Wednesday Bulldog Update - 12/7/16
December 07, 2016
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On a week in which we take a short break from athletic events for a few days, we want to say good luck to all of our students on campus, athletes and otherwise, as they finish up their semester with final exams this week. My advice, if it's not too late, is to be prepared and be respectful to your teachers.
This weekend, we will celebrate many of those students with December graduation. Specifically, I want to say how incredibly proud we all are of the few dozen Bulldog student-athletes who graduate this weekend. I've said many times that we don't just want to prepare our young men and women for success in their fields of play, but we are determined to prepare them for life after college.
Years and years of hard work from elementary school all the way through graduate school for some have been building to this moment. I'd encourage all of you to take a moment to appreciate what goes into a life of balancing athletics and academics in college. Moments like these are bittersweet for all involved when we have to say goodbye, but we know these are also the moments these students deserve to have. Congratulations to everyone receiving their diploma this weekend.
Also, as we celebrate our graduates, we will do so with the help of SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, who we are honored to have on campus as Friday night's commencement speaker.
FOOTBALL IN ST. PETE FOR CHRISTMAS
As we congratulate those who are graduating, our Bulldogs are reaping the rewards of their commitment to academic excellence. By virtue of having the second-best APR (Academic Progress Rate) score of 5-7 teams, Coach Mullen's team is off to a bowl game for a program record seventh-straight season!
We are thrilled to be playing in the St. Petersburg Bowl on December 26th and excited to spend the holidays in sunny and warm Florida. The board of the St. Pete Bowl knows the reputation Mississippi State fans have earned as dedicated supporters of their team, and I look forward to another great bowl showing in St. Pete this December. If you haven't yet secured tickets, you can do so by visiting www.hailstate.com/tickets
If you are unable to attend but would still like to be involved, we have made available the option to purchase and donate tickets to local military service members in the Tampa-St. Pete area, while still earning credit toward your Bulldog Club ranking. Visit this link for that option.
EXCITING TIME FOR BASKETBALL
Those who have been following know this already, but what a fun run of basketball we've been on lately. Coach Schaefer and our ladies moved up to No. 5 in the country this week! An unblemished 8-0, the Bulldogs were named the NCAA Team of the Week and have been absolutely on fire through a difficult non-conference schedule. Make plans to join us in Hattiesburg on Saturday at 2 p.m. as our women's team takes on in-state foe Southern Miss.
Meanwhile, Coach Howland and our men are on a mini-streak of their own, reaching this portion of the non-conference schedule with a 6-2 record, having won their last three games by a combined 45 total points. This team is jelling quickly as the young group gains experience and comfort on the court, and the return of Quinndary Weatherspoon has made a tremendous impact on this team's confidence and ability. Coach Howland has his squad playing at a high level and they're only getting better. As he builds the program, I challenge everyone to do their part in helping that effort by coming to games, being loud and supporting our Bulldogs through the highs as well as the lows. We are back in action next Wednesday at The Hump against East Tennessee State at 7 p.m. on the SEC Network.
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
