| Wednesday, August 19, 2026 |
| MSU hosting preview days for prospective Bulldogs this fall | |
 | According to an MSU press release, prospective Bulldogs and their families can sample life at Mississippi State through a variety of recruiting events this fall. Beginning Aug. 25, prospective students can register for the university's annual Fall Preview Days, where high school seniors and other first-time college students learn about academics, campus life and the MSU community. Preview Days are scheduled for Oct. 12 and Nov. 9 and 23, while Transfer Preview Day for current college students is set for Oct. 23. Specific Fall and Transfer Preview Days highlights include the opportunity to talk with faculty and staff about MSU programs and courses, hear from current students about their experiences in a variety of Bulldog communities and take a walking tour to popular campus locations. MSU will also host Scholar Recognition Day on Oct. 19 and 26 and Nov. 2 for high school seniors who achieved an ACT score of 30 or above, or SAT equivalent. In these invitation-only events, participants will take a deeper look at the university's Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College. |
| Photo: Serving up something new at MSU | |
 | Mississippi State leaders cut the ribbon three times Aug. 11 to celebrate a variety of university improvements. MSU Dining unveiled a newly renovated McArthur Café for the start of the fall 2026 semester. This larger space in McArthur Hall now offers more seating, with an expanded kitchen and office space for staff. Pictured, from left, are MSU Dining Chef Greg D. Huerkamp; Resident District Manager for MSU Dining Services James Jankowski; Student Association President Keegan Figueroa; Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt; and MSU President Mark E. Keenum. |
| Find your sorority sisters in these photos from Mississippi State Bid Day 2026 | |
 | Sorority members celebrate their new members during Bid Day at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss., on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. |
| AG Fitch delivers overdose emergency boxes to Mississippi State Greek organizations | |
 | Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch has delivered 44 emergency overdose boxes containing naloxone and other overdose-response tools to Mississippi State University fraternity and sorority organizations as part of the state's One Pill Can Kill campaign. Each participating MSU fraternity and sorority received two boxes, which can be mounted in public areas and are designed to provide quick access to naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, and other tools that could help prevent a fatal overdose. Mississippi State Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Dr. John Michael VanHorn said the boxes could provide students with potentially life-saving resources. "Student safety is our top priority," VanHorn said. "The Emergency Overdose Boxes provide our students with resources that could make a life-saving difference as we continue to stress the importance of looking out for one another and creating a safe campus community." Other participating schools include the University of Mississippi, the University of Southern Mississippi, Alcorn State University, Delta State University, William Carey University, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Northwest Mississippi Community College. |
| Meatpacking plants close as U.S. cattle herds shrink to a nearly 75-year low | |
| The cattle herd in the U.S. right now is the smallest it has been since the early 1950s. That's tough on consumers, of course, because the tight supply has been driving double-digit inflation when it comes to the price of beef. It's also proving to be a problem for meatpackers -- the companies that turn cows into steaks and roasts and burgers. Smaller herds mean fewer hooves walking into slaughterhouses. David Anderson, professor of livestock and food product marketing at Texas A&M University, said that over the last few years, fewer cattle have been walking into packing plants every year. Glynn Tonsor, professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, said that makes meatpackers' operating costs jump. "You can only do that for so long before some business adjustment is going to be made, whether that is shrinking the number of shifts, not running on Saturdays, maybe eventually closing a facility," Tonsor said. Plenty of cattle walking in, and conveyor lines full of carcasses -- which is good for meatpackers' margins. But today's efficiency could have implications in a few years. "The lack of these facilities could get us into a spot where we run out of capacity pretty quick, said Josh Maples, professor of agricultural economics at Mississippi State University. "The cattle sector is incredibly cyclical. We go through periods of declining supplies and then increasing supplies." Inevitably, Maples said, the national cattle herd will get bigger again. |
| Ernie and Paula Barnes Win Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award at 2026 Iowa State Fair | |
| Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig presented the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award to Ernie and Paula Barnes during a ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the 2026 Iowa State Fair. The award recognized the Barnes family for their commitment to livestock care, service to Iowa agriculture and decades of leadership supporting the pork industry and the Iowa State Fair. Ernie's career in the pork industry spans more than five decades. Ernie's contributions to the pork and livestock industries have earned numerous honors. He was also recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus by Mississippi State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In 2025, he was appointed to a three-year term on Mississippi State University's Animal Science Advisory Committee. A 1974 animal science graduate of Mississippi State University, Ernie has also judged more than 100 livestock contests during his career, reflecting his longstanding commitment to agricultural education and developing young people. |
| BOA mulls whether to raise taxes or cut budget | |
| Vice Mayor and Ward 6 Alderman Roy A. Perkins tried to get the board of aldermen to commit to lowering the city's property tax rate at Tuesday night's board meeting in Starkville City Hall. The board voted 5-2 against the motion with only Ward 7 Alderman Henry Vaughn joining Perkins in support. "I'd love to cut taxes, and I think it would help the city," Ward 3 Alderman Kyle Skinner said during the meeting. "But I would need to know where this is going to come from that doesn't affect public safety." With property values expected to rise an estimated 20% next year, primarily from a reassessment from the Mississippi Department of Revenue that raised home and commercial values, the city's tax rate can drop while the city maintains the same collections. However, if the city maintains its current tax rate of 34 mills, it projects raising almost $13.15 million from property taxes, about a $2.1 million increase from last year's collections. The city's current draft budget anticipates maintaining the tax rate, Ward 2 Alderwoman and budget chair Sandra Sistrunk told The Dispatch on Tuesday afternoon. |
| Starkville officials mull ordinance regarding rental properties | |
 | The City of Starkville is considering an ordinance that would place pressure on property owners to maintain a safe place to live for tenants. Both law enforcement officials and Mayor Lynn Spruill said there are one or two properties in particular that receive a disproportionate amount of calls, and that these so-called nuisance properties have become a big enough issue that the city aims to impose punishments on the owners or management companies that run them. Mayor Spruill said that affordable housing can be tough enough to find, and it is up to landlords to ensure the available options are safe for residents. "If we're spending an outsized proportion of our police time, our code enforcement time, in a particular property, then that tells me that there's a problem," Spruill said. "It's mostly a problem with either the property owner or the property management company that the owner is using, but no matter how you slice it, it all falls at the feet of the person who owns the property and who's receiving the revenue from the location where people are renting." |
| Possumtown Book Fest bringing slate of more than 50 authors | |
| With Possumtown Book Festival coming up on its third year, Emily Liner told the Rotary Club of Columbus that it finally feels like a city fixture. Liner said her hope, similarly to her goals with the bookstore's nonprofit, Friendly City Books Community Connection, is to continue to see it grow. "There was such a great response to the first one," Liner told The Dispatch. "Everybody immediately said, 'Will there be another?' So we did it again, and we had another big turnout. So I think that this is going to be a tradition for years to come." During Tuesday's meeting at Lion Hills Center, Liner spoke with Rotarians about the festival's recently revealed slate of roughly 50 authors coming to speak from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 29 in the Rosenzweig Arts Center at this year's festival. The events will include a children's book storytime and seven different panels on genres ranging from poetry to historical fiction to cookbooks, Liner said. The event will begin with a local author showcase at 9 a.m. in the Columbus Arts Council's gallery with 23 Mississippi-based authors discussing their works including memoirs, novels and poetry. |
| Young entrepreneur launches Ruck On fitness app | |
| When Pete Peebles returned home for the holidays during his freshman year of college, he and his dad started spending time together rucking. The two would ruck for a mile or two, using the time to catch up. "We would go ruck every afternoon," Peebles said. "It was just a way for us to talk, hang out, and catch up since I've been gone." They began thinking about how they could create tools and resources to help other people do the same. That idea became the foundation for Ruck On, a fitness app they co-founded and own together. Peebles, a 2025 graduate of Leake Academy and a sophomore accounting major at Mississippi State University, created the app to give people a way to track their rucking while building a community around the activity. Peebles said he became interested in rucking after gaining the "freshman 15." His dad also introduced him to it as an alternative to running because of a knee injury from football. s Peebles began rucking, he realized he wanted a better way to see and track his progress. |
| Annual Little Sturgis bike rally returns Thursday | |
| Motorcycles will once again be revving their way through the streets of Sturgis to support the city at this year's Little Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Organizers expect a crowd of more than 5,000 for this year's three-day rally starting Thursday, which will include rides throughout Oktibbeha and Choctaw counties, concerts and more than 60 vendors. The festivities will kick off at 6 p.m. Thursday at Diane Jackson Memorial Park. Mississippi Highway Patrol will escort the annual Dinner Ride, which will leave from Sturgis at about 4 p.m. Friday and drive to Village Cycle Center Powersports in Starkville for dinner and continue travelling through Louisville and Ackerman before returning to Sturgis, Bean said. The ride already has 300 motorcyclists signed on. On Saturday at 10 a.m., there will be a $20 benefit poker ride with pre-planned stops in Ackerman, French Camp and Maben. |
| Marathon Cheese increasing capacity, adding 39 jobs in Booneville | |
 | Marathon Cheese is adding 39 jobs with a $326,000 expansion of its manufacturing capabilities at its facility in Booneville. Marathon Cheese, a custom cheese packaging and transportation company headquartered in Marathon, Wisconsin, opened its Booneville location in 1962, where it currently employs 192 full-time workers. The expansion includes the installation of new manufacturing equipment, including a production line that will increase slicing and packaging capacity at the Booneville facility. The company completed installation of the new equipment at the end of July. The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive, or MFLEX, program value at $248,250. Prentiss County, the city of Booneville and the Tennessee Valley Authority also are assisting with the project. |
| Prado plans to turn vacant Jackson YMCA into mixed-use housing and recreation site | |
| The Jackson City Council has approved rezoning for the long-vacant YMCA on Fortification Street. The council approved the rezoning from light industrial to community mixed use. The plan is to eventually approve a mixed-use housing and recreation site called Prado Conservatory according to the developer Gabriel Prado, president and CEO of PraCon Global Investment Group. "Their vote gives us the opportunity to save a property that has been dilapidated for years and transform it into something meaningful for Jackson. Our commitment to this city is long-term, and we believe Prado Conservatory can become a signature example of what is possible when vision, persistence and private investment come together," Prado said in a statement. PraCon has become one of the Jackson Metro area's most prolific developers with projects including Topgolf in Ridgeland, Prado Lofts in Jackson and a potential foray into data centers. |
| SpaceXAI hearing to decide future of Southaven plant, could shut down Grok | |
| Within a week, Elon Musk's SpaceXAI will see one of its major litigation hurdles as the company and its affiliate, MZX Tech LLC, head to federal court. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi Aug. 24 will have a preliminary injunction hearing on alleged Clean Air Act violations from SpaceXAI at its Southaven, Mississippi power plant. In May, the NAACP and the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP filed the initial injunction. In June, the organizations amended the filing after discovery found nearly 30 more turbines at the SpaceXAI power plant, located at 2875 Stanton Road in Southaven, since the initial filing. The Southern Environmental Law Center filed the lawsuit on behalf of the NAACP and State Conference of the NAACP. The Aug. 24 hearing could determine if the SpaceXAI power plant is shut down -- and if so, largely if SpaceXAI (xAI rebranded to SpaceXAI in July) can continue operating. The alleged Clean Air Act violations focus on the use of unpermitted natural gas turbines. Those turbines help power the Colossus 2 data center across state lines at 5420 Tulane Road in Memphis. The Southaven power plant is also expected to help supply power to two more SpaceXAI data centers under construction. |
| Mississippi Supreme Court Now Has 3 Women Justices, the Most in State History | |
| Women now comprise one-third of Mississippi's Supreme Court justices -- the highest proportion in state history -- after Gov. Tate Reeves filled two vacancies created by judges departing to become U.S. district court judges. Amanda Jones Tollison, an attorney and former legal counselor for then-Gov. Haley Barbour, will serve on the Mississippi Supreme Court Northern District 3, Place 2. She fills the vacancy created by the departure of former Justice James D. Maxwell II, who left for an appointed federal judgeship, Reeves announced on Monday. President Donald Trump appointed Maxwell to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi in August 2025. Last month, Reeves announced that Celeste Embrey Wilson, a circuit court judge for DeSoto County, would serve on the court's Northern District 3, Place 1. She replaced Robert P. Chamberlin, whom Trump also nominated to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi in August 2025. The two new justices will join Jenifer Branning of Philadelphia, Mississippi, as the women on the state Supreme Court bench, along with the six men currently on the court. |
| Madison County, Amazon spar over data center tax values | |
| Madison County and Amazon are millions of dollars apart on what the company's data centers at the Canton mega site are worth, a dispute that could determine how much tax money flows into local schools and county government. At a hearing Monday, Madison County Tax Assessor Norman Cannady told the Board of Supervisors that each of Amazon's five data center buildings at the mega site has a true value of nearly $292 million for the 2026 tax roll. That figure is based on a building area of 214,534 square feet for each structure. Amazon's appraisal, presented by the company's tax manager, James Poliyanskiy, put the value of each building at just under $70 million, or about $324 per square foot. Poliyanskiy said the estimate was based on the Marshall & Swift Valuation Service, an industry standard cost-estimating tool, and requested the board adjust the combined assessed value for all five buildings to $349.9 million. That leaves a gap of more than $220 million per building, or over $1 billion combined for all five structures. The dispute carries consequences beyond the hearing room. Amazon's Madison County investment operates under a fee-in-lieu agreement, meaning the company's tax payments help pay down a $215 million state loan and fund local schools and county government. The higher the assessed value of the buildings, the more revenue is available for the community each year. |
| At first redistricting hearing, Mississippians call push for new maps a 'power grab' | |
| Mississippi residents who spoke on Tuesday at the first of several public hearings on redistricting around the state urged lawmakers to not redraw electoral maps, calling the effort a needless power grab aimed at diluting Black political power in a state with a sordid racial history. The Republican-dominated joint House and Senate committee on redistricting kicked off its slate of public hearings in a nearly packed room at Itawamba Community College in Tupelo. Leaders of the committee say the hearings will allow lawmakers to solicit feedback before making recommendations on new voting maps to the full Legislature in a likely special session this fall. The room was dominated by Mississippi residents who oppose redistricting. Many of those who spoke said the Callais decision doesn't require Mississippi to redraw its maps, and that doing so would create confusion for voters and impose a financial cost on localities. They also said hard-won progress to increase Black representation in Mississippi since the Jim Crow era would be eradicated. Cliff Johnson, a University of Mississippi law school professor who is the Democratic nominee challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly in this year's midterms, attended the hearing and mingled with attendees. He said the hearing showed Mississippians didn't want a redistricting process that inflamed racial and partisan divides. |
| Residents push back against redistricting at Tupelo hearing | |
| Walter Jones moved to Mississippi a handful of years ago from Chicago. Before he relocated, he said, people he knew up north were scared to come to Mississippi. "Mississippi had a bad rap of how people were mistreated all these years," Jones said. "I came down here because things had changed. Mississippi was becoming a great place to stay." Addressing a group of lawmakers charged with developing the state's redistricting plan, Jones warned them. Drawing Black representatives out of their voting districts would "put Mississippi back the way it was when no one wanted to be here. If this is what y'all want to do to Mississippi, after all the hurt and struggles we've dealt with to get to where we are today, then I made a bad decision." Jones was one of about a dozen Tupelo-area residents to weigh in on future redistricting in Mississippi at a public hearing on Aug. 18. It was the first in a series that lawmakers will hold throughout the state seeking input from voters on potential new voting district maps. The Tuesday evening meeting attracted more than 100 people, most of them Black, to a conference room at Itawamba Community College in Belden. |
| District Attorney on Wells investigation: 'I do not have the same freedom to share information publicly that private individuals may have' | |
| Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath released a statement late Tuesday regarding the ongoing investigation into the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells. The statement came after attorneys representing the parents of Wells pushed back on claims that they have failed to cooperate with the Jackson County District Attorney's Office even as they have not turned over the deceased teen's cellphone to local law enforcement since his body was found on Horn Island on July 6. As McIlrath has previously said, as District Attorney, she does not have "the same freedom to share information publicly that private individuals may have." "For example, I do not have the freedom to release letters I've sent in this investigation, discuss witness cooperation, or the testing of evidence. I do not have the freedom to identify what information is verified and what information is false," McIlrath stated. "I do not have the freedom to publicly adopt a narrative and choose one fact over another. Nor do I control the information released by private individuals who are not part of the investigative team." McIlrath concluded by saying while there is nothing more to be shared at this time regarding the investigation and proceedings, "I caution the public about assigning trustworthiness to things they read and see online." |
| Mississippi congressman backs bill to expand agricultural guest worker program | |
| Mississippi Rep. Trent Kelly is backing a bipartisan effort to overhaul the federal agricultural guest worker program, saying changes to the system are needed to ensure farmers have enough workers to plant and harvest their crops. Kelly, a Republican representing Mississippi's 1st Congressional District, is an original cosponsor of the Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026, a bill introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-Pa.). The bill would make changes to the H-2A visa program, which was established in 1986 to allow agricultural employers to hire foreign workers for temporary agricultural jobs when domestic labor is unavailable. Kelly said the issue is particularly important for farmers in his district, which is home to one of the largest sweet potato-producing regions in the country. "You can't get local labor to do [farm work]. Our farmers have tried," Kelly said Monday on Mornings with Richard Cross. "So, what we're wanting to do is make sure we keep work visas for those people who can plant and harvest our crops." |
| Trump Administration Moves to Open Millions of National-Forest Acres to Logging | |
 | The U.S. Forest Service is aiming to open more than 44 million acres of national-forest land to logging and road construction, a reversal of a policy that protected wildlife habitats for decades. The agency intends to rescind a 2001 rule that blocked most development and timber harvesting in certain national forests, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Tuesday. The new proposal would give local forest managers authority to develop the land, she said. "For too long, outdated restrictions have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities," Rollins said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would open the roadless-rule reversal to public comments until Sept. 21 before making the proposal official. Supporters of the so-called roadless rule say it has preserved clean water supply, outdoor recreation spaces and habitats for endangered species in national forests. The government's proposal would remove the roadless-area designation.President Trump has moved to revive the lumber industry and called for more logging in national forests. Domestic lumber producers have a limited log supply, in part because of the roadless rule, and have faced competition from cheap Canadian lumber. The Trump administration has reversed multiple climate-related policies. |
| Anxiety grips Pacific allies as Trump pulls back | |
 | The only remaining U.S. aircraft carrier patrolling the Pacific departed Asia through Singapore last week en route to the Middle East, marking the latest step in a steady drawdown of American military assets across the region. An armada of naval forces, alongside a constellation of air-defense and missile capabilities, has been removed from a theater the Trump administration said just last year would be the battleground of the coming century. And now, President Trump's surprise decision this week to curtail military exercises with South Korea has further fueled anxiety across Asia, where Washington's closest allies fear violent consequences from a vacuum of American power. Trump said his decision to withdraw U.S. participation from the annual military drills was de-escalatory, claiming they would needlessly provoke North Korea's dictator, Kim Jong Un, with whom he has recently been in touch. But he also blamed Seoul for its decision to not take part in his war with Iran. It was the latest jolt to South Korea's confidence in an alliance that has formed a cornerstone of Washington's defense strategy in Asia since the end of World War II. Other U.S. allies in the region reacted swiftly to Trump's pullback from the Korean exercises. And Beijing has been quick to capitalize on the vacuum. |
| Florida rejects Democratic establishment -- and even snubs Trump | |
 | Million-dollar fundraising advantages and even endorsements from President Donald Trump did little to sway Florida voters Tuesday as they rattled the state's parties by opposing candidates backed by the establishment. Newly minted Democratic socialist Angie Nixon scored a massive upset -- and notched a win for progressives -- by beating retired Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, who had a huge fundraising edge. And, in another major development, two candidates endorsed by Trump, scandal-plagued Rep. Cory Mills and former administration official Catalina Lauf, lost their bids for Congress. Taken together, the results show Democratic and Republican voters in solidly red Florida are hungry for change amid dissatisfaction with the economy, an ongoing war in Iran and restlessness over the status quo. "People are frustrated, frankly, with both parties," said Florida's Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, who is a former legislator and chair of the Republican Party of Florida. "They're frustrated with people not delivering. ... They want people to deliver for Floridians. They want people to deliver for Americans." |
| Striking hospital employees sound alarm over workplace violence | |
 | Nurse Crystal Dhooghe is used to dealing with blood and broken bones in the emergency room. But she didn't expect to witness so much violence against her own colleagues. "I've seen nurses get shoved, pushed, scratched. The biggest one is bitten," said Dhooghe, who works at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc, Mich. The prevalence of workplace violence in healthcare has fueled strikes in states such as Louisiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Michigan, where Dhooghe and many of her co-workers have been on the picket line since Labor Day of last year. Nationwide, hospital workers are seven times as likely to be injured on the job due to violent acts as members of the general working population, according to the most recent data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Violent outbursts are so common that they've been dramatized on the popular medical TV series The Pitt. "Emergency rooms right now are like a powder keg," said Rachel Odes, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing. In hospitals, a combative or violent patient is known as a "code gray." Outbursts can be spontaneous and unpredictable, making some almost impossible to prevent. But research shows the risk of violence increases when hospitals are understaffed or employees are insufficiently trained or experienced. |
| 'I hate fees': State treasurer touts 20% reduction in college savings plan charges | |
| Mississippians looking to save money on future education or career training expenses now face smaller fees when opening a state-run investment account. State Treasurer David McRae announced that fees have declined by 20% for Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) plans. The fee was charged to plan holders to cover management costs, but McRae said an investment transition his team undertook has now reduced the fares significantly. "I hate fees," McRae said on Mornings with Richard Cross. "Whether it's with a bank or anybody, and it's something I wrestle with all the time at the treasury. I've done it over the last seven years -- getting fees down in everything we do to nothing." MACS is a state-sponsored 529 plan managed by McRae's team at the treasury. The plan operates like a tax-advantaged savings account for qualified learning expenses. "It can be used for almost anything you want that you could think of. That includes school, tuition, room, board, parking," McRae said, adding that funds can also be used for teachers to purchase supplies. "All these kids are going back to school. They have things to buy, but things get more and more expensive, especially tuition." |
| Students head back to class on area university campuses this week | |
| Students head back to class on area university campuses this week. Today, it was MUW's turn. The first day of class was a more relaxed atmosphere. Students were greeted by representatives from various campus groups as they made their way across campus. There was informational material and even a few treats available along the way. Faculty at The W say even though the school's academic standards are high, the overall "feel" is more relaxed and open. "When they come. When the students come back here to classes, since we are so small. You know, we may have classes as small as 15. Probably the max is going to be around 30, so they come in, they recognize faces. They get to know each other really quickly. They get to know their professors fast, and it's just a home environment and a fun environment where everybody feels welcome, and you're not just a number; you're a name, and we like it that way. We try to make it that way for everybody that comes on campus," said Dr. Lee Larson, Chair of MUW Department of Business. |
| U. of Southern Mississippi welcomes students back to campus in Hattiesburg | |
 | New and returning Golden Eagles are flocking to Hattiesburg this week. Freshmen unloaded their lives Tuesday at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) with the help of city leaders, family, and upperclassmen. "I remember giving tours over the summer, and it was like really empty," student ambassador Zeke Jackson said. "But now, you know, it's really more lively getting to see the community that we have here at Southern Miss once again." The university is reporting record enrollment this fall. Director of Recruitment Michael Cobb says his department worked hard to find students from near and far who would be a great fit for Southern Miss. "We've got a large variety of students that are coming onto campus that are all coming here to have that family feel and that personalized aspect, because that's where we see Southern Miss shine is whenever we're being personalized and customized for all of our students. And that starts today at move-in," Cobb said. "Don't miss a class," USM President Dr. Jo Paul said. "Get after it. To parents, I want to say, they're in good hands. You've done your work. You've got them here, and we're going to take care of it from here." |
| Delta State announces details for 41st annual Pig Pickin' | |
| Details surrounding one of the favorite gatherings among Delta State football fans have been announced. The 41st annual Pig Pickin' is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5, with most events taking place at Statesmen Park on the campus in Cleveland. The event will feature a Mississippi Barbecue Network-sanctioned cooking competition, live music, a mini cheer camp, Pig Pickin' Pilates, and tailgating activities before the first home game of the season against Wingate University at 6 p.m. "Pig Pickin' is one of those Delta State traditions that brings everyone back together," said Corley Mullins, Delta State's director of alumni affairs. "For more than 40 years, generations of Statesmen have made memories at Pig Pickin', and we're excited to welcome alumni, families, and friends back to campus again this year. We have a great weekend planned, with something for everyone." |
| What it's like to be a Jackson State Sonic Boom of the South band captain | |
| When she joined Jackson State's Prancing J-Settes as a freshman in 2023, Malikah Carr never expected that she'd become the team's captain. Even now, entering the second year of her captainship, she still can't believe it. "I knew coming to Jackson State and dancing on the J-Settes, I was being a part of something bigger than myself, but this is just a whole other level of bigger than myself," Carr told the Clarion Ledger. "Honestly, I still haven't sat down and was like, OK, I'm the captain of the Prancing J-Settes. It still hasn't clicked to me yet because it's still so shocking." The first performance of Carr's final year as captain will be during the football team's season opener against Tennessee State in Nashville on Aug. 29 (7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+). Carr is one of the many faces that make up JSU's Sonic Boom of the South band. Being a majorette dancer has been an integral part of her college experience, one she says she'll struggle to let go of after her senior year. |
| Co-Lin Natchez to open AI Lab for Fall 2026 semester | |
| Copiah-Lincoln Community College's Natchez Campus will open a new artificial intelligence lab during the Fall 2026 semester, giving Career and Technical Education students opportunities to develop AI skills alongside training for their chosen professions. The lab is part of a larger workforce development initiative funded through AccelerateMS's Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Talent Accelerator Program, or MAI-TAP. The AI Lab will support instruction across multiple Career and Technical Education programs and allow students to explore how artificial intelligence is being used in their respective industries. Students will learn how AI can improve productivity, solve problems, analyze data, support decision-making and encourage innovation in workplace settings. College officials said the lab is intended to complement, rather than replace, traditional technical education. Tiffany Woods, Co-Lin Natchez director of Career and Technical Education, said the expansion reflects the changing needs of employers and industries. |
| U. of Alabama begins new school year as President Peter Mohler starts Year 2 | |
| As students returned to classes this morning at the University of Alabama, UA President Dr. Peter Mohler began his second year leading the Capstone with a focus on keeping the value of a UA degree aligned with what families pay, preparing students for a changing workforce and managing the pressures that come with record growth. Mohler said a priority for the university is ensuring students not only enroll, but finish their degrees and move into successful careers. "Very focused on making sure that this continues to be a place that if you're a student from anyone of our 67 counties here in Alabama, that this is a place of opportunity for you," Mohler said. When asked about the university's responsibility to help students graduate with a realistic path to a good-paying job, Mohler pointed to expanding hands-on opportunities that connect classroom learning to careers. Mohler said the university's "future-ready framework" is aimed at preparing students for rapid change, including the growing role of artificial intelligence across fields. |
| U. of Alabama president reflects on year 1, pushes ahead with year 2 | |
| The day before University of Alabama students begin their classes for the new year, Dr. Peter Mohler talked about his first year accomplishments as president of the university, the goals for year two, and the computing center under construction next door to the nursing school. Dr. Mohler said he loved his first year at Alabama and is more than pleased with how year one went, not only for him, but for the university. With those words inside the President's mansion on the Tuscaloosa campus, Dr. Mohler believes his first year went according to plan. "I think the biggest accomplishment this year is building a consensus around the future of the University of Alabama, and making sure this university aligns with the future, research, innovation and economic development for the state of Alabama," said Dr. Mohler. Across campus, workers are a month away from finishing the new computing center. Dr. Mohler said this is not the type of data center that's caused angst in some communities in the country. It's something entirely different, according to Dr. Mohler. "What we've created is a central hub for data. For instance, if you're interested in energy, economics, you're interested in healthcare, there is a central place we can get great data to be able to solve great complex questions," said Mohler. |
| National Aviation Day: How Auburn University is training the next generation of aviation professionals | |
| Wednesday is National Aviation Day, a nationwide celebration dedicated to recognizing the rich history, groundbreaking innovations, and dedicated people who keep the aviation industry soaring forward. Observed annually on Aug. 19, the date honors the birthday of Orville Wright, who alongside his brother Wilbur is credited with achieving the world's first powered, controlled flight in 1903. While the day serves as a tribute to past milestones that have shaped our skyways, it also shines a spotlight on the modern programs preparing future pioneers of the industry. Auburn University's aviation program trains students to fill critical, high-demand roles. The aviation sector offers a wide range of career paths, and Auburn's comprehensive training prepares students to become future pilots, air traffic controllers, aerospace engineers, aircraft mechanics, and administrative professionals. |
| Florida Responds to McMahon 'Call to Action' | |
 | Public institutions in Florida have responded en masse to Education Secretary Linda McMahon's call to answer questions about admissions, academic rigor, affordability and other matters. Republican Governor Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that the leaders of all 40 of the state's public institutions have signed on to a joint statement responding to concerns McMahon raised in a letter to the sector earlier this month. Officials noted in a 30-page document that Florida has already addressed many of those questions. Florida Commissioner of Education Henry Mack wrote that the state welcomed the "Call to Action" but said it has already enacted many of the changes the Trump administration is seeking. "Florida is not beginning this work in response to your letter. For more than a decade, our state has deliberately built a public university and college system around academic excellence, affordability, accountability, free inquiry, merit, and economic relevance," he wrote to McMahon. |
| Arkansas launches one-stop college application portal for class of 2027 | |
| A new application portal will allow Arkansas high school seniors to apply to any number of the state's participating higher education institutions with one form. Students can apply to up to five colleges for free through the Arkansas ACCESS Portal at araccessportal.adhe.edu, according to a news release from the governor's office. The ACCESS Act of 2025, a higher education bill championed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, mandated the creation of the portal starting with the 2026-27 high school senior class. Asked whether students could apply for more than five institutions through the portal, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department of Education said Tuesday that students could apply for as many schools as they want, though only the first five are free. Students' transcripts and test scores will automatically populate the system, and students may be granted provisional admission for meeting a participating institution's "baseline admissions requirements," the news release stated. |
| U. of Tennessee celebrates new Torchbearer residence hall as enrollment numbers reach record highs | |
| Amidst a sweltering heat advisory, students and administrators gathered outside Torchbearer Hall Monday afternoon to celebrate its official dedication as the newest addition to the university's residential facilities. University of Tennessee leadership, faculty, supporters and students excitedly braved the heat in business attire to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony. Located between Stokely Residence Hall and the building's namesake statue, Torchbearer Hall sits as one of the largest residential halls on campus, capable of housing 1,024 students. Chancellor Donde Plowman expressed her enthusiasm for new improvements to campus and seeing the long-awaited finished product. "This building is the latest in a series of enhancements we're making to the undergraduate student experience," Plowman said. "I've loved watching this building come to life." The building hosts majority four-person suite-style dormitories and features a post office, study rooms, lounge spaces and a large recreational green space. A new UT Creamery location is located inside of the hall, making ice cream crafted by UT students readily accessible to residents. |
| Hazing tops list of Greek life violations again. Which South Carolina colleges reported cases? | |
 | Eight fraternities, one sorority and one military-oriented honor society in South Carolina were sanctioned for hazing during the 2025-26 school year, according to state-mandated reports posted online. The hazing incidents, which occurred at the University of South Carolina, Clemson University, College of Charleston, Coastal Carolina University and Winthrop University, were among 21 total student organization misconduct cases reported by public universities last academic year. Since 2016, all four-year public colleges in the state, except the Citadel and the Medical University of South Carolina, have been required to post on their websites reports of actual findings of misconduct by fraternity and sorority organizations. In addition to the 10 hazing violations reported last year, South Carolina fraternities and sororities were dinged for alcohol-related misconduct, policy violations and destruction of property, among other offenses. Eleven of the 21 misconduct cases reported this past academic year occurred at the University of South Carolina. When asked for additional details about the incidents, USC spokesman Jeff Stensland said only that none of them involved violence. |
| Missouri 4-H leaders get a head start on becoming Mizzou Tigers | |
| The University of Missouri and Missouri 4-H are making it easier for 4-H members to become Tigers through a partnership that guarantees admission for eligible students while strengthening the pipeline of future leaders for the state. Missouri 4-H students who meet the requirements of the new 4-H Mizzou Ready Direct Admission Pathway will receive guaranteed admission to Mizzou as first-time college students beginning with the Fall 2028 term. As an MU Extension program, Missouri 4-H has been part of the University of Missouri for more than a century, helping young people develop leadership, responsibility and life skills. The new pathway builds on that longstanding connection by creating a direct route for eligible members to continue their education at Mizzou. "Missouri 4-H has been preparing young people with the skills and experiences that help them succeed in college and beyond for generations," said Chad Higgins, vice chancellor for MU Extension and Engagement and chief engagement officer for the UM System. "Through this partnership, we are recognizing that preparation by creating a clear pathway for outstanding 4-H members to continue their education at Mizzou." |
| New Mizzou students welcomed with tradition-filled fun | |
 | "Paint the M" at Memorial Stadium is set to return as new University of Missouri students are welcomed on campus this week for the fall semester that begins Monday. Primary move-in days for Mizzou students residing on campus take place on Wednesday and Thursday. A number of streets around residence halls will be restricted to one-way traffic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Maps showing special traffic patterns are available online. Special drop-off and no parking zones will be established, and some traffic barricades will be set up. Tyler Page, Mizzou senior director of student affairs, told KBIA that police officers and about 1,000 volunteers will be on campus to help students safely move in. Mizzou officials expect about 2,700 students and families to arrive on campus Wednesday, and about 1,400 more should arrive on Thursday, according to KBIA reporting. Welcome Week will consist of five days full of tradition and engagement for new students attending Mizzou. Students will partake in welcoming activities such as First Roar, Flick at Francis, the Midnight BBQ and the traditional Tiger Walk. |
| Penn State frat pledges forced to cut and bag cocaine for college drug ring, authorities say | |
 | Penn State fraternity pledges were made to cut and package cocaine for a drug ring that was run out of two off-campus frat houses, authorities said. The illicit initiation was revealed Monday as Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday charged 14 people -- including 13 current or former Penn State students -- in connection with the alleged drug ring. The man accused of leading the operation, 24-year-old Agostino Abbatiello, surrendered on Tuesday after failing to appear for a scheduled arraignment on Monday on charges including possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy. He was ordered jailed without bail. They cut and bagged the drugs mainly at the Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon fraternity houses, using frat brothers and pledges as labor, then distributed it through Penn State students, court documents said. One of the men said a co-defendant was the "largest distributor of cocaine" at Penn State and would "boast about how much money he was making from selling cocaine." At least four of the defendants are current students, Sunday's office said. Penn State said it placed Delta Upsilon on interim suspension, noting Sigma Chi is not recognized by the university and is not subject to its oversight. |
| Setting students up to succeed? Why Michigan is ditching first-semester grades. | |
 | Jibreel Rehman took a chance on a new subject in college when he first got to the University of Michigan as a freshman two years ago: discrete mathematics, a computer science course that he didn't have to take as a new student. "I've never taken a class like it before," says the junior, a biochemistry major with his eyes set on medical school. "I think now, understanding how a college course works, if I took it now it wouldn't have been as difficult for me." But at that time, it was. So much so that he would return home from class and frantically text his parents that he wasn't doing well. He ended up getting a C, which will go on his transcript when applying to medical school. Michigan, one of the top public universities in the country, recently announced it will start a pilot program in fall 2027 using a pass/no-credit system for all first-year students in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) for the first semester of school. Students will privately receive letter grades and feedback from instructors for all courses, but on their transcripts, those grades will be "covered" and will only show as a P for pass or NC for no credit. Some education experts see the move as another step in diminishing the rigor that gives higher education its value. But the school and its supporters say the point is to help new students transition successfully into the more rigorous environment of college. |
| U. of Michigan chooses Vanderbilt provost as next leader | |
| Vanderbilt University Provost C. Cybele Raver is set to be the next president of the University of Michigan, according to two sources familiar with the selection, making her the second woman in history to lead the school and marking the second time this year the university has chosen a leader at a private university to lead one of the top public schools in the nation. Raver would become the second female president in Michigan's history after Mary Sue Coleman, who led the university from 2002 to 2014 and as an interim president in 2022 after the Board of Regents fired President Mark Schlissel for having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. She is a nationally recognized leader in higher education, developmental social science and university strategy, according to her biography on Vanderbilt's website. Raver is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology and Human Development at Peabody College, Vanderbilt said. Her research on children's development, education policy and poverty has garnered more than $24 million from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and Spencer Foundation. |
| Despite Trump's visa policies, international students are still flocking to California universities | |
| It's become much more difficult for foreign students to study on U.S. college campuses during President Donald Trump's second term. Last year, the Trump administration revoked over 1,000 student visas and paused interviews for prospective international students vying to study in the U.S. to incorporate social media vetting for applicants. Last month, the federal government also restricted how long international students can stay in the U.S. by ordering students to leave the country as soon as they finish their schooling. Federal officials say the measures are intended, in part, to curtail visa overstays. They may also have contributed to a decline in international enrollment last year, which some estimates put at nearly 20%. Some groups renewed warnings that this fall will again see fewer foreign students coming to U.S. campuses, declining by as much as 9.5%. And yet, these visa restrictions are not keeping international students away from some California universities. |
| 42% of Colleges Haven't Fully Submitted Required Student Outcomes Data | |
| The Education Department's Office of Federal Student Aid is warning hundreds of institutions that their access to federal grants and loans could be at risk if they fail to properly submit required student outcomes data by early 2027. Newly released data shows that of more than 4,640 colleges and universities with programs eligible for funding, about 1,930 are either missing or have underreported some or all of the data they are required to provide under federal accountability rules. That's about 42 percent of the institutions in the database department officials attached to the warning. A deeper Inside Higher Ed analysis of the data shows that 578 of those institutions -- or roughly 30 percent -- haven't properly submitted any of the seven required files, which span three academic years. Out of the 1,930 institutions missing some data, the largest groups are for-profit colleges and those focused on certificate programs. But some notable public four-year institutions are on the list, too, including the University of Montana, the University of Central Oklahoma, Texas Southern University and at least 28 historically Black colleges and universities. (Inside Higher Ed reached out to five of the four-year institutions for comment but did not hear back by publication time.) |
| AI Career Skills Move Beyond Computer Science | |
| Artificial intelligence has rapidly changed the landscape of career preparation and the early-career job market. But students are largely keeping up with the shift: A new report from Handshake found that students across a wide range of majors are building AI-related experience as they prepare to enter the workforce. The job market platform's Class of What's Next report analyzed 12.4 million U.S. candidate profiles from current students and recent graduates in the classes of 2024 to 2030 to understand how they're acquiring AI experience and navigating the job market. The analysis, measured as of June 2026, looked at everything from coursework, projects and certifications to the jobs candidates apply to, the recruiter messages they respond to and the career events they attend. The report found that nearly two-thirds of candidates with AI-related experience aren't computer science majors. Even when the analysis expanded to include computing, engineering and math majors, it showed that more than a quarter of candidates with experience using AI come from outside those fields. Among the most common nontechnical majors were business, economics, biology, communications, psychology and marketing. |
| White House's University Antisemitism Probes Had 'Predetermined' Outcomes, Whistleblowers Say | |
| The Trump administration's antisemitism investigations into Ivy League universities were rushed and had "predetermined" outcomes meant to force the institutions into paying out settlements, a former Justice Department lawyer alleges in a new whistleblower complaint. The claims were brought forth by Haley Van Erem, a former DOJ attorney assigned to work on the investigations through the Department of Health and Human Services, and other career civil rights attorneys whose names were redacted in the public version of the complaint, released by House Judiciary Democrats. The group describes an "outcome‑driven approach" taken by a multiagency task force that was "subordinate to political priorities," alleging that those who brought forward disagreements were sidelined or faced reprimands. The White House created a sweeping task force last year to "root out antisemitic harassment" in response to pro-Palestinian student groups protesting Israel's actions in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. Under President Donald Trump's administration, officials investigated dozens of the country's top schools -- including Harvard University, Brown University and Columbia University, which are at the center of Tuesday's whistleblower report -- and canceled hundreds of millions in grant money by claiming the institutions were violating Jewish and Israeli students' Title VI rights. |
| Lawsuit Challenges New Length-of-Stay Limit for International Students | |
| Eight organizations representing the higher education and journalism sectors have sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over its rule limiting how long international students and journalists can stay in the country, which is slated to go into effect Sept. 15. The lawsuit comes a month and a half after the highly controversial rule was finalized, altering a policy that had stood for nearly half a century that allowed international students to stay in the U.S. until they completed their program of study. Instead, students will be limited to four years unless they receive an extension. In the final rule, DHS said the cap is intended to prevent students from staying in the U.S. indefinitely, leading to overstays and national security concerns. The complaint, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, argued that DHS violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the statute that governs federal agencies, when it issued the final rule. The plaintiffs claim the department did not complete a thorough analysis of the potential impacts of the rule, failed to substantively respond to negative public comments and did not consider other possible solutions to address the concerns related to overstays, among other violations. |
| Defense Department Orders 30 Universities to Audit China Ties | |
| The Trump Administration ordered 30 universities to audit their foreign research partnerships or risk losing funding. The order, issued Monday by the Defense Department, instructs universities to review their ties to 130 foreign institutions, mainly Chinese, that "engage in activities that increase the likelihood of U.S. government-funded research and development efforts being misappropriated." Schools that fail to terminate any "problematic" partnerships within two weeks may lose their eligibility for future federal research funding. The order is intended to protect taxpayer-funded research from "unauthorized technology transfer, intellectual property theft and adversarial exploitation," the Pentagon said in the announcement. "The Department of War has zero tolerance for academic partnerships that compromise our national security," Emil Michael, undersecretary of war for research and engineering, said. The announcement did not identify which schools had received the order or how they were selected, but a U.S. official told the Associated Press on Tuesday that they include Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University. |
| Shades of Skynet? State's measured approach to AI policy development was wise plan | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: The 1984 science fiction thriller "The Terminator" established James Cameron as a director, made Arnold Schwarzenegger bankable in Hollywood as a leading man, cost $6.4 million to make and grossed over $78 million at the box office, and created a franchise of five sequels between 1991 and 2019. The film is not greatly different from the story told in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus", first published in 1818, about the creation of a monster through an experiment using the scientific knowledge of that era rather than magic or mythology. Frankenstein's monster represented the unintended consequences of creating something powerful without fully considering the moral duties involved, and of creating something that could not be controlled. In "Frankenstein," Victor Frankenstein uses science to create life. Once his creature exists, Victor loses control of the consequences. In "The Terminator," scientists and military planners create Skynet. Once it becomes self-aware, humanity loses control of the consequences. ... Why are we discussing a science fiction movie made 42 years ago and comparing it to a work of literature written over 200 years ago? The Terminator films and Mary Shelley's book endure because they dramatize one of humanity's oldest fears: that we will create something more powerful than ourselves and lose control of it. |
SPORTS
| Iron sharpening iron in MSU's cornerback room | |
| Kelley Jones will head into 2026 as one of the better cornerbacks in the country, which means a lot of passes will go to the other side of the field. That's where other corners like Jett Jefferson come in. Jefferson played four games last season but missed most of it due to injury and ended up redshirting. The fourth-year junior from Tylertown has spent the time since that injury getting healthy, staying healthy and learning. "Learning how to grow as a player, even outside of football," he said. "Trying to learn from teammates and coaches to be able to get in the groove to play football." In order to create an even stronger cornerback group, those who play alongside Jones (who was recently named a preseason second-team all-American by The Associated Press) will need to bring the same energy he does every day, both in practice and games. "We all come out and compete with each other every day," Jefferson said. "We know he's on the other side. He's going to do what he's going to do, and we're on the other side. We're going to do what we've got to do." |
| 'Always hungry': Kelley Jones bringing trash talk, experience to MSU defense | |
| Where BT at? Where BT at? BT ain't out here no more." It's a remark Mississippi State wide receiver Sanfrisco Magee said he hears every day. Brenen Thompson, MSU's top receiving threat from last season, is no longer gracing the Bulldog football facility, leaving size 1,054 yards and six touchdown shoes to fill. State's wide receivers not only have to deal with filling the Thompson sized hole in its room. It has to handle constant reminders of his absence from Magee's pick for team's best trash talker: cornerback Kelley Jones. "Some days he don't talk too much, some days he's going to be quiet, but he is still on," Magee said of Jones. "He (is) always hungry." Jones, State's fourth-year leader on its new-look defense, doesn't just keep his smack talk within the confines of his teammates. Jones said he tells head coach Jeff Lebby the offense shouldn't throw his way. He was proven right during practice on Aug. 8. |
| Shuckers, Mississippi State announce fall ball exhibition games in Biloxi | |
 | The Biloxi Shuckers and Mississippi State have announced that the Bulldogs will play a pair of games at Keesler Federal Park on Friday, Oct. 9 and Saturday, Oct. 10, as part of the Hancock Whitney Classic. The Bulldogs will play Auburn on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. and Southern Miss on Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available now through the Shuckers Box Office or online. We're excited about returning to Biloxi in October," Mississippi State Head Coach Brian O'Connor said. "We had an incredible experience down there in March and are looking forward to the opportunity to play baseball in front of our fans from the coast again. I'm proud of the team my staff has assembled and can't wait to get them out there this fall and see what we can do against high-level competition like Auburn and Southern Miss." The Bulldogs enter the fall after reaching the Super Regionals. |
| UMMC offering Friday night injury clinic throughout high school football season | |
| High school football is back in Mississippi, and the sports medicine team at the University of Mississippi Medical Center will be prepared for injuries. Dr. Derrick Burgess, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon at the hospital, confirmed that there will be a walk-in clinic on Friday nights throughout the football season. The injury clinic is now located at UMMC's new Colony Park South campus in Ridgeland. Hours of operation run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, with nighttime hours from 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., or until the last student-athlete is seen. Burgess added that the Friday night clinic, which will be open weekly from Aug. 28 until Black Friday, is not reserved for just football players. Cheerleaders, band members, and other related student-athletes will be assessed if they are injured. High school football officially kicked off at the MAIS level on Aug. 14 and will ramp up in the coming weeks. |
| Will Furniss returning to Ole Miss baseball for fifth season after court ruling | |
| Ole Miss baseball first baseman Will Furniss is taking advantage of an extra season of eligibility. On Aug. 19, Furniss posted a video of his highlights at Ole Miss with the caption "I'm back." Furniss got a surprise fifth season of eligibility because of a recent court ruling in early August. U.S. District Court of Colorado judge Charlotte Sweeney granted an injunction July 31 to college athletes who graduated in high school in 2022 and meet certain criteria. He has played at least 48 games for each of the past four seasons since his freshman year in 2023. Because he was not selected in the 2026 MLB Draft and did not sign with an MLB team, he is eligible to take advantage of Sweeney's ruling. Third baseman Judd Utermark is also available to return. Utermark has not announced his intentions. |
| NCAA Gets Temporary Reprieve on Players' Fifth-Year Eligibility | |
| The NCAA convinced an Ohio state appeals court to stay an injunction granted in favor of a group of college basketball players suing to compete for a fifth year, marking a temporary win for the sports organization that argues the plaintiffs have already exhausted their eligibility. The sports organization has "presented a substantial case on the merits" and has shown it would face irreparable harm without a stay pending the case's appeal, the First District Court of Appeals said in a Monday order. At issue are new NCAA rules that apply starting with the 2026-27 season, allowing student-athletes to compete for up to five seasons within an age-based five-year period with more limited exceptions than were available under the old system. Last month, an Ohio judge granted the players an injunction that gave them the ability to compete a fifth year. The NCAA then sought a stay of the court's order pending appeal. It argued that the plaintiffs already exhausted their entire eligibility period under the NCAA rules that applied during their years of play. The NCAA also argued that the injunction crippled its ability to enforce its rules uniformly across hundreds of member institutions. |
| UAB, athletics director Mark Ingram agree to 'part ways' | |
 | UAB and athletics director Mark Ingram have "agreed to part ways," the school announced Tuesday. Ingram had been on the job since June 2015. Basketball coach Andy Kennedy will serve as interim AD while a search is conducted for Ingram's replacement. "Mark has played an important role in the growth and evolution of UAB Athletics," UAB President Ray L. Watts said. Ingram's tenure had been a controversial one, with the catastrophic hire of former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer as football coach prior to the 2023 season among his missteps. Dilfer had never coached above the high school level prior to UAB, and was fired midway through his third season with a 9-23 record. In addition, the UAB softball program endured scandal this past spring. Coach Taylor Smartt was forced out after being accused by players of widespread wrongdoing and personal improprieties. One of UAB's more successful programs in recent years, however, has been Kennedy's men's basketball team. The Blazers have won at least 20 games in each of Kennedy's six seasons, with NCAA tournament trips in 2022 and 2024. |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
