Tuesday, May 29, 2018   
 
Grant Presidential Library, local historian partner in search for former Union soldier graves
A Columbus cemetery known as one of the sites where the Memorial Day holiday began could soon be home to another memorial. Historians with the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library at Mississippi State and local historian Rufus Ward are exploring Friendship Cemetery in Columbus to locate previously unknown and unmarked graves of Union soldiers from the Civil War. Later this fall, University of Mississippi Associate Professor of Anthropology Tony Boudreaux will use remote sensing technology to explore the site believed to hold unmarked Union graves. John Marszalek, MSU Giles Distinguished Professor of history emeritus and executive director of the Ulysses S. Grant Association, said the local research project fits with the Civil War expertise of MSU. Collections housed at the Grant Presidential Library have been used in the research of several prominent works on Grant and the Civil War.
 
MSU library, Ole Miss anthropologist, local historian search for Union graves
A Columbus cemetery known as one of the sites where the Memorial Day holiday began could soon be home to another memorial. Historians with the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library at Mississippi State and local historian Rufus Ward are exploring Friendship Cemetery in Columbus to locate previously unknown and unmarked graves of Union soldiers from the Civil War. Later this fall, University of Mississippi Associate Professor of Anthropology Tony Boudreaux will use remote sensing technology to explore the site believed to hold unmarked Union graves. Depending on what the researchers find, a memorial could be put in place to mark the burial spot of the soldiers, who likely were treated and died at the Columbus military hospital during the war, Ward said in a news release.
 
Buried history: Research effort revealed for Friendship Cemetery
The city of Columbus has a rich history in the origins of what is now known as Memorial Day, but another layer of history could be somewhere underground in the back corner of the city's Friendship Cemetery. An informal announcement ceremony was held in the southwest corner of the cemetery Thursday morning, which saw academics and local historians reveal their intent to use technology to find what could be as many as eight unmarked graves of Union soldiers who died in the Civil War as a result of the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862. Local newspaper columnist Rufus Ward, who serves as chairman of the Billups-Garth Foundation, said the discovery of a 1877 newspaper article led researchers to believe that several Union soldiers were buried in the cemetery. Ward discussed some local history to add context to the project, which is a collaborative effort of the Billups-Garth Foundation, The Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library at Mississippi State and Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Mississippi.
 
Archaeological project hopes to confirm Union soldiers' graves in Friendship Cemetery
On Memorial Day in 1866, barely a year after the end of the Civil War, a group of Columbus women decorated the Friendship Cemetery graves of Confederate soldiers -- along with the graves of several unknown Union soldiers. Now, more than 150 years later, a handful of Mississippi historians are determined to learn if any of those Union soldiers are still in the cemetery. Local historian Rufus Ward, alongside University of Mississippi archaeologist Tony Boudreaux and Mississippi State University's John Marszalek -- executive director of the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial Library -- all announced the project Thursday during a press conference. Boudreaux also said this is the only project he knows of, at least in Mississippi, where Union and Confederate soldiers are buried together -- something Marszalek said is extremely important. "Somebody asked about this earlier," said Marszalek. "'How's it possible the Grant Presidential Library is in Mississippi?' Well how's it possible that Union soldiers are buried next to Confederate soldiers here in the heart of Mississippi? I think what we see happening here is at least a recognition that the war is over and we need to come together, we need to work together and we need to honor those people who died for a cause that they believed in."
 
Mississippi State archeologists study remains found at UMMC
A meticulous, reverent task is underway in a laboratory located in Etheridge Hall on the Mississippi State University campus. MSU associate professor of anthropology Molly Zuckerman and graduate students in the MSU Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures are studying bone fragments and pieces from a large gravesite discovered in 2012. The site was discovered during road construction on the University of Mississippi Medical Center campus in Jackson. Some estimates state as many as 7,000 bodies are buried in the site, all deceased patients of the Mississippi State Asylum from the 1855 to 1935. Plans are currently underway to exhume more of the bodies. Zuckerman said studying the bones could be like reading a book of a person's life, with injuries, health, sex, diet and lifestyle all apparent. Dating of the remains was done in part by examining the wood rings in samples taken from the pine coffins the bodies were found in.
 
Planning, communication key to managing finances
Handling finances can be difficult at any age, but older Mississippians face even greater challenges when expenses rise and forgetfulness sets in.Planning, communication key to managing finances. At what point adult children need to step in with assistance is a personal decision for every family, said Susan Cosgrove, family resource management associate with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. "Each adult child must look for signs of changes in their parents' behavior to know when it is time to help," Cosgrove said. Cosgrove and her sister share the responsibility of overseeing their 97-year-old mother's finances. Based on her experience, she said it is best to get involved and make some management decisions years before they are expected to be needed.
 
Kenworth and UPS to collaborate on DOE SuperTruck II program
Kenworth announced that it is working together with UPS under the U.S. Department of Energy's SuperTruck II program, utilizing the Kenworth T680 tractor and the PACCAR MX engine. Goals for the SuperTruck II program include the demonstration of greater than 100% improvement in freight efficiency over 2009 equivalent products, and a 55% engine increase in brake thermal efficiency performance. PACCAR joins four other SuperTruck II teams working to develop such innovative technologies designed to more than double the freight efficiency of Class 8 trucks. Up to $12 million in additional funding could be awarded for the Kenworth T680 and PACCAR MX engine project over the next three years, subject to annual appropriations by Congress. Kenworth says it is also working closely with the PACCAR Technical Center and DAF Trucks NV, a subsidiary of PACCAR, Eaton, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Mississippi State University, and AVL.
 
Starkville aims to tackle water infrastructure
Infrastructure and parks are coming into focus as major considerations as Starkville begins its planning cycle for the Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget. Aldermen discussed the budget as part of a Friday work session. During that discussion, Mayor Lynn Spruill said she'd like to see the city take a more proactive stance on its infrastructure issues, particularly in regards to aging water lines. Spruill said she's talked to Starkville Utilities Director Terry Kemp about addressing water issues around town, particularly for replacing all of the water and sewer lines in a neighborhood at once, rather than doing patchwork fixes. She said Kemp is compiling a list of where the leaks are and what it would cost to replace the lines.
 
Starkville settles Pride lawsuit
Starkville aldermen have accepted the terms of a settlement agreement for Starkville Pride's federal lawsuit against the city for denying its parade request. Aldermen met Friday morning for a special-call session that included discussing the settlement. Mayor Lynn Spruill, speaking to local media after Friday's meeting, said aldermen voted 4-1 in executive session to accept the settlement, though she did not disclose how aldermen voted. She said that information will be available when the meeting's minutes are finalized. Spruill said the city has to pay $12,750 for the settlement agreement, which includes Starkville Pride's attorney fees. Spruill said she's glad to have the lawsuit behind the city. She added she'd like to focus on other issues, such as infrastructure and parks and recreation, which featured heavily in a budget work session that followed Friday's settlement decision.
 
OCH Regional Medical Center could decide on affiliation by June
The OCH Regional Medical Center's Board of Trustees held the last of three meetings Thursday to evaluate proposals from three health care systems vying for an affiliation with the hospital. Linda Breazeale, the chair of the OCH board, said she expects to meet with the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors to report on the meetings, with a decision on which group OCH will affiliate to come soon after. Memphis-based Baptist Memorial Health Services, North Mississippi Health Services of Tupelo and the Jackson-based University of Mississippi Medical Center all have made proposals. "We have had really good discussions," Breazeale said.
 
Waffle House open for business, even in hurricanes
Scattered. Covered. Smothered. Chunked. Peppered. Topped. Add it to your hashbrowns, or to your eggs, or to anything on the menu. You might have to wait a while, especially if you're dining after midnight at one of the busiest locations in the U.S., but Waffle House won't tell you "no" if they have it and can make it. And since hurricane season doesn't officially begin until June 1 and there's already a tropical system in Gulf of Mexico, it's likely Coast residents can rely on Waffle House to stay open during the storm. Subtropical Storm Alberto is expected to make landfall on the Gulf Coast by Monday morning, bringing heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding. But precipitation and street flooding won't turn off the lights inside the yellow and brown diners that light up Beach Boulevard 24/7/365.
 
With no primary threat, Sen. Roger Wicker stresses conservative values
For months, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker's campaign had been planning for a primary challenge from Chris McDaniel, the conservative anti-establishment's darling. Then McDaniel flipped races, announcing he would instead run to fill out the remaining two years of the seat Cochran resigned in April. The seat is now held by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith thanks to a Gov. Phil Bryant appointment. Though Wicker's campaign manager Justin Brassell assured Mississippi Today that "we're taking the primary very seriously," the McDaniel flip-flop shifted the Wicker camp's outlook of the June primary from a potentially tough moment to a cakewalk against little-known candidate, Richard Boyanton.
 
Mississippi's Congressional primary election day is next week
The Congressional primary elections are one week from Tuesday. But not everyone realizes that or knows what races will be on the ballot. "I've seen signs but I did think they were for something on down the road or maybe for something that wasn't pertaining to my county," said Veronica Harris. Some voters reluctantly admit they haven't keyed into elections. "My mind hasn't been on anything," noted Jim Settlemire. "I've been focusing on NBA and ballgames. I forgot about it. I just plum forgot about it." The most hotly contested House race seems to be District 3 and the seat being vacated by Congressman Gregg Harper. "Anytime you have a chance to vote--primary, general election, whatever, you should get out there and vote because it's going to move your candidate forward or leave them in the dirt," said Billy Robinson.
 
Race, not issues, drives debate in Delta special election
While driving through the neighborhoods of Cleveland, it's hard to ignore the racial undertones of the special runoff election to decide who represents one of the state's few majority African American districts. Tracey Rosebud is black and from Tutwiler; Blake Ferretti is white and from Cleveland. They are squaring off in a runoff special election for the House seat left vacant by retiring Rep. Robert Huddleston, a black Democrat. Although the runoff is officially nonpartisan, Democratic groups are supporting Rosebud while conservative groups back Ferretti. The seat, which Huddleston held for 23 years before abruptly retiring earlier this year, represents a district that is 61 percent black. The district -- stretching from Shaw, up to Cleveland, over to Ruleville, and up toward Clarksdale -- was drawn in the early 1990s for a black representative. Going into Tuesday's runoff election, many across the district are asking: Should a white person win this seat?
 
Analysis: Pay gap and cost of child care create obstacles
A new report reinforces what many Mississippi residents already know, but legislators don't often discuss: affordable child care is vital to the state economy. Parents can't work outside the home if they can't find a safe place for their babies and young children to stay and learn. But high-quality child care can cost thousands of dollars a year, and that forces many families to calculate whether it's even worthwhile for someone to take a relatively low-paying job if a big chunk of income is going to be eaten up by child care. It's an issue that particularly affects single mothers. The report, "Boosting Economic Growth in Mississippi through Employment Equity," was released last week by the Mississippi Low-Income Child Care Initiative and a national group called PolicyLink, which has offices in New York, Washington, and Oakland, California.
 
Cotton Makes a Comeback in U.S. Plains as Farmers Sour on Wheat
Farmers in Kansas and Oklahoma are planting more land with cotton than they have for decades as they ditch wheat, attracted by relatively high cotton prices and the crop's ability to withstand drought. A 20-percent increase from last year marks a sharp turnaround for the crop that once dominated the Mississippi Delta into Texas. Just three years ago, low prices led to U.S. farmers planting the fewest acres with cotton in over 30 years. The switch to cotton in the southern plains of the United States could be long term as farmers move away from a global wheat market that is increasingly dominated by fast-growing supply from top exporter Russia. U.S. farmers have struggled to make a profit on wheat due to a global glut. Cotton is a safer bet than wheat because it can be grown with less water, at a time when drought has hit some areas of the U.S. farm belt.
 
IHL: 'No truth to rumor' about Chancellor Jeff Vitter's contract
Just a few hours after the Ole Miss Rebels made headlines for beating Texas A&M to land a spot in the SEC Tournament championship, University of Mississippi Chancellor Jeff Vitter's name started popping up on social media and news sites after a reporter tweeted that Vitter's contract with the university would not be renewed. Other news outlets picked up the tweet by RebelGrove.com publisher Neal McCready, including the Clarion-Ledger and Hottytoddy.com, which both posted stories online only to remove it shortly after they went live. McCready's tweet said, "Per two sources with knowledge of the situation, Ole Miss chancellor Dr. Jeffrey Vitter has been informed his contract with the university will not be renewed when it expires on June 30, 2020." However, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning told the EAGLE via email that there is "no truth to the rumor."
 
USM 'Paws for Patriots' program matches student veterans with dogs
Gary Crispell often feels anxious. The University of Southern Mississippi Ph.D. student said it started when he was a Navy Seabee, with deployments to Iraq in 2008 and Okinawa in 2009-10. Crispell, who is studying molecular biology, calls his feelings generalized anxiety disorder. "I have issues with anxiety," he said. "I work in a laboratory all day and I get anxious, even by myself." But Crispell recently got a little help to relieve his unease --- a German Shepherd puppy through a new "Paws for Patriots" program at the Southern Miss Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families. The pure-bred puppy -- named Major -- was donated by Army veteran Dustin Simmons, who launched the program with his gift. "We at the veterans center are continuing to focus on supporting the veterans who go to school here," said center director Maj. Gen. Jeff Hammond.
 
Southern Miss Children's Center grad earns hefty scholarship to university
For Ethan Taylor, life is about to come full circle. The high school graduate recently received a $26,000 Annual Academic Excellence Scholarship from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he will be studying sports broadcasting in the fall. But this won't be his first time to attend Southern Miss. Taylor is already an alumnus. Taylor's relationship with the university began long ago when he was a young child. His parents enrolled him at The Children's Center for Communication and Development. This nonprofit organization, located on the Southern Miss Hattiesburg campus, specializes in providing top-notch, cost-free services for infants and children with disabilities and their families. For Ethan's family, finding the center meant their son could be prepared for the kind of successes he has achieved since graduating from the program.
 
U. of Alabama researcher to work on Navy program
A teacher at the University of Alabama is getting more than $500,000 to conduct research with the U.S. Navy. A statement from the school says Andrew Lemmon, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, will receive the money over three years for his work with the Office of Naval Research. Lemmon is working to help advance technology in the Navy's plan for constructing ships over the next three decades. That includes a potential shift to methods that would allow ship propulsion and other systems to be powered from a common system, reducing the total amount of power needed. Lemmon is one of 31 recipients through a naval program for young inventors. More than 340 people applied.
 
University arborist says Auburn Oaks are doing well
The Auburn Oaks are, beyond any shadow of doubt, a source of pride for the Auburn Family. Standing tall at Magnolia Avenue and College Street, two trees on the corner have represented the spirit that is not afraid for decades upon decades. And it appears, this time, the current trees may stand for many more. University arborist Alex Hedgepath recently expressed confidence in the overall health of the two trees with root development continuing to occur and strength shown in the wake of rollings throughout the 2017-18 football season. "Both oak canopies are in fair condition," Hedgepath said. "Each tree has some tip dieback in the upper fourth of the canopy, but the leaves that have pushed out have strong color and shoot elongation has also been encouraging." Members of the Auburn Family are well aware of the recent tumultuous past of the Auburn Oaks.
 
Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos got nearly $3M bonus after budget cuts, layoffs
Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos was paid more than $4 million in 2016, the same year his responsibilities were reduced because of the university's split with Vanderbilt University Medical Center. In 2016, Zeppos was credited with $4.3 million in total compensation, including a $2.9 million bonus, according to Vanderbilt tax returns provided in response to a request from the USA TODAY NETWORK. Zeppos' total pay in 2016 was comparable to the highest-paid presidents of private universities in the country in recent years. The timing raises questions of the reason for the bonus, especially considering budget cuts and layoffs at Vanderbilt in the years preceding the large incentive payment, and as the university prepared to split from the hospital. Vanderbilt University spokesman Princine Lewis declined to provide the specific reason for Zeppos' bonus when asked if it was paid for certain goals met or completion of a contract.
 
U. of Tennessee's vice chancellor for communications leaves weeks after chancellor was fired
Vice Chancellor for Communications for the University of Tennessee- Knoxville, Ryan Robinson, has left his post, according to Tyra Haag, director of media relations for the university. Robinson resigned on Monday, about three weeks after Chancellor Beverly Davenport was fired. He was earning a salary of $255,000, according to Haag. "I believe he just wanted to pursue other opportunities," Haag said of Robinson's reason for departing. "It was an amicable parting of ways." Haag said she did not have a sense that Robinson was planning to resign -- "not fully" -- but she and her colleagues also were not completely surprised. "I don't believe it blindsided our team," Haag said. Vice Chancellor for Student Life Vincent Carilli will fill in as the Vice Chancellor for Communications, according to Haag, though he will not take an interim title.
 
Why did Tennessee hire Beverly Davenport as chancellor in the first place?
Beverly Davenport's communication skills made her a standout in the trio of accomplished finalists vying for the University of Tennessee Knoxville's chief post. At least that's what Bonnie Ownley remembers. "That is the irony of it all," said Ownley, a professor of plant pathology at UT Knoxville who served on the chancellor search committee as a representative of the university's Faculty Senate. The very skills that Ownley applauded in Davenport upon her hiring tie into the skills, or lack thereof, that expedited her firing. While "her ability to communicate openly in describing her past experiences and what her vision was" for the institution impressed Ownley, by the end of her campus reign University of Tennessee System President Joe DiPietro branded as "very poor" her communication skills in one-on-one, small group and business transactions.
 
'I am no thief,' says professor as U. of Kentucky begins fight to fire him
Attempts to fire a tenured University of Kentucky faculty member for the first time in at least five decades began Wednesday, when journalism professor Buck Ryan appeared at a meeting of the Senate Advisory Committee on Privilege and Tenure. "The provost is trying to hang me on three hooks, theft, dishonesty and neglect of duty," Ryan said in addressing the committee. "I am no thief, I'm as honest as the next guy, and I'm always taking my duty as a professor very seriously. I plead not guilty. Thank you for listening." The committee then went into executive session to discuss the matter, but did not take any action after the closed-door session, said chairwoman Jenny Minier. Ryan, winner of numerous teaching awards, has clashed with university administrators before.
 
Washington and Lee faces unusual challenges in confronting its history
In recent years, many colleges have studied their histories, publicized their ties to slavery or segregation, and reconsidered symbols that strike critics as inappropriate for an era of inclusiveness. Statues have come down. Buildings have been renamed. New institutional histories have been published. Washington and Lee University has not been immune. President George Washington provided an initial endowment for the college. Robert E. Lee was president of what was then Washington College from 1865, shortly after he surrendered his army, until 1870, when he died. As president, he led the college to financial stability and expanded the curriculum. His ideas are credited with the eventual development of the university's honor code. Shortly after he died, the board of the college changed the name of the institution to Washington and Lee. All presidents since Lee have lived in his house.
 
A call to teach
Angela Farmer, an assistant professor of educational leadership at Mississippi State, writes: "In today's complex world there are an endless list of career choices from which 21st century children can select. Whether it's to pursue a passion for technology services, healthcare, law or engineering, the opportunities expand daily. While the careers yet to be imagined are, many times, fantastic options, there is a select area of study, which regularly receives less than its full measure of daylight. A career in teaching, serving the educational needs of tomorrow's adults, remains one of the more rewarding options available when analyzing the career paths available."
 
Wrong school fixes will keep children shamefully behind
Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: "Emerging initiative 'Empower Mississippi' is right that many children do not 'flourish' in Mississippi public schools. But the fix it wants is wrong. Just as the fix proposed by the 'Better Schools, Better Jobs' initiative was wrong. Neither creating a new entitlement program in the guise of school choice nor making Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) funding mandatory will help our children flourish in school. Given all the conservatives jumping on the Empower Mississippi bandwagon, you would think it provides a conservative fix. Nope. Instead it would give parents an entitlement to tax dollars (not a conservative thing at all)."
 
Flexibility, basic skills key to success
Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: "This is the time when thousands of students will graduate from high school and college. It is a great achievement for both students and parents. Our society depends on successive generations developing the skills to carry on our society. This is no easy task. Our society has become increasingly complex. For the parents, it is the fruition of the hard and expensive work of raising a child. Each child is different and they don't come with instructions. Parenthood requires an extreme amount of hard work, dedication, love and patience. Congratulations. The same is true of students. Sitting for hours and hours in class paying attention is not an easy thing to do, especially in our age of endless distractions. Learning discipline and perseverance is critical to becoming a successful adult. Congratulations."
 
Bennie Thompson, Mike Espy have different approaches to public office
Longtime Mississippi journalist Charlie Mitchell writes: "Bennie Thompson and Mike Espy are African-American men. That's what they have in common. Other than both being members of the Democratic Party, that's about all they have in common. Thompson has represented Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District since 1993 when Espy, his predecessor, was selected to be Secretary of Agriculture by incoming President Bill Clinton. Last week, Thompson called on his fellow Democrats at the national level to lubricate Espy's bid to succeed U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran. Espy could use some cash, no doubt, as he campaigns in advance of the Nov. 6 special election. The two are not likely to campaign together, though. Thompson trash-talks and scares white people, and that's not a tactic Espy has ever used."
 
Mississippi House, Senate midterm elections quiet, too quiet
The Clarion-Ledger's Geoff Pender writes: "To quote John Wayne in 'The Lucky Texan,' 'It's quiet, too quiet,' considering Mississippi has one hotly contested U.S. House and two hotly contested Senate elections pending and a dog's breakfast of candidates running. All the state's pointy-headed politicos, myself included, had predicted by now a political storm of epic proportions or, as Alan Lange of Y'all Politics put it, that 'a donnybrook was about to ensue.' But so far with the June 5 primaries nearly upon us for two of the races ... there's still radio silence and no real battles joined. As Lange put it, 'no meaningful punch has been thrown.'"


SPORTS
 
Mississippi State's perseverance pays off with NCAA Regional berth
Mississippi State's perseverance was rewarded with a trip to the postseason. In a season that started with Andy Cannizaro resigning three games in amid an off-the-field scandal along with a 12-game road trip, the Bulldogs kept battling under interim head coach Gary Henderson and were selected to the Tallahassee Regional as a No. 2 seed on Monday. MSU (31-25) will open the regional against No. 3 seed Oklahoma (36-23) on Friday at 11 a.m. CT on ESPNU. Host Florida State (43-17) meets fourth-seeded Samford (36-24) Friday at 6 p.m. "It's unheard of what those kids went through and what we went through as a staff," Henderson said. "But I'm very appreciative of our coaching staff here, they've worked really hard with no hidden agendas. Obviously the kids and their families jumped on board. There were no shortage of distractions but our kids did a great job and I have a lot of respect for them."
 
Mississippi State baseball finds out its postseason fate
After one of the most unpredictable regular seasons in Mississippi State baseball history, the Bulldogs on Monday learned their fate in the NCAA Tournament, as they watched the announcement by themselves inside the school's Hall of Champions. As a No. 2 seed, the Bulldogs (31-25) will travel to the Tallahassee Regional, the NCAA announced on Monday. Mississippi State will play Oklahoma (36-23) at 11 a.m. Friday (ESPNU) in the double-elimination format. Florida State (43-17) and Samford (36-24) are the other two teams in the regional. Mississippi State locked up a NCAA Tournament appearance after sweeping No. 1 Florida in the final series of the regular season.
 
Mississippi State baseball makes NCAA Tournament for 37th time
What didn't seem at all possible just a couple of months ago became a reality for Mississippi State on Monday. The Bulldogs are back in the NCAA Tournament. Despite sporting a below-.500 record entering the month of April, MSU's outstanding run over the last several weeks resulted in being placed in the Tallahassee Regional hosted by Florida State. The Bulldogs, making their 37th NCAA appearance, will be the No. 2 seed in Tallahassee and will battle third-seeded Oklahoma on Friday at 11 a.m. in the regional opener. The No. 1 seed and host Seminoles are also in the field along with fourth-seeded Samford. "We're excited, as you can imagine," MSU interim head coach Gary Henderson said. "From where we were at the beginning of February to where we are now, we're pumped up, fired up and excited."
 
Gary Henderson praises Mississippi State players, coaches for turnaround
No one envies the situation Gary Henderson was given in February. After the Mississippi State baseball was named the No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament's Tallahassee Regional on Monday morning, MSU's players praised the job their interim head coach did to get them there with a 31-25 record. "You come home after getting swept opening weekend, it's definitely not how you plan to start the season, and then he's thrown into the head coaching role. What he's done there is unbelievable," junior center fielder Jake Mangum said. "15-15 in conference is extremely hard to do in this league. He gave us an identity is what he did. He's done this for a long time, and we have trust in him. From where we were as a team, February 21st to now, we've made great strides as a team." Henderson deflected the credit back to his players and assistant coaches.
 
Mississippi State heads to Florida State looking to capitalize on late-season momentum
Mississippi State is in the NCAA Tournament for the 37th time -- and the second time after starting a season 0-3. As a No. 2 seed, the Bulldogs (31-25) will travel to the Tallahassee Regional, the NCAA announced on Monday. Mississippi State will play Oklahoma (36-23) at 11 a.m. Friday (ESPNU) in the double-elimination format. Florida State (43-17) and Samford (36-24) are the other two teams in the regional. Here are three thoughts about Mississippi State and its tournament draw.
 
Sweep of Florida key to Mississippi State's bid to NCAA tournament
The third weekend of May saved the Mississippi State baseball team's season. MSU entered that weekend 12-15 in the Southeastern Conference with No. 1 Florida coming to Dudy Noble Field. The opportunity for a resume and a Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) boost was obvious. The sweep that followed not only solidified MSU's place in the NCAA tournament despite a loss to LSU in the first round of the SEC tournament. On Monday, MSU received a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament's Tallahassee Regional hosted by Florida State. MSU (31-25) will take on No. 3 seed Oklahoma (36-23) at 11 a.m. Friday (ESPNU) at Dick Howser Stadium. MSU is part of a field that has just one team (Texas A&M) with a sub-.500 conference record. Kentucky, which went 13-17 in the SEC regular season, missed out on the tournament despite a RPI of 30 largely because of its sub-.500 league record.
 
Riley Self could be State's secret weapon for postseason
It might be a strange concept to consider with Riley Self pitching in over 30 contests a year ago, but he could be a secret weapon for Mississippi State this postseason. Yes, Self is a sophomore with a great amount of experience already under his belt. However, there's reason to believe this version of the Magnolia Heights alum could be as dangerous as ever starting this week. "It feels great to be back out there and feels good to be put in those situations because it shows that coach (Gary) Henderson still has trust in me," Self said. "I had a little inflammation in my rotator cuff so it was probably coming from my surgery in the fall, coming back and throwing too much and not getting much rest at all. We got it fixed and I feel great now."
 
AD John Cohen says still no timetable on getting new Mississippi State head baseball coach
Mississippi State director of athletics John Cohen says he has no timeline for announcing MSU's next head baseball coach and that he has still been in contact with multiple candidates. Cohen's comments were made to the Starkville Daily News on Monday as he made his way to the Southeastern Conference's annual spring meetings, which begin today in Destin, Florida. When asked directly if Mississippi State might possibly announce a hire before the Bulldogs' season concludes -- possibly as soon as this week -- Cohen wouldn't comment, but said there are multiple factors to consider. Those include MSU's group of signees as well as the upcoming Major League Baseball Draft, which begins next Monday, June 4. It may be to Mississippi State's benefit to have a coach in place as any signees or current players that are drafted make decisions on their futures.
 
Ole Miss, USM and Mississippi State baseball are all NCAA tourney bound
The Magnolia State is again well represented in the NCAA baseball tournament and Oxford should be the scene of quite the regional this week. Ole Miss, Southern Miss and Mississippi State are all tourney bound. Ole Miss (46-15) will play host to No. 4 seed St. Louis at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Southern Miss (43-16) will take part in Arkansas's Fayetteville Regional as the No. 2 seed. The Golden Eagles will play No. 3 seed Dallas Baptist (40-19) of the Missouri Valley Conference at 7 p.m. on Friday. Mississippi State (31-25) is the No. 2 seed in Tallahassee and will face No. 3 Oklahoma (36-23) at 11 a.m. on Friday. No. 1 seed Florida State (43-17) will battle No. 4 Samford (36-24) at 6 p.m. on Friday.
 
Battling is in the Bulldogs' DNA
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Logan Lowery writes: "Last year, I wrote several columns complimenting the job Andy Cannizaro did in getting Mississippi State to a Super Regional despite a depleted pitching staff. This season the praise goes to Gary Henderson, who in all honesty deserved his fair share for last year's success as well. Henderson has somehow managed to hold this team together despite a less than ideal situation. ...Already 0-3 and facing nearly a month long road trip to start the season, no one would've blamed the Bulldogs if they had mailed it in and started fresh next year with a new coach in newly completed stadium. But that simply is not in this MSU team's DNA. This club continues to battle despite the deck stacked against them as evidenced by 17 comeback wins and a 9-1 record versus teams ranked in the top five."
 
Mississippi State sends four more to Oregon for NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Four more Mississippi State athletes are headed to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships after advancing from the East Prelims on Saturday. The Bulldogs will send 10 individuals and two relays to Eugene, Oregon, on June 6-9 for the final two rounds. "What a great weekend for our kids," MSU coach Steve Dudley said. "They fought their way to Oregon. Karson Kowalchuk and our 400-meter hurdlers had what's probably the best weekend of competition of their lives." Rhianwedd Price-Weimer also qualified despite taking the brunt of the day's weather. During the some of the heaviest rains of the day, she clocked a 4:15.18 to take fifth overall in the 1,500. The Bulldogs broke two freshmen records and eight season bests.
 
Mississippi State's Nuno Borges' incredible season ends in NCAA Semifinals
Another spectacular All-American season is in the books for Mississippi State men's tennis junior Nuno Borges. The second-ranked and third-seeded Borges once again reached the semifinals of the NCAA Singles Championship, but dropped a hard-fought 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 decision to Wake Forest's seventh-ranked and seventh-seeded Borna Gojo on Sunday at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex. Borges put together yet another banner season for the Maroon and White, becoming the first player in SEC men's tennis history to ever capture league Player and Scholar-Athlete of the Year laurels in a career, let alone the same season. Borges also became the third player in SEC history earn Player of the Year honors twice. He also captured the ITA's prestigious Arthur Ashe, Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award. On the court, Borges not only earned singles All-American status, but also earned the billing on the doubles courts.
 
Mississippi State hands Louisville another loss
Louisville women's basketball coach Jeff Walz received a one-game NCAA Tournament suspension for comments he made at the scorer's table during the Final Four. The NCAA issued a public reprimand to Walz on Friday. NCAA officials said in a release that Walz "directed inappropriate comments and profane language" toward committee members and staffers during Louisville's 73-63 overtime loss to Mississippi State in a March 30 NCAA semifinal in Columbus, Ohio. The Division I Women's Basketball Committee noted Walz had been reprimanded several times in the past. It decided to apply a stronger penalty to discourage future misconduct.
 
Transfer rule changes, expanding misconduct policy among topics at SEC spring meetings
Tom Crean has plans for his 25th wedding anniversary Tuesday courtesy of the new conference he now calls home. The Georgia men's basketball coach will spend it at the SEC spring meetings like all football and basketball coaches in the league. The event is scheduled for Tuesday through Friday at the Sandestin Hilton. Crean used to attend Conference USA meetings at the same beachfront hotel in Destin, Fla., when he was at Marquette. "It will be good to be back," he said. "We used to be in and then the SEC would come in right behind us. We'd be leaving as they'd be coming." Some topics up for discussion this week as presidents and athletic directors also gather include transfer rules, expanding serious misconduct rule to high school recruits, and sports gambling.
 
If Florida builds it, will they come?
Florida baseball coach Kevin O'Sullivan said he appreciates the fan support he's received throughout his 11-year tenure. "It really helps our team," O'Sullivan said. As Florida steamrolled through another stellar baseball season under O'Sullivan in 2018, fans flocked to McKethan Stadium in record numbers. Florida finished the regular season averaging a record 4,083 fans, up slightly from its national championship campaign in 2017 (4,015). In addition, Florida took advantage of the momentum of its first national title by selling its most season tickets since 2006. Yet with a new, more modern ballpark on the way in 2020, there is hope for greater attendance gains and more frequent sellouts. "I definitely think it can be a hot ticket and a happening place, more so than it currently is," Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said.
 
Expansion still possible for Big 12? New chairman thinks current size is positive
Oklahoma President David Boren made no secret about his agenda when he became chairman of the Big 12 board of directors two years ago. Boren's Big 12 successor, West Virginia President E. Gordon Gee, has his own checklist as he heads into the conference's spring meetings next week in Irving. It's not as ambitious as Boren's foray into expansion and a football title game and a conference network but something that Gee sees as important for the conference's next step. "I think what David really wanted to do is make sure we had a voice and we had a clarity in terms of who we are," Gee said during a Thursday visit to Dallas. "My goal has been to solidify the conference. ... Because we're small, we really have to do a great culture. We need to think together. We don't need to have divisions in the house. I work very hard on that."



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