Wednesday Bulldog Update - 3/2/11
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One of the comments that was said repeatedly was how good a job Mississippi State is doing in the Memphis market. The number of high school students from that area choosing MSU continues to rise each year, and that's a huge credit to the folks in admissions and student recruitment. Great job!
It was my first time in the FedEx Forum. What a great arena! Admittedly, I don't follow the NBA much, but it's hard not to admire the athleticism and hard work of the players at that level.
Prior to the game, we visited with Tyler Clay, a Bulldog fan and eighth grader from Amory who is undergoing treatment at St. Jude's. His face brightened when he saw the autographed Dan Mullen hat, but he really got excited over the Bulldog baseball jersey John Cohen sent. Tyler and his parents, Mark and Julie, have a great positive attitude with respect to Tyler's battle with cancer. Please keep the Clays in your prayers.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO MARY KATHRYN GOVERO
We have been able to watch Mary Kathryn Govero for four years here and we knew she was a very special student-athlete. This week, the Southeastern Conference agreed. Mary Kathryn was named the SEC Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was voted to the All-SEC Second Team by the league coaches. The postseason awards were announced Tuesday by the league office.
Not only does the Clinton, Miss., native rank 12th on the all-time scoring list at MSU with 1,150 points, she is a member of the SEC Community Service team and was named to the Capitol One Academic All-District First Team this season. She has compiled a 3.92 GPA, earning her undergraduate degree in kinesiology, and is currently in her first semester in pursuit of a graduate degree. Mary Kathryn is the first Mississippi State player to receive the Scholar-Athlete award since its inception in 2004.
Mary Kathryn and the Lady Bulldogs open play in the first round of the SEC Tournament tomorrow, when take on Auburn at 9 p.m. CT. This year's tournament will be held at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
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FOOTBALL SEASON TICKET RENEWALS ROLL IN
With college football season still months away, it is exciting to see that we already have 5,500 season tickets paid in full for the 2011 campaign. Additionally, we have 240 accounts on a waiting list for new season tickets and 140 current season ticket holders have expressed an interest in increasing the number of seats on their season ticket order.
As we have said through the years, it is important to join the Bulldog Club and build point totals for your season ticket priority. Whatever season tickets become available following the renewal deadline will be filled based upon that Bulldog Club priority.
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FOOTBALL PRACTICE FACILITY PLANS MATERIALIZING
Members of our department – both from the administrative team and the football coaching staff – met again yesterday with HNTB architects out of Kansas City on the proposed football training facility at the far northwest end of campus. The proposed facility, which will be part of the university’s master facility plan, is targeted for the area north of the Palmeiro Building and immediately west of the current football practice fields.
As we continue to tweak the design, major gift fund-raising is ongoing to take the facility from drawings to reality, and we are excited by both the plans and the funding model. Once all design and funding details are finalized, we will have a better feel for when construction will begin.
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ARAMARK/ATHLETICS COMBINE TO BUY TUESDAY DINNER
With the assistance of the university’s concessions contractor Aramark, we will again offer a discounted hot dog night at Dudy Noble Field in 2011. Beginning next Tuesday, fans may purchase a $2 hot dog at the baseball stadium concession stands at Mississippi State home games. The special pricing will be in effect at each Tuesday home game the remainder of the season. Additionally, Aramark will announce later this spring a special event during the Auburn home baseball weekend.
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SUPER BULLDOG WEEKEND PRESENTED BY REGIONS BANK
We are approximately one month away from the 2011 Super Bulldog Weekend Presented by Regions Bank. The annual spring football game, a weekend baseball series against Florida, and a pig-cooking contest again highlight the three-day affair. But there will be plenty of other things to do on the campus that weekend, including two women’s tennis matches, a pair of softball games, some alumni games, and fun for the whole family at FanFair.
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MISSISSIPPI STATE WEEKEND HOME SPORTS SCHEDULE
Friday, March 4 – Men’s Tennis v Vanderbilt, 2 pm; Softball v Memphis, 3 pm; Baseball v Iowa, 4 pm
Saturday, March 5 – Baseball v Georgia State, 12 pm; Men’s Basketball v South Carolina, 1 pm; Softball v Mississippi Valley State, 2 pm; Softball v Texas A&M, 4 pm; Baseball v Iowa, 4 pm
Sunday, March 6 – Softball v Memphis, 1 pm; Men’s Tennis v Kentucky, 1 pm; Baseball v Georgia State, 2:30 pm
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REMEMBER IT’S MAROON FRIDAY!
It’s a busy sports weekend on the campus again this week, starting with lots of activities on Friday. Are you in the maroon?
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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.
Go Dawgs!
Scott Stricklin