Wednesday Bulldog Update - 11/16/16
November 16, 2016
If you or someone you know is not receiving this and would like to, please e-mail us at:
bulldog-club@athletics.msstate.edu
As you would likely imagine, my first couple weeks as Athletic Director have been fairly busy. However, in all the action and through the many successes we've already had in such a short time, my favorite moments so far have come when I've had the opportunities to meet with our student-athletes. One of my first goals was to visit with every team and all of our wonderful student-athletes as soon as I can – an objective I'm in the process of completing now.
Being a former Mississippi State student-athlete myself, I certainly recognize the time demands and the pressures for our young men and women in all facets of their college experience, and I have tremendous respect for the way they handle the many unique challenges that being an SEC athlete presents. The people who make up the rosters of our teams are why all of us are here to begin with, and it's important that we continue to display that attitude in everything we do.
With that in mind, I have to say just how proud I am of our current and former student-athletes and the staffs who support them for their record highs in the NCAA's Graduation Success Rates. The numbers were released yesterday, and we set a new high by scoring in the 86th percentile, one point higher than last year and two points higher than the NCAA average. I should give a specific congratulations to our men's and women's tennis programs, our men's and women's golf programs, our volleyball program and our softball program for all finishing with a perfect 100 score, and to our women's basketball, soccer and baseball programs for all scoring above 90.
All told, 11 of our 16 programs finished better than the national average, while seven of them finished with record highs. We spend a lot of time celebrating the athletic successes of our student-athletes, and I'm thrilled to celebrate their academic success today, as well.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL IN BILOXI, THEN AT HOME FOR TOP-10 MATCHUP
We're in the middle of quite the stretch for Coach Schaefer and our No. 9-ranked women's basketball team, as they are returning from the Maine Event over the weekend. I encourage all of our Bulldogs in the southern half of the state, as well as Alabama and Louisiana, to watch our ladies play Tulane tonight in Biloxi at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum at 7 p.m.
I also want challenge all of you to fill up The Hump for our first regular season home game on Sunday when we host Texas for a Top-10 matchup in Starkville. Our goal is to get 10,000 in Humphrey Coliseum for the 5 p.m. tipoff. All MSU students and anyone under the age of 18 will be admitted free of charge while general admission tickets are $5.
We are asking everyone to wear black for "StarkVegas Night," an event our marketing staff has gone above and beyond for in their preparations. There will be chances to win anywhere from $100 to $10,000, and we'll be giving away rally towels to the first 5,000 in attendance. I look forward to seeing everyone there.
SENIOR NIGHT AT DAVIS WADE STADIUM
When we fill Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday night to watch MSU play Arkansas, we will also be coming to say goodbye and to say thank you to a very special group of seniors. These young men helped build the foundation for Coach Mullen's program and the success many of them saw the last several years was unprecedented at Mississippi State.
I know how much they have meant to MSU, and I also know how much the MSU family has meant to them. The game begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, so make sure to arrive early as we celebrate these senior Bulldogs in a manner worthy of their sacrifice and success.
CROSS COUNTRY WINS SOUTH REGION, COMPETES AT NATIONALS NEXT
One of the chief aims of all programs on campus is to win championships, and Coach Houston Franks and the ladies of our cross country team did just that over the weekend by winning the NCAA South Region title for the first time in school history and for the first time by any school in Mississippi. A special congratulations goes to Coach Franks for being named the South Region Coach of the Year, a well-deserved honor for him.
The program has consistently grown to be better and better and we are incredibly proud of their accomplishments. Good luck to them all in the NCAA Championships this weekend!
VOLLEYBALL, BASEBALL CONCLUDE FALL SLATES
Coach David McFatrich and the women of our volleyball team had their last road game of the season over the weekend, so we happily welcome them back for a three-game stretch at home to close out the season. Make sure to come by Newell-Grissom to watch as we host Ole Miss tonight at 7 on the SEC Network, welcome Arkansas on Sunday at 3 and close things out against Georgia next Saturday in Starkville.
Additionally, fall baseball finishes up for Coach Cannizaro and the guys this weekend. Finishing fall ball with the annual Bulldog World Series, the team plays Thursday and Friday at 4 p.m. and on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Dudy Noble Field. I know Andy and the whole team would love to have a big crowd cheering on the defending SEC Champs.
We appreciate what you do for Mississippi State Athletics and want to encourage you to get others involved. There are three things you can do to help the athletic department at Mississippi State reach its desired goals –
1. Buy Season Tickets
2. Financially Support the Bulldog Club
3. Get Others To Do The Same
Thanks for taking the time to read this Update.
Hail State!
John Cohen
Director of Athletics
