veterans or dependent upon a veteran, the campus has now dedicated a space of their own thanks to the university's G.V. Sonny Montgomery Center for America's Veterans. "We wanted to open a veteran lounge to have a place for our student veterans and family members of veterans. We wanted them to have a place to call their own. They can come here before class, after class, or in between classes and have a place to study, hangout, get a cup of coffee, and really fellowship together with fellow veterans or other families of veterans," said Brian S. Locke, who is the director of the Center for America's Veterans at Mississippi State University.
 
New cholesterol study may lead you to ask: Pass the eggs, or pass on the eggs?
Brent Fountain, an associate extension professor of human nutrition at Mississippi State University, writes for The Conversation: The recent news that eating three to four eggs a week is linked to a slight increase in risk for developing heart disease was a bummer for egg lovers. Should you stop eating eggs because of this new finding? The study, published in March in the Journal of the American Medical Association, examined the association between dietary cholesterol or egg consumption with cardiovascular disease and all causes of mortality. The analysis pooled the data of over 29,000 participants from six major U.S. studies conducted between 1985 and 2016. ... When the most recent version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans did not include a recommendation to limit consumption of dietary cholesterol, it left many consumers confused. Since the initial release of the Dietary Guidelines in 1980 and in the six following editions, there has always been a recommendation to limit total fat, saturated fat and dietary cholesterol.
 
Aspiring Entrepreneurs Make Their Pitch
Aspiring young entrepreneurs had a chance to present ideas to judges in Starkville on Tuesday night. Organizers said the competition helps students get an early start on making their dreams come true. "Before we started we encouraged any of the teams that want to carry on with their project to contact us at the Entrepreneurship Center, we also have our public maker space right around the corner here and we'd be happy to help them develop a prototype to bring that dream to a reality," said Jeffrey Rupp, Mississippi State University's Outreach Director for the College of Business.
 
Strong Storms Again Threatening the South
Forecasters say strong storms are again threatening the South days after dozens of tornadoes plowed through the region. The Storm Prediction Center says a front stretching from southern Texas to central Kansas will create a risk of bad weather as far east as Louisiana on Wednesday. The threat moves into the Deep South on Thursday. The weather service says there will be an enhanced risk of storms including twisters from the Louisiana Gulf Coast as far north as northern Mississippi and Alabama.
 
Mississippi tornado count rises to 19 in Saturday outbreak
The National Weather Service now counts 19 tornadoes that hit Mississippi on Saturday. Officials continued to clean up Tuesday in the hardest-hit areas around Hamilton and Vicksburg. By late Tuesday, Entergy Corp. cut electrical outages in Warren County to 140, down from thousands earlier. Officials now count more than 350 buildings damaged statewide, in addition to one death and 18 injuries. Mississippi State University $350,000 in damages after a hay barn was destroyed and other parts of its Starkville cattle farm damaged.
 
Tornado causes $300,000 worth of damage at MSU Beef Unit
Cleanup crews picked up fallen trees and storm debris at the Mississippi State University Beef Unit in the H. H. Leveck Animal Research Center. According to the Starkville Daily News, the university reported the Beef Unit suffered $300,000 in storm damage from the EF-1 tornado. Workers on the scene said the hay barn was completely destroyed and some fences were damaged. The hay barn was removed, along with fallen trees and scrap tin. No animals were injured, but cattle were relocated due to the damaged fences.
 
More than a dozen tornadoes cut deadly path through the South
At least 16 tornadoes touched down over the weekend in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, according to the National Weather Service. The twisters flattened several communities and the extreme weather caused at least eight deaths. Meanwhile, more dangerous weather fronts are expected to move across the country in the coming days. Surging water left panicked people clinging to rescuers. In Starkville, Mississippi, tornado warning alarms blared as lightning lit up the sky over Mississippi State University.
 
State leaders tour tornado damage in Warren County
Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves and other state and local leaders were in Warren County Tuesday, touring the damage and destruction left behind by three EF-2 tornadoes over the weekend. The tour is part of a plan to help the people affected get the federal dollars needed to help recover and rebuild. "We are at the state level and are going to provide as much help as possible because this is a difficult situation," said Lt. Gov. Reeves. The state and local leaders also traveled to some of the other hardest hit areas in the county, walking through glass and debris to survey the damage and listen to storm victims stories of survival and need for help. "It is a lot easier to tell our story to the federal government when we actually know what the story is," said Mayor George Flaggs. "The best way to tell the story is to be here and hear from the residents of this community that went through this horrific event on Saturday."
 
Natchez Trace Parkway deaths lead to increased ranger presence
After wrecks along the Natchez Trace caused 10 deaths since August, law enforcement officials are taking steps to remedy the problem. "We have taken many actions in an attempt to decrease the number of accidents," said Chief Ranger Sarah Davis. "Since 2005, a total of 74 people (including five bicyclists) have been killed from motor vehicle collisions on the parkway," said Parkway Superintendent Mary Risser. "In more than 90 percent of collisions that result in death, the at-fault driver lived within 50 miles of the parkway. In all but one of the recent cases, the drivers were from local communities." "The Parkway is a scenic byway, not an interstate highway," said Risser.
 
Workforce development gaining traction among business leaders and lawmakers
When it comes to workforce development, the state of Mississippi is utilizing multiple resources in order to create a more transparent and coordinated program for individuals who want to enter the workforce. Just this year, two workforce development summits have been hosted by top Mississippi officials. In January, Governor Phil Bryant hosted over 600 businesses in Jackson, as well as Speaker of the House Philip Gunn's second summit held on Tuesday, April 16. The topic of increased workforce development seems to be dominating many conversations as a way to continue to move the state forward. The WIOA is required to be submitted every two years, and the last one was submitted again in 2018. Before the last submission, a Boyette study was commissioned by the Mississippi Development Authority. The study also put an emphasis on the NSPARC, National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center. This data helps lawmakers and those in positions of influence make good decisions about policy, versus using anecdotal legislation.
 
Mississippi governor signs $1,500 pay raise for teachers
Mississippi Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed a bill Tuesday to give teachers and assistant teachers a $1,500 pay raise during the year that begins July 1. Bryant's Twitter account posted a photo of him signing Senate Bill 2770 nearly three weeks after legislators agreed on the plan. "Good teachers can change the trajectory of a student's life forever," the governor's account tweeted. The Mississippi Department of Education says that before the raises, teachers in the state received an average of $44,659, which is less than the Southeastern average of about $51,000. The minimum salary for assistant teachers has long been frozen at $12,500. That will increase to $14,000. The Mississippi Department of Education says there are 31,000 classroom teachers and 3,500 assistants statewide.
 
'I think he's more electable than Tate': Four past GOP chairmen throw support to Waller over Reeves
Several former leaders of the Mississippi Republican Party are lining up behind Bill Waller Jr., underscoring lingering uncertainty among some party insiders of Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves' chances to win the 2019 governor's race. Four former chairmen of the state's Republican Party -- one of whom supported Reeves' gubernatorial bid earlier this year, and all of whom have publicly supported Reeves in previous elections -- are supporting Waller in the August Republican primary. "More than 300 conservative Mississippi leaders have endorsed Tate Reeves, including the governor," said Parker Briden, communications director for the Reeves campaign. "That didn't get covered by Mississippi Today because it showed the party is united not divided. Hundreds more conservatives turned out for rallies and events across the state last week. The Republican Party is going to nominate the proven conservative in this race, and that's Tate Reeves."
 
Secretary of State candidates Britton, Watson speak to Forrest-Lamar GOP Women
The two Republican candidates who hope to be Mississippi's new Secretary of State campaigned in Lamar County Tuesday. Southern District Public Service Commissioner Sam Britton and State Senator Michael Watson spoke at a meeting of Forrest-Lamar Republican Women. Britton touted his success in settling with Mississippi Power regarding the Kemper County Plant, while Watson said voters should consider him because of his conservative voting record. "In one term, I went there and we resolved that issue," Britton said. "When I got there, it had been ten years going, billions of dollars over-budget and no end in sight. In my first (term), we brought Kemper to an end." "The great thing is I have a 12-year voting record that people can take a look at and study and understand hey, he doesn't just say he's a conservative, he votes as a conservative and I think that's an important [distinguishing factor]," Watson said.
 
'Convergence' exhibition highlights MUW seniors
The capstone exhibition "Convergence" will feature the artwork of five graduating art majors in the Mississippi University for Women Galleries through April 25. The exhibition reception will be Thursday, April 25 from 5-7 p.m. The artists, whose varied artwork will converge for this special exhibition, are Kaylee Ashford, Ladanna Jones, Pauline Pimolle, Natalie Roper and Haley Sipes. The sole graphic designer in the exhibition is Ashford, from Columbus. As an artist going into a commercial field, she focuses on typographical solutions (lettering design) of layout and fonts and commonly uses of color and illustrations. The Galleries are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and are free and open to the public.
 
Famed oceanographer Robert Ballard to explore with USM Marine Sciences
The man who discovered the wreck of the Titanic more than 30 years ago spoke in Hattiesburg Tuesday night about finding that ship and his new relationship with Southern Miss Marine Sciences. Robert Ballard was the speaker at the USM Forum at Bennett Auditorium. Ballard led the expedition that discovered the Titanic. He also founded the Center for Ocean Exploration at the University of Rhode Island and the Ocean Exploration Trust. He now will work with USM on other explorations. "We have a cooperative agreement now with the University of Southern Mississippi and working with their marine program and we'll be mounting major operations out of there next year," Ballard said.
 
U. of South Carolina names four finalists in search for next university president
The University of South Carolina has announced four finalists in the school's search for a new president. The picks include John S. Applegate, professor and executive vice president for university academic affairs in the Indiana University System; Robert L. Caslen Jr., senior counsel to the president and interim chief financial officer at the University of Central Florida; William F. Tate, dean of the graduate school and vice provost for graduate education at Washington University in St. Louis; and Joseph T. Walsh Jr., vice president for research at Northwestern University in Chicago. The winner will replace USC's current president, Harris Pastides, 65, who has stood at the helm for the last decade. During Pastides' time, he oversaw over $1 billion in new construction, a 25 percent increase in system-wide enrollment, two NCAA baseball national championships and a NCAA women's basketball championship.
 
First U. of Tennessee chancellor candidate focuses on diversity, community
The first of four finalists for the University of Tennessee-Knoxville chancellor job held an open forum on Tuesday, discussing her vision for UT and how she would function as a leader. Donde Plowman is currently the executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She outlined her leadership strategies and presented ideas for UT-Knoxville in the future. Plowman said the University of Nebraska System is similar to the UT System, and "I would be honored and thrilled to be the next chancellor of this university." Plowman focused on creating a sense of community at the university, as well as promoting diversity among faculty, staff and students. Plowman said in every role she's held, "creating a sense of community is important." "Our shared values have to guide what we do," Plowman said.
 
Governor stops at U. of Florida, talks water protection
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state officials spoke at the University of Florida Tuesday morning about the state's efforts to protect Florida's waterways. DeSantis, flanked by Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein, Chief Scientific Officer-designate Tom Frazer, UF President Kent Fuchs and environmental officials, spoke at UF's Steinmetz Hall Courtyard atrium about his recommended $625 million environmental budget for Everglades restoration efforts and protection of the state's water resources. DeSantis announced in January his commitment to investing $2.5 billion into environmental efforts by the end of his first term -- $1 billion more than was invested to protect water resources in the previous four years. Before he spoke, DeSantis participated in a roundtable discussion with Fuchs and UF student researchers about red tide, issues facing coral reefs and the creation of a new state blue-green algae task force.
 
Finalists for UGA College of Public Health dean to visit campus
Four finalists for the position of dean of the University of Georgia College of Public Health will visit campus in the coming weeks. Each finalist will make a public presentation from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in George Hall on the Health Sciences Campus. The finalists and the dates of their presentations are: Maureen Lichtveld, professor and Freeport McMoRan Chair of Environmental Policy in the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, April 18. Marsha Davis, professor of health promotion and behavior, associate dean of outreach and engagement and interim dean of the UGA College of Public Health, April 23. Shawn Gibbs, professor of environmental and occupational health and executive associate dean of the Indiana University-Bloomington School of Public Health, April 25. David Holtgrave, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor and dean of the University at Albany, State University of New York, School of Public Health, April 30.
 
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talks foreign nations, diplomacy and Aggie traditions
More than 1,500 people filled Rudder Auditorium on the Texas A&M campus Monday afternoon as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered remarks that weaved reflections on public service with comments on some of the United States' most pressing relationships with foreign nations and entities. In his appearance, which lasted less than an hour, Pompeo expressed confidence that President Donald Trump's efforts to get North Korea to denuclearize would be successful. "I would love nothing more than to lift the sanctions on North Korea," Pompeo said in response to an audience question. "It would mean we were successful -- that North Korea no longer had a nuclear weapons program. Pompeo praised Texas A&M's tradition of military service and public service more broadly, and he made repeated calls for people to find ways to serve and to look into a State Department career.
 
'Anti-semitic rhetoric' at Duke-UNC event prompts Rep. Holding to ask for federal probe
Rep. George Holding has asked the Department of Education to investigate whether a joint conference on Middle East studies by Duke University and the University of North Carolina that allegedly contained "anti-semitic rhetoric" should be the basis for pulling federal funding from a consortium of university foreign language and studies programs. In a letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Holding criticized the "Conflict Over Gaza: People, Politics, and Possibilities" conference in March in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he says he saw "reports of severe anti-Israeli bias and anti-Semitic rhetoric at a taxpayer-funded conference." The schools used $5,000 of federal grant money from DOE for the event, the News and Observer in Raleigh reported. Holding, a North Carolina Republican, is asking DOE to determine whether the rest of the four-year, $235,000-per-year grant should be "revoked" over the use of some funds for an "overtly biased" event against Israel.
 
Vanderbilt police investigating after anti-Semitic graffiti, swastika found
Vanderbilt University police are investigating after a student discovered anti-Semitic comments and a swastika drawn on campus property. Police responded Tuesday to a report of anti-Semitic graffiti at the Central Library after they said a student discovered anti-Semitic comments and a swastika drawn in ink on a study carrel. As of Wednesday, the graffiti had been removed. Police said they are investigating when vandalism occurred, and no suspect has been identified in the case. University police said they will share information with Metro Nashville Police Department, as well as the Tennessee Fusion Center and the FBI as the investigation continues. "We wholeheartedly reject anti-Semitism and its symbols, and the abhorrent ideology associated with this act of vandalism has no place on our campus," the university posted online this week.
 
Gun Research Is Suddenly Hot
In 1996, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stopped funding research into the causes of gun violence. And for decades the field suffered from neglect: low funding and a corresponding limited interest in academia. Then came a series of high-profile mass shootings. And donations from billionaires. A result has been a recent surge in state and private funding for gun research, and a revival in interest among journal editors and young academics beginning their careers. "It's not just the availability of money for research," said Jeremy Travis, the executive vice president for criminal justice at Arnold Ventures. "The zeitgeist has changed." Last year, Arnold Ventures, a foundation established by John and Laura Arnold, announced a splashy investment: It would be spending $20 million to fund research grants in the field, administering the grants through the nonpartisan RAND Corporation. States have begun making investments in gun research, too. A $5 million investment from California has led to the formation of the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis.
 
A Rare Sight At Brigham Young University As Students Protest The Honor Code Office
Sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young University is known for its adherence to church teachings and for its strict Honor Code, which regulates everything from beards to premarital sex. Student protest is uncommon. But last Friday, 300 gathered at the school's flagship campus to question its Honor Code Office, chanting, "God forgives me, why can't you?" Students allege that the university is mistreating victims of sexual assault and harassment, especially women and LGBTQ students. They say the administration has used the code against victims, and some say they have been punished for reporting their own sexual assaults. Students also allege administrators have created a climate of snitching and tattling.
 
Advocates for student learning assessment say it's time for a different approach
Ask the many assessment haters in higher education who is most to blame for what they perceive as the fixation on trying to measure student learning outcomes, and they are likely to put accreditors at the top of the list. Which is why it was so unexpected last week to hear a group of experts on student learning tell attendees at a regional accreditor's conference here that most assessment activity to date has been a "hot mess" and that efforts to "measure" how much students learn should be used help individual students and improve the quality of instruction, not to judge the performance of colleges and universities. The session took place at the Academic Resource Conference, the annual gathering of the WASC Senior College and University Commission, which accredits institutions in California, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.
 
Education, healthcare, roads and taxes, as usual, will dominate 2019 elections
Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: My active observations of Mississippi statewide elections stretch back to the 1970s and what remains fascinating to me is how little the issues have changed since those days. When flamboyant Democrat Cliff Finch and moderate Republican Gil Carmichael squared off in 1975, Finch used a black lunch box to symbolize his slogan as "the working man's friend" along with stints driving a bulldozer or sacking groceries while the cameras were rolling. ... But the bedrock issues of that campaign, sans the lunchbox antics, were public education, healthcare, roads and taxes. Now some 44 years later, the bedrock issues of the 2019 gubernatorial campaign are virtually the same issues.


SPORTS
 
No. 3 Mississippi State wins another midweek decision
The game of baseball can be an unpredictable game and on Tuesday evening it was just that for the No. 3 Mississippi State baseball program in its 5-1 victory over Texas Southern at Dudy Noble Field. In the midst of eight games in 11 days, the Mississippi State (32-6) took an early 1-0 lead over Texas Southern (11-26) in the first inning, before the Tigers plated the equalizer in the third thanks to an MSU error. Then it was four innings of nothing for either side, before the Diamond Dogs scored four runs in the eighth to push the midweek record to 12-0. "I think you have to tip your hat to their guy who pitched tonight [Alex Olguin]," said MSU coach Chris Lemonis. "I thought he pitched a great game. Especially for a freshman, to come in here and pitch with that composure, it's tough. He was mixing pitches, probably a little below bat speed. It made it tough on our guys, so they were starting to get frustrated there."
 
Diamond Dawgs outlast Texas Southern for victory
It took longer than expected -- eight innings to be exact. Tied 1-1 with Texas Southern entering the bottom of the eighth inning, the No. 3-ranked Mississippi State baseball team needed reprieve. Sophomore infielder Justin Foscue obliged. Sitting on a junky 3-1 changeup, Foscue chopped the ball high and over the approaching Tiger infield. As the ball skied over Texas Southern third baseman Parker DeLeon, MSU sophomore Tanner Allen headed home for the go-ahead run. "I was trying to shorten up just a little bit, try to drive something," Foscue said. "I guess that changeup sunk a little bit and I got on top of it and just hit the turf and got over the third baseman."
 
Mississippi State beats Texas Southern, avoids first midweek loss of season
When the Mississippi State Bulldogs looked across the infield at Dudy Noble Field on Tuesday night, they saw no more than two handfuls of Texas Southern Tigers reserve players. Texas Southern entered its game against Mississippi State outnumbered and, on paper, severely outmatched. But the Tigers, who came in on a six-game losing streak, didn't play like that was the case. They had the No. 2 team in the country deadlocked in a tie through seven and half innings before the game got away from them in the bottom of the eighth. The Bulldogs wound up winning 5-1, but it was far from another comfortable midweek victory. Texas Southern freshman pitcher Alex Olguin, the same guy who gave up 12 runs in his season debut against New Mexico State on Feb. 16, pitched 7.2 innings. Through seven of them, he only gave up one run. He was fooling Mississippi State's hitters with his 80 miles per hour fastball. The Dogs are used to seeing 90-plus on a regular basis in SEC games. "He was mixing pitches that were probably a bit below bat-speed, and he was making it tough on our guys" MSU head coach Chris Lemonis said. "I know some guys were starting to get frustrated there."
 
Day of the Dawgs: Johnson ties for third place; Mississippi State fifth
Mississippi State junior golfer Garrett Johnson shined bright with another top-5 finish Tuesday in the Old Waverly Collegiate Championship. Johnson finished in a tie for third place in the two-day event held at Old Waverly Golf Club, leading the Bulldogs to a fifth-place finish. Johnson shot three consecutive rounds of 3-under 69. His 9-under 207 tied a career-best tournament total. He tied for fifth place in the same event one year ago. "This week, my driver was the key for me," Johnson said. "The past few weeks, I've been struggling being able to hit the fairway, and normally that's what I do really well. From there, I was able to put my ball in position where I can succeed out here. I have to stay patient, that's my game. If I try and force things, that's when I start getting into trouble." Johnson's 69, combined with junior Peng Pichaikool's 68 in the final round, helped State card a field-best 5-under-par score. State finished with a 13-under 851 at Old Waverly to take fifth place.
 
Mississippi State places fifth at Old Waverly Collegiate Championship
When the sun rose over Old Waverly Golf Club on Tuesday morning, the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks had to be feeling good about their chances of winning the seventh-annual Old Waverly Collegiate Championship. ULM (-22) was seven shots clear of Vanderbilt (-15) at the start of the third and final round. But as the day wore on, the Warhawks' lead kept shrinking. Their advantage evaporated faster than the puddles sprinkled throughout the golf course as a result of last week's rainy weather in northeast Mississippi. The Bulldogs, led by a 4-under 68 from junior Peng Pichaikool, scored 5-under as a team to finish in fifth place. Pichaikool bounced back in a big way from scores of 75 and 80 on Monday. "It tells me he's not a quitter," MSU head coach Dusty Smith said. "It tells me he's coachable. It tells me he has a lot of heart. He was pretty down yesterday. For him to come out and do what he does, just kind of put yesterday behind him and be who he is (was great)."
 
Mississippi State sophomore Aubree Jones leads Bulldogs to SEC golf tourney
Mississippi State sophomore golfer Aubree Jones has re-learned how to think. A Freshman SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree in 2018, Jones paced the Bulldogs this season with a team-leading 73.07 scoring average through six events and will anchor the contingent headed to Birmingham, Alabama for the Southeastern Conference Championships beginning Wednesday. The stellar campaign comes on the heels of a freshman year in which head coach Ginger Brown-Lemm relied on the No. 5 player in the 2017 class to serve in a leadership role normally reserved for upperclassmen. "Aubree is a superstar," head coach Ginger Brown-Lemm said. "She started off with a bang her freshman year and really carried the team last year."
 
Bulldogs hand out team awards at annual women's basketball banquet
Mississippi State's women's basketball celebrated its third consecutive 30-win season on Monday night with the team's annual year-end awards banquet. Teaira McCowan closed her historic career with the Miss Offense, Miss Defense and Most Outstanding Player awards. The senior center was the third overall pick in this year's WNBA Draft and led the team in both scoring and rebounding. Offensively, McCowan averaged 18.4 points and had the fourth-highest field goal percentage in the nation (66.2 percent), which is an MSU single-season record. She scored in double-figures in 33 of 36 games this season including 16 20-point efforts. On the other end of the floor, McCowan capped her career with a fourth straight season among the top 10 in MSU history in blocks (87). She led the team in rebounding (13.5 rpg) and was named both the SEC and WBCA Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Southern Miss basketball eyes Billy Kennedy, 3 other coaches
The search to find the new Southern Miss men's basketball coach entered the interview phase on Tuesday. The USM search committee spoke with four candidates in New Orleans, the Sun Herald has learned. Southeastern Louisiana head coach Jay Ladner and USM assistant Clarence Weatherspoon sat down with the search committee during the morning sessions. Former Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy and Texas Tech assistant Mark Adams were scheduled for afternoon interviews. Coaches were informed that a couple of them may be called back for more discussions on Wednesday. A new head coach could be announced by Thursday. New USM athletic director Jeremy McClain is in search of a new basketball coach after Doc Sadler resigned on April 11 after five years on the job.
 
Golden Lions tamed: Arkansas strikes early, often against UAPB
The University of Arkansas baseball team had its season-high scoring game on Tuesday night, and the Razorbacks needed to bat in just six innings to do it. The No. 10-ranked Razorbacks beat the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff 16-4 at Baum-Walker Stadium before an announced crowd of 3,097. "Obviously, we got off to a really good start," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. Razorbacks freshman right-hander Connor Noland, making his first midweek start after failing to get an out at Vanderbilt last Saturday, pitched two scoreless innings. Noland (1-2) was credited with the victory at the official scorer's discretion. He was the Razorbacks' most effective pitcher and came out of the game after throwing 23 pitches. Van Horn said he'll be able to pitch against Mississippi State on Saturday out of the bullpen if needed.
 
Sources: LSU Board of Supervisors meets behind closed doors, expected Will Wade briefing
The LSU Board of Supervisors ran a tight-lipped meeting Tuesday evening, mentioning only "potential litigation" before heading behind closed doors and telling reporters nothing as they headed home. But members were expecting a briefing on embattled men's basketball coach Will Wade's return from suspension and situation at LSU in addition to discussing unrelated lawsuits involving the university, two sources with close knowledge of the board told The Advocate earlier Tuesday. Neither Wade nor Alleva were at Tuesday evening's meeting with the LSU Board of Supervisors, but LSU President F. King Alexander and general counsel Tom Skinner headed into the closed-door meeting with the board. It's unclear what aspects of Wade's standing at the university were discussed.
 
Texas A&M president explains why Jimbo Fisher's $75M contract could be 'an investment, not a budget line'
When Texas A&M hired Jimbo Fisher in 2017, some people wondered what kind of return the Aggies were going to receive on their investment. Fisher received a 10-year contract with $75 million guaranteed in base salary. Not only was it the largest coaching contract in school history, but it's believed to be the richest deal ever awarded to a college football coach. In a recent interview with Texas Monthly, A&M president Michael K. Young said that depending on what feats Fisher accomplishes, the contract will be worth it. Young told the publication that filling Kyle Field ("we've got some empty seats"), reaching a New Year's Six bowl and more prestigious TV time slots (i.e., not playing at 11 a.m. on the SEC Network) are key financial factors to watch under Fisher's tenure. The A&M president said if all of those things happen, Fisher "more than makes up for that salary. And it brings an enormous amount of visibility to the university and it is a rally point around the university."
 
Why Are So Many Teen Athletes Struggling With Depression?
Mental-health challenges are not unique to competitive student athletes: Nearly half of American youth struggle with a mental illness before turning 18, while 12 percent have experienced a bout of depression. But even though playing sports on a regular basis can boost physical and mental health, for some serious high-school athletes---many who train year-round and might need an athletic scholarship to afford college tuition---sports can be a key contributor to depression and anxiety. "The professional consensus is that the incidence of anxiety and depression among scholastic athletes has increased over the past 10 to 15 years," says Marshall Mintz, a New Jersey-based sports psychologist who has worked with teenagers for 30 years. One reason for this trend is that high-school sports have begun to copy the training methods and intensity levels of college sports. Parents bear some responsibility for the tension kids feel.



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