| Monday, June 10, 2019 |
| Mississippi State announces a new director for T.K. Martin Center | |
 | For weeks, parents of children who attended MSU's TK Martin Center have been on edge. That's because of social media speculation and changes to staffing. But Friday, Mississippi State announced a new director for the center. "The future is positive," said Kasee Stratton-Gadke. Assistant Professor Kasee Stratton-Gadke takes over next month as director. No stranger to people with special needs, she has worked with the university's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic. "All the great services and programs it has in place will continue to remain in place under my leadership. We are very excited about that, and I know many families and children and individuals in the community are very worried about that and whether or not their kids will have somewhere to come and they will. We don't plan to have any of those services move away, and I hope that we'll be able to add new services as we move forward," said Stratton-Gadke. |
| Mississippi State announces new T.K. Martin Center director | |
 | Mississippi State University's T.K. Martin Center will have a new director after Janie Cirlot-New retires. The university announced on Friday that Assistant Professor Kasee Stratton-Gadke, an internationally-recognized children's disabilities scholar, will follow Cirlot-New as the center's director. MSU Provost and Executive Vice President Judy Bonner said in the release the university is thankful for Cirlot-New's service to the T.K. Martin Center. She added that the Stratton-Gadke's experience and successes make her a strong fit for her new role as director. "We are very excited to have her serve as director of the T.K. Martin Center," Bonner said. "Her record of success working with children and adults with disabilities will prove invaluable as she continues to lead the important work that the center offers across the state and region." |
| Mississippi State promotes research chief David Shaw to provost | |
 | Mississippi State University is promoting its head of research and economic development to provost. David Shaw will become the university's chief academic officer on July 1, pending approval by College Board trustees. President Mark Keenum announced Shaw's appointment last week, saying Shaw was chosen after a national search that produced three finalists. As provost, Shaw will oversee academic operations and Mississippi State's eight academic colleges. He succeeds Judy Bonner, a former University of Alabama president who is retiring. |
| First week on the job at MSU Riley Center | |
 | Photo: Daniel Barnard began official duty as the new executive director of the MSU Riley Center for Education and the Performing Arts. Barnard, who served as associate dean of cultural affairs and director of Bailey Hall performing arts center at Broward College in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, since 2015, is the second leader of the Center, replacing founding Executive Director Dennis Sankovich, who retired at the end of March of this year. |
| Mississippi State, ed2go offering online professional development courses | |
| Mississippi State's Center for Continuing Education, in partnership with leading online continuing education provider ed2go, is offering more than 300 online professional development courses. The June session starts Wednesday, June 12 with new course sessions beginning each month. Six-week instructor-led courses are available at $115 each; self-paced tutorials, at $135 each. Open to all, courses are offered in a variety of areas, including accounting, business, design, health care, language, teacher development, technology and writing. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Center for Continuing Education for each course. "Whether you want to enhance your professional skills or just learn something new, these classes are informative, affordable and can be taken entirely online at any time from the comfort of your home or office," said Dixie Cartwright, CCE manager. |
| Local entrepreneurs looking to make a buzz in clipper industry | |
 | A group of entrepreneurs is working on a product they consider to be "Industry Interrupting." Duet Technology is a clipper company that plans to sell clippers that do not overheat. Co-founder Thomas White from DeKalb says the new clippers are a product the barber industry needs. "I only had one set of clippers and I noticed they started to overheat really quickly," White said. "This led to me having to buy multiple pairs of these devices, sometimes three or four sets." The two came up with the idea about two years ago while they were classmates at Mississippi State University. There, they were able to get over $130,000 to go towards their product through the Bulldog Angel Network where investors donate to students who have start up companies. The clippers are expected to be launched next year. |
| Starkville cameras draw attention, concerns | |
| Social media pushback has prompted city leaders to respond to concerns about the rollout of a new phase of cameras in Starkville. The cameras, which have been in place for a few weeks, are in grey enclosures with the Starkville Police Department logo and flashing red and blue lights on the sides. Since the cameras' installation in May, residents have expressed various concerns about them online, from distracting lights to worries about the city using facial-recognition software. City Technology Director Joel Clements said the cameras aren't actively monitored -- the city lacks the manpower for such use -- and are activated by motion. He said they're used to review footage in the event of an incident if officials know the general time frame, and don't use any sort of facial-recognition software. |
| Gov. Bryant Seeks Federal Aid for Seafood Disaster | |
| Mississippi's governor is asking that the federal government declare a fisheries disaster as water from a Mississippi River spillway gushes into what's normally a saltwater estuary. The unprecedented second opening of the Bonnet Carre (BAHN-ee CARE-ee) spillway last month also has an increasing number of Mississippi officials demanding a voice in when the spillway is opened. That's because the freshwater from the river that streams through Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain and into the Mississippi Sound is bad for oysters, shrimp, crabs and other saltwater-loving seafood. Gov. Phil Bryant announced Friday that he had made the request. |
| Task force to monitor impact of Bonnet Carre Spillway opening on the Mississippi Sound | |
 | Gov. Phil Bryant has created an intra-agency and university task force to monitor environmental conditions and measure the impacts of the Bonnet Carre Spillway on marine species in the Mississippi Sound. The task force will report to the governor weekly with science-based facts about water quality, water quantity, seafood and safety risk to people who come in contact with water from the Mississippi Sound, according to a news release. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Mississippi State University and the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies will work together on the task force. IMMS, MDMR and the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine are monitoring the number of stranded or deceased dolphins and sea turtles being reported in the Mississippi Sound to determine potential causes. |
| The South's Economy Is Falling Behind: 'All of a Sudden the Money Stops Flowing' | |
 | The American South spent much of the past century trying to overcome its position as the country's poorest and least-developed region, with considerable success: By the 2009 recession it had nearly caught up economically with its northern and western neighbors. That trend has now reversed. Since 2009, the South's convergence has turned to divergence, as the region recorded the country's slowest growth in output and wages, the lowest labor-force participation rate and the highest unemployment rate. Behind the reversal: The policies that drove the region's catch-up -- relatively low taxes and low wages that attracted factories and blue-collar jobs -- have proven inadequate in an expanding economy where the forces of globalization favor cities with concentrations of capital and educated workers. Many economists say the most effective way for the South regain its momentum would be invest more in education. But Mississippi State University economist Alan Barefield notes that is difficult to reconcile with southern states' historic desire to keep spending and taxes low. |
| Legal fight over Jim Crow-era law upends Mississippi governor race | |
 | Jim Crow-era provisions in Mississippi's state constitution meant to exclude African Americans from winning political office could decide this year's race for governor, and Democrats are suing to block it. The provisions, added to the state constitution in 1890, require a candidate running for governor to win both a majority of the popular vote and a majority of the vote in more than half the state's 122 legislative districts. If a candidate who wins the popular vote does not win a majority of state House districts, the state House itself chooses a governor. Just five months before Election Day, it is not clear that the legal process has time to play out in a case that would almost certainly require the attention of the U.S. Supreme Court. In a twist of political irony, the man ordinarily tasked with defending Mississippi from legal challenges, Attorney General Jim Hood, is the likely Democratic nominee -- the person with perhaps the most on the line if the current law stands. |
| 'Good ol' redneck gathering:' Oxford-area campaign event is a Mississippi tradition | |
 | Steer past rows of campaign signs and drive through a tunnel of trees, and there it is: Johnny Morgan's Shop. In one of Mississippi's many offbeat political traditions, locals meet at this shed in the woods every campaign season. They eat the barbecue chicken and beans. They slam a couple of free Coors Lights. Then they grill some political candidates one-on-one. And the political hopefuls do show up, as they have for about 25 years. They hardly have a choice. This is Good Ole Boys and Gals, after all. On Thursday night, there was Republican Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, running for lieutenant governor, and his chief rival, Democratic Rep. Jay Hughes. There was current Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, running for governor, plus fellow Republican Rep. Robert Foster and Democrat Velesha P. Williams, both hoping to knock off the favorite. U.S. Reps. Trent Kelly and Michael Guest mingled in the crowd. "We've got you in the middle of a good ol' redneck gathering," said Johnny Morgan, host of the event, as he shook a reporter's hand. "You do know what a redneck is, don't you?" |
| Democratic ag candidate touts support for small farmers | |
 | Rickey Cole, the Democratic candidate for commissioner of agriculture and commerce, spoke to Lee County voters on Friday and campaigned on increasing access to local meat by removing current inspection regulations. Cole, the former chairman of the state's Democratic party, said he thought it was "ridiculous" that he couldn't sell a steak out of his own freezer from processed cattle at his own farm. "In four years time, I want to see the people of Northeast Mississippi buying much more of what they eat from Northeast Mississippi producers," Cole said. "And, this office can and should take the lead role in the development of food systems." State law currently forbids private farmers from selling beef, pork and poultry to anyone without the meat having been inspected first. Cole said at one point this regulation was a good thing for health concerns. Now, however, he believes the regulation needs to be repealed because of the modern market. |
| Mississippians embrace alternative state flag | |
| Mississippi may have a new state flag soon. With controversy surrounding the current state flag's Confederate symbol, many are looking for a change and some people believe the Stennis Flag may be the answer. The Stennis Flag was designed in 2014 by artist Laurin Stennis and features 19 stars in a circle around a large center star with a red stripe on either side. Stennis, says it is the number one selling flag in the state. "The overarching theme is unity and what we share. Now we can be divided about a lot of things and those two red bars that are in opposition to one another represents that conflict, when it is done in a healthy way, is fine," said Stennis. "We don't have to be Pollyannaish and pretend that we all agree on everything, but that red color also symbolizes Mississippians who gave their lives fighting for liberty and justice for all." The Governor recently signed a bill to allow the Stennis Flag to be used on a specialty license plate. The proceeds of which go toward the Two Mississippi Museums. Stennis says the Mississippi Museum of History and the Civil Rights Museum have received over $8,500 in pre-orders alone. |
| Film industry official: Movies poised to bring millions to area | |
 | The film industry is poised to bring four or five film productions to Natchez in 2020, pumping $30 million into the local economy, a production company executive told members of the Natchez Rotary Club last week. The Mississippi film tax credit bill passed by the Mississippi Legislature earlier this year is fueling the growing film industry in the state, said Thor Juell, vice president of Village Studios and Dunleith Studios. "The renewed incentive brings back a 25% rebate on cast and crew members' salaries up to $5 million for payroll and fringe benefits paid to out of state, non-resident employees for Mississippi-based film production companies," said Nina Parikh, director of the Mississippi Film Office. "The 25% rebate on expenditures with Mississippi vendors and 30 to 35% rebate on payroll for Mississippi residents remains in place." Juell said the film tax incentives are the most competitive in the South, making Mississippi, and Natchez in particular, more competitive than Atlanta, Georgia, Louisiana and Alabama. |
| Debate over women's roles breaks out on eve of Southern Baptist meeting | |
| Forty years after conservatives began to regain hold of the Southern Baptist Convention, the debate about the role of women in the church is still festering. This time, the fight surrounds Beth Moore, a popular evangelist and Bible teacher, and other prominent leaders in the nation's largest Protestant denomination and takes place just before they come together in Birmingham, Alabama, for their annual meeting. The debate centers on what is known as complementarianism, the view that men and women are equal, but have different roles and responsibilities with men serving as leaders of the home and the church. "We have reached a critical moment in the Southern Baptist Convention when there are now open calls to retreat from our biblical convictions on complementarianism and embrace the very error that the SBC repudiated over 30 years ago," tweeted R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, last month. "Honestly, I never thought I would see this day." |
| UM chancellor: Campus Search Advisory Committee members named | |
| The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning announced the selection of members for the Campus Search Committee on Friday. The committee is charged with helping find the University of Mississippi's next chancellor. The IHL Board announced last month a Campus Search Committee would be formed as the process of finding the successor to Jeffrey Vitter began in earnest. Vitter announced last November his intentions of stepping down as Ole Miss' chancellor, effective January. On Jan. 3 Larry Sparks became the interim chancellor. The 39-member committee 'represents a cross-section of the University of Mississippi campus community,' per a release sent out by the University on Friday evening. Dr. Charles Hussey and Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill will serve as co-chairs of the committee. Hussey, associate dean for research and graduate education as well as a chemistry professor, and Tannehill are both alumni of Ole Miss. |
| Stop the Bleed campaign turns bystanders into first responders | |
 | Two surgeons at the University of Mississippi Medical Center who are accustomed to seeing human blood and trauma are working to promote empowering people without formal medical training to save lives by stopping profuse bleeding. Dr. Felicitas Koller, assistant professor of transplant surgery, and Dr. Shuntaye Batson, associate professor of surgery, are faculty advisers who are helping the UMMC student chapter of the Association of Women Surgeons conduct outreach events for the national Stop the Bleed campaign sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Koller said the Stop the Bleed is a grassroot campaign to encourage bystanders to take action to stop bleeding before emergency medical technicians are able to arrive on the scene. Koller said the campaign addresses not only the methods used to stop bleeding, but things that will allow people to be calm and focus on their ability to respond. |
| Copiah-Lincoln Community College 'doing well' and making upgrades | |
 | Copiah-Lincoln Community College is making strides in budgeting and renovations after Jane Hulon's first year as president. The Co-Lin Board of Trustees met Thursday at the Thames Center on the Wesson campus to wrap up the 2018-2019 school year. "We've had a busy month in the life of the college," Hulon said. Several topics were discussed at the board meeting, including the progress on projects such as renovations for the football field and score board at Stone Stadium. So far, $400,000 has been spent on the renovations for the football field. At the April meeting, the lowest and best bid for the scoreboard was approved by the board of trustees. "We consistently look for ways to make Co-Lin more attractive to student-athletes, coaches and fans so we can achieve competitive excellence. The upgrades to Stone Stadium will do just that." |
| UA System: Returning Culverhouse donation never about abortion | |
 | The University of Alabama System on Sunday issued a statement reiterating that its decision to return the largest donation in school history was based on Hugh Culverhouse Jr.'s attempts to influence administration of the law school. The statement and approximately 15 pages of email correspondence released to support the claim are the latest exchange in a public spat between the university and its largest donor of the last decade. The system has accused Culverhouse of attempts to interfere in the administration of the law school and denied claims by the Florida developer and attorney that the gift's return was because of his calls for a boycott of the state and its institutions over a recently passed state law that bans nearly all abortions. "These emails also clearly establish the Chancellor (Finis) St. John's recommendation to refund all monies came on May 25 -- four days prior to any public comment by the donor about abortion," the statement reads. "The donor's continuing effort to rewrite history by injecting one of society's most emotional, divisive issues into this decision is especially distasteful. These facts should finally set the record straight." |
| Why did U. of Alabama return millions to donor? | |
 | It is highly unusual for colleges and universities to return multi-million dollar gifts. It's also highly unusual for a major donor and alumnus to urge out-of-state students to stay away. But the decision to return millions by the University of Alabama, at first seen as the result of that boycott, may as well be about demands of the donor over the law school whose gift he supported. Emails released by the university on Sunday show a series of communications between the donor and the university suggesting a highly contentious relationship in which some of the university were suggesting the return of the money before he called for the boycott. Culverhouse has been seen nationally as being punished by the university for taking a principled stand against the state's new law that effectively bars abortion. But the university, in releasing these documents, suggests that the dispute is about it taking a stand against excessive donor influence. |
| $24 million expansion unveiled on Auburn campus | |
| Auburn University's astronomy and physics students are getting a new place to call home. WSFA-TV reports university officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday for the 62,500-square-foot (5,806-square-meter) Leach Science Center addition. The expansion cost $24 million and includes a lot of features that students can look forward to starting this fall. College of Sciences and Mathematics Dean Nicholas Giordano says the addition includes the astronomy terrace -- a rooftop set up so that it can hold 18 telescopes that students can use for their astronomy classes. It also features multiple group study areas and nine new labs. |
| New bylaws could split U. of Florida, IFAS citrus research group | |
 | When the Citrus Research and Development Foundation was created in 2009, the aim was to channel resources and money to the University of Florida to help beat the devastating citrus greening virus. But about 10 years later, the group's decision to funnel some of its money to research at entities other than UF has the university ready to pull the plug. The decision could affect the fate of citrus industry in Florida, according to Rick Dantzler, of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation. Dantzler, chief operating officer of the direct-support organization, or DSO, said UF has notified the foundation's board of two proposed bylaw changes that would change the way the DSO is governed, making it harder to find a cure for citrus greening like it was founded to do. DSOs are created as legally separate, not-for-profit corporations, meant to assist the university by providing supplemental resources from private gifts and government funds, according to UF's website. There are more than a dozen DSOs at UF, including the University Athletic Association, University Alumni Association and the UF Research Foundation. |
| UGA students teach inmates in Athens Prison Tutorial | |
 | Inmates at the Athens-Clarke County Jail are being tutored weekly by a group of University of Georgia students through the Athens Prison Tutorial. Kavi Pandian, a fourth-year Honors student and Foundation Fellow majoring in sociology and economics, is president of the organization. "The main service we provide is GED tutoring; that's what we started off doing," he said. "The prison assigned us students who hadn't graduated from high school, and we would figure out where they were academically." During tutoring sessions, discussion ranges from mathematical factoring to vocabulary used in a novel. Relationship building is important to the organization, and for tutor Nicole Googe, a third-year Honors student and Foundation Fellow studying finance, this means connecting deeper with the city she grew up in. The joy found in teaching is not completely one-sided, according to the tutors. Oftentimes, the inmates will express how thankful they are for Athens Prison Tutorial. |
| New data show the economic value of earning a bachelor's degree remains high | |
| Amid constant discussion of whether college is "worth it" or whether new models will displace the bachelor's degree, new research shows that there is a clear economic edge for those who earn bachelor's degrees over those with a high school diploma. And the research shows that the rate of return on the investment of paying for college is high enough to make the decision to go to college a wise one for most students. The new research notes the constant questioning of the economic value of earning a bachelor's degree, particularly with many students taking on debt to pay for college. The research, by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, acknowledges some fluctuations in the wage premium for bachelor's degree holders and their economic return on paying for college. But it says that there is no doubt about the economic value of earning a bachelor's degree. |
| Auburn University trustees OK with state funding amount for FY 2020 | |
 | Auburn University trustees say they are pleased with Auburn's appropriations in the state's 2020 education budget. The budget gives Auburn's main campus an increase of more than $15 million, or more than 9 percent, in appropriations compared to the previous year's budget. This brings the total amount of money Auburn will receive from the state budget to more than $183 million in fiscal year 2020. "This is the largest increase in appropriation for Auburn in a decade," trustee Jimmy Rane, who chairs the board's governmental affairs committee, said Friday during its most recent meeting. The budget was approved by the Alabama Legislature on May 31 was sent to Gov. Kay Ivey's desk. But the increase in appropriations is a drastic change from the budget proposed earlier this year. |
| The political horserace for the Ole Miss Chancellor -- who will it be? | |
 | Alan Lange writes for Y'all Politics: Yeah. I said it. Politics. For all the academic high-mindedness that normally goes into the search for the leader of a large public university, the Ole Miss search will likely be a little different in late 2019. The Chancellor Search is in full swing and an Advisory Board for the search was named on Friday that features academics, politicos, former sports stars, and prominent alumni. Ole Miss seems to be stuck in a rut. They've run off their last two chief executives under less than optimal circumstances. The measuring sticks that seem to be the standard for replacement are longtime Ole Miss Chancellor Robert Khayat and current Mississippi State President Mark Keenum. It's clear that this search will be different from a traditional search and that Ole Miss is valuing something more than just a true academic for this position. The criteria for search seem to be circling around a few items. |
| It's not Socialism unless we say it is | |
| Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: Antidisestablishmentarianism. Yes, it really is a word. Back in the day we thought we were something because we could spell what we thought to be the longest word in the dictionary. Didn't really know what it meant, but we had the spelling down. It's one of the many isms of little popularity today in contrast to those that never fade, but persist. Racism, for example, is our persistent shadow in Mississippi. Then there are those isms that ebb and flow. Back in popularity today are capitalism and socialism. Ebbing somewhat are their cousins, fascism, communism, and totalitarianism. My favorite word architect, conservative columnist George Will, wrote recently about Republicans and socialism. |
| Mississippi sole state where popular vote only one factor in winning statewide office | |
| Bobby Harrison writes for Mississippi Today: Mississippi is the only state in the nation where a candidate could garner a majority vote (more than 50 percent) and not win the statewide office he or she was pursuing. There is a distinct possibility that this November Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood could win more than 50 percent of the vote in his campaign for the governor's office and still be back home in Chickasaw County in January enjoying retirement from public service and not residing in the Governor's Mansion. Four black Mississippi voters, Leslie-Burl McLemore of Lake Cormorant, Charles Holmes of Jackson, Jimmy Robinson Sr. of Jackson and Roderick Woullard of Hattiesburg, have filed a lawsuit in federal court in the Southern District of Mississippi in an effort to make sure that does not happen. They maintain that the language in the 1890 state Constitution that potentially throws close statewide elections to the House to decide is in violation of the U.S. Constitution because it dilutes black voter strength. |
| America loses giant of the U.S. Senate | |
| U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., writes: In the days since the death of Sen. Thad Cochran, there have been numerous tributes and statements of appreciation for his life and legacy. It is fitting that so many have honored one of our most distinguished statesmen. As a college student in 1972, I was a door-to-door volunteer for his first-ever campaign, viewing him as a hopeful symbol for the future of our state. That began a lifetime of friendship. Farmers know his work to strengthen agricultural communities during his chairmanships of the Agriculture and Appropriations Committees. With his help, our growers took their skills and knowhow to train more than 18,000 of their counterparts from around the world through the Cochran Fellowship Program. He made his educator parents proud by championing higher education programs here at home, including for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and in rural areas like the Mississippi Delta. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State makes CWS again, beats Stanford 8-1 | |
| Jake Mangum started the ninth inning with a sharp single that sneaked through the left side of the infield. A few batters later, Elijah MacNamee launched a three-run homer deep into the seats beyond left field. Just like that, the celebration was on: Mississippi State's seniors had left no doubt the Bulldogs were headed back to Omaha. Mississippi State beat Stanford 8-1 on Sunday night to sweep the best-of-three NCAA super regional in two games. Peyton Plumlee pitched 6 2/3 strong innings and Dustin Skelton had a three-run triple as the Bulldogs wrapped up a dominant weekend. Mississippi State will play the winner of the Auburn/North Carolina super regional in the opening round of the College World Series. |
| Bulldogs headed back to Omaha again | |
| An NCAA suspension prevented Peyton Plumlee from being part of Mississippi State's magical run to the College World Series in 2018. The senior pitcher was determined to be the man on the mound that helped the Bulldogs punch their 11th ticket to Omaha. Not even a home run from the first batter of the game could deter Plumlee from his duty on Sunday night. Plumlee only surrendered one more hit over the next 6 2/3 innings to give No. 3 MSU the pitching performance it needed in an 8-1 victory over fourth-ranked Stanford to sweep the Starkville Super Regional. In his final home at bat, the SEC's all-time hits leader Jake Mangum led off the final frame with a solid and Westburg followed suit with the same. One batter later, Elijah MacNamee went out with a bang by drilling a three-run bomb into the Left Field Lounge one final time. "If you think I can put that into words, you're crazy," Mangum said. "You can't write that any better...That whole inning was God, man. It was really, really cool. It was magical." |
| Headed back to Omaha: Bulldogs earn second straight-trip to College World Series | |
| Mississippi State's baseball team is headed back to Omaha, Nebraska. For the second time in as many years, MSU (51-13) will play in the College World Series after dispatching of Stanford (45-14) by an 8-1 score Sunday night at Dudy Noble Field in Game 2 of the Starkville Super Regional. The Bulldogs' win gave the hosts a series sweep after taking down the Cardinal 6-2 on Saturday. Junior catcher Dustin Skelton led the offensive charge with a 2-for-4, three-RBI night. Skelton's three-run triple off the top of the right-center field wall in the third inning broke a 1-1 tie and put MSU ahead for good. Joining MSU in its half of the bracket will also be Michigan and No. 2 seed Vanderbilt, both of whom advanced Sunday. The Commodores won two straight to stave off elimination against Duke, while Michigan knocked off overall No. 1 seed UCLA in a three-game super regional. |
| On to Omaha: Mississippi State baseball in College World Series after sweeping Stanford | |
 | The fans at Dudy Noble Field were abnormally boisterous when Mississippi State junior catcher Dustin Skelton stepped to the plate in the top of the fifth inning Sunday night. There were zero Bulldogs on the bases, two outs in the inning and MSU already held a four-run lead over Stanford in Game 2 of the Starkville Super Regional. Anything Skelton did with that at-bat would probably prove to matter only minimally in the grand scheme of the game. The fans clapped a little more and cheered a little louder anyway as Skelton dug into the batter's box. His performance was paramount in the preceding innings, and the crowd of 11,597 wanted to voice its appreciation. Skelton belted a three-run RBI triple in the third that gave the No. 6 Bulldogs (51-13) the lead for good in their 8-1 win over the No. 11 Cardinal (45-12). The victory sends Mississippi State to the College World Series for the second-straight season. "We are not done yet," MSU head coach Chris Lemonis said. |
| Mississippi State Celebrates Its Return To Omaha But Isn't Done Yet | |
| Dudy Noble Field stood as one as the ninth inning began. Mississippi State was nominally the visiting team in Game 2 of the Starkville Super Regional against Stanford and Jake Mangum was coming to the plate for what would surely be the final at bat of his storied career at the Dude. Mangum obliged. He hit the first pitch he saw from Stanford closer Jack Little, slapping it the other way past shortstop Tim Tawa and into left field for the 378th hit of his career. After rounding first base, Mangum blew kisses to the 11,597 fans cheering in the stands. Three batters later, Elijah MacNamee, a fan favorite also playing at Dudy Noble for the last time, rocketed a three-run home run into the famed Left Field Lounge, sending the ballpark into a fervor. So, while Sunday night was perfect in many ways, Mississippi State isn't comfortable with it being the end to this story. The Bulldogs have been through it all -- except the exhilaration at the end of the season of lifting a trophy aloft in Omaha. That will be their mission next weekend when they begin play at the College World Series. "Four supers, four years, two trips to Omaha," Mangum said. "There's one thing left to do. It's still in front of us, so let's go do it." |
| NCAA Baseball: Dudy Noble Field helps Mississippi State advance to College World Series | |
| Over the clanging of cowbells and yelling of thousands of fans dressed in maroon and white, Mississippi State catcher Dustin Skelton somehow sneaked in a conversation with Stanford sophomore shortstop Tim Tawa during Game 2 of the Starkville Super Regional on Sunday night. "In our regional, we had a sold-out crowd of 2,300 or 2,800 or whatever it was," Tawa told Skelton. "Yeah, well, you're in front of 13,000 right now," Skelton said. "How's it feel?" "Man, it's unlike anywhere else," Tawa said as he gazed around to take in the atmosphere at Dudy Noble Field. Stanford hadn't seen anything like Dudy Noble Field before arriving in Starkville. Head coach David Esquer said Oregon State and Arizona State have two of the best environments in the Pac 12. When the Cardinal played at Arizona State last month, the largest crowd during that three-game series was 3,470. There were over three times as many people at each game at Dudy Noble Field this weekend. "This is a special place," Esquer said. "It is as good a stadium as you can have. I'm sure they appreciate playing at home and at a stadium like this." |
| When serious baseball turns into a party: Diamond Dogs headed back to Omaha | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Mississippi State was cruising, up 5-1 in the top of the ninth inning, but head coach Chris Lemonis still had work to do. He still needed to coach, to seal the deal in the Starkville Super Regional. Just one problem. "My coaches and players couldn't hear me," Lemonis said in the post-game news conference. "I couldn't hear them. We couldn't communicate. It was so loud. I mean it was so loud." It was deafening. Time and again, the raucous crowd of 11,597 thundered their approval ... This was a college baseball game that turned into a full-blown party, a wild maroon and white celebration. State's 8-1 victory over proud Stanford Sunday night, followed Saturday's 6-2 victory over the Cardinal. Do not take that adjective "proud" lightly where Stanford is concerned. ... But before two of the most festive and appreciative crowds imaginable, Mississippi State's Diamond Dogs, now 51-13, put on an NCAA Super Regional baseball clinic. Stanford was no match for the Bulldogs, who spotted the Cardinal a 1-0 lead both nights and then dominated the rest of the way. |
| Mississippi State women scheduled to play in 2019 Duel in the Desert tournament | |
 | Mississippi State's 2019-20 women's basketball schedule is beginning to come into focus with the announcement of two non-conference games. The Bulldogs will play in the Duel in the Desert Tournament in Las Vegas on Dec. 19-21. MSU won the 2017 Duel in the Desert after defeating host UNLV and a ranked Syracuse squad. State opens the tournament at 3 p.m. CT on December 19 against South Florida. The Bulldogs will then play either UNLV or Virginia on December 21. The winners will play in the championship game at 3:30 p.m., while the losers play a third-place contest at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs and Bulls have split the first two meetings in their histories. USF claimed a two-point victory on their home floor in the 2014 WNIT Quarterfinals. MSU responded with a 68-58 victory in the SEC/AAC Challenge during the 2015-16 season. |
| Mississippi State's Tiffany Flynn, Logan Boss earn All-American honors to close careers | |
| Two fifth-year seniors were in action for Mississippi State on the final day of the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin, Texas. Tiffany Flynn and Logan Boss both earned All-American status to close their storied careers. Both women hold the indoor and outdoor school records in their events along with the MSU freshman records. "[Jumps coach] Steve Thomas has done an incredible job with the two of them," interim head coach Chris Woods said. "Both of those young women have catapulted the program into the national conversation. We've proven we can compete on the national level, and those young ladies are a big reason why we can recruit the caliber of athletes we can on the national level. They have helped set up a very bright future for this program in the coming years." |
| Former Bulldog Ally McDonald third at ShopRite LPGA Classic | |
| Fulton's Ally McDonald went toe-to-toe with the best players in women's professional golf on Sunday. When it was over, the former Mississippi State standout had her best finish on the pro tour. McDonald finished third at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, finishing three strokes behind the winner, playing partner Lexi Thompson. Thompson closer with a 4-under 67, McDonald with a 70. "Even though I wasn't able to win, I gave myself a great chance, and that's all I could ask for," said McDonald who picked up a check for $116,956 -- giving her more than $950,000 in career earnings in three seasons on the tour. It was the sixth top-10 finish of her career -- including two majors, April's ANA Inspiration (tied for sixth) and last weekend's U.S. Women's Open (tied for 10th). |
| One that got away: Rebels bludgeon Hogs, force decider today | |
| No. 18 Ole Miss flexed its power-hitting chops Sunday, smacking four home runs with the wind blowing out of Baum-Walker Stadium on its way to a 13-5 rout of No. 5 Arkansas. The Rebels (41-26) tied up their best-of-three NCAA super regional at a game apiece before a packed house of 11,383 on a hot, muggy day. The Razorbacks (45-18) ripped the Rebels 11-2 in the series opener Saturday. The SEC West rivals will meet today at 3 p.m. (ESPN2) for the right to advance to the College World Series. The eighth meeting of the year, the most in a season against a single opponent for the Razorbacks, will match a pair of freshmen in University of Arkansas left-hander Patrick Wicklander (6-2, 4.29 ERA) and Ole Miss right-hander Gunnar Hoglund (3-2, 4.64). |
| Auburn to start freshman Richard Fitts, turn to unproven arms in big Game 3 | |
| Auburn's putting its season in unproven hands. The Auburn baseball team is starting a true freshman in the biggest game of the year today, the winner-take-all elimination game in North Carolina, and will turn to another a freshman, a familiar face fighting injury, and a closer on one day's rest as its season hangs in the balance. Those options aren't the best. Consider it Auburn's late welcome to the NCAA Tournament and the Super Regional round. With their backs against the wall, the Tigers are going to have to fight out of it. Freshman right-hander Richard Fitts will start for Auburn today in Game 3 against North Carolina set for noon CT, as the Tigers and Tar Heels tangle for a spot in the College World series |
| Alcohol sales on hold at Auburn University | |
| Auburn University has the autonomy to sell alcohol at its sporting venues. But fans shouldn't expect that to change the availability of alcohol sales this upcoming season on the Plains as the university reviews the effect those sales could have. Under the previous SEC policy, universities were able to sell alcohol in a controlled environment with premium seating, such as luxury suites. Auburn University participated in the sale of alcohol under those guidelines and expanded its availability last year. Auburn allowed for the sale of beer and wine during baseball games in a designated area at Plainsman Park in February 2018. The university also has the approval from the Auburn City Council for the sale of alcohol in several athletics facilities that include Auburn Arena, AU Athletics Complex, AU Softball Complex and Hospitality Village. However, with the autonomy to provide alcohol sales in a more general setting, the university will not be changing its policies, for now. |
| Missouri to merge cheer, Golden Girls; coaches fired | |
 | Beginning July 1, the University of Missouri's cheerleading and Golden Girls teams will be merged into one program, the school announced Thursday. The move comes with the firing of Suzy Thompson and Shannon Fry, the coaches of Missouri's cheerleading and Golden Girls squads, respectively, for over 20 years. "The Athletics Department has spent the past two years evaluating its spirit groups, and in order to increase efficiencies while presenting a unified and cohesive program in support of its teams, has elected to merge the Golden Girls and Cheer programs under the leadership of one individual who will be supported by two assistant directors effective July 1, 2019," Nick Joos, deputy athletics director, said in a statement. |
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