Cohen's Corner - 3/21/18 - Mississippi State

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I want to start today by thanking everyone involved for making the last week of basketball at The Hump one of the best stretches our campus has ever seen. Starting Wednesday with our men hosting the NIT and running through Monday night as our women rolled through the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament at home, we had incredible support for our Bulldogs from start to finish.

Without exception, we heard from every visiting team about how much they loved visiting Starkville and Mississippi State, and credit for that hospitality goes to so many people. Everyone from marketing, ticketing, communication, facilities and Bulldog Club through coaching staffs, local businesses and the MSU fans who packed out The Hump had a part in creating such enjoyable experiences for everyone involved.

With over 20,000 coming to watch Saturday and Monday, we had the second-largest overall attendance of all 16 host sites in the women's NCAA Tournament, and we were the only site in the country to completely sell out of tickets. That is a testament to the dedication of our fans and to the program that Coach Schaefer has helped us build. Thank you to everyone who helped create the best atmosphere anywhere for college basketball.

Our basketball teams are on the road from here, but I know our enthusiasm and support goes with them everywhere. We can't wait to watch Coach Schaefer and our ladies in the Sweet Sixteen for the third-straight year in Kansas City this weekend, and we are thrilled to cheer on Coach Howland and our men in New York City as they head to Madison Square Garden for the NIT Final Four. It's always a good time to be a Bulldog, and these days prove that more than ever.

RANKED TENNIS TEAMS ROLLING IN SEC PLAY

I'm starting to say this every Wednesday, but what an incredible week it's been for our two tennis programs, both ranked in the Top 25 with our women at No. 24 and our men at No. 13 in the country. Each of our tennis teams are coming off even more big wins, not their first and surely not their last of the year.

First, congrats to Coach Greenan and our ladies for back-to-back wins over Top-15 teams (first time in school history), taking down No. 2 and defending SEC Champion Vanderbilt as well as No. 14 Kentucky last week. They were thrilling matches and a tremendous sign of what our Bulldogs can do. Our ladies are on the road this week at Missouri and Arkansas and we wish them luck as they build on three-straight SEC victories.

Meanwhile, Coach Roberts and our men are back in town riding an undefeated 4-0 start to SEC play that has them soaring up the rankings. They have a pair of Top 25 matchups on deck at home this weekend - No. 19 Vanderbilt on Friday at 3 p.m. and No. 21 Kentucky at 1 on Sunday afternoon - both with free admission. Let's pack out the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre this weekend as we cheer them on!

SOFTBALL OFF TO RECORD START, HOSTS FOUR GAMES THIS WEEK

It seems like every time you turn around lately there's another team at MSU making history and earning national recognition, and our softball team is one of the most impressive programs doing it. At No. 23 in the country and coming off an SEC-opening series win at Missouri over the weekend, Coach Stuedeman and our 25-4 Bulldogs are off to the best 29-game start ever for the program. With veteran leadership and young talent, this team has come together quickly and is showing the country that they are a contender on the national scene.

If you haven't yet come out to see our ladies play, you've got four opportunities this week to do so, starting tonight at 6 against Central Arkansas in a game broadcast nationally on SEC Network. This weekend, we host Georgia in a three-game series playing Friday night at 6 and then Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 2. Come join us at Nusz Park for a premier weekend of softball. As always, admission to all games is free. Also, a reminder that all midweek games are teal matchups, where we ask fans to wear teal in support of the "No One Fights Alone" ovarian cancer awareness campaign.

AL SCHMIDT BULLDOG RELAYS FRIDAY, SATURDAY

This weekend, Coach Dudley and our track and field teams host their annual home event, the Al Schmidt Bulldog Relays. As our men and women get their outdoor season underway, make plans to come by Friday and Saturday to see some of the nation's best athletes competing at a high level. Field events begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, followed by running events starting at 3 p.m., with action lasting all the way until 7 o'clock.

Saturday's events begin at 11 a.m. with field competition, closely joined by running events at noon. In addition to all the competition, we will also be recognizing legendary coach Al Schmidt, as well as 11 seniors on the team. We look forward to having a big crowd cheering on our Bulldogs in an event free and open to all.

MEN'S GOLF STARTING HOT

In yet another example of a team performing at an elite level and a program on the rise, our men's golf team has put together back-to-back Top-5 finishes in its last two tournaments. First-year head coach Dusty Smith has taken on the job with an infectious enthusiasm and an unrelenting work ethic that has spurred his team on to immediate success on the links.

While we'll be cheering for them on the road in the coming weeks, let's go ahead and make plans in advance to show up in full force when we host the annual Old Waverly Collegiate April 16-17 in West Point at our home course. It is an opportunity to showcase some of the best players and one of the best courses in the country.

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

Mississippi State University Athletics

Cohen's Corner - 3/21/18

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