| Tuesday, May 11, 2021 |
| Unlocking herbaria biodiversity using a QR code | |
 | In the past decade, next-generation sequencing technologies have revolutionized the way in which genetic data are generated and analyzed. In the field of phylogenetics, this has meant that researchers are rapidly reconstructing the genealogical tree of life, a goal biologists have been working toward since Darwin sketched the first phylogeny in 1837. Despite the relative ease with which DNA can now be sequenced in large quantities, scientists must first extract that DNA from an organism, often relying on vast numbers of specimens in museums and herbaria, or collections of plant specimens. With more than 250,000 species in the plant kingdom alone, the acquisition and documentation of specimen material is the most time-consuming and error-prone process in large studies. In a paper published in Applications in Plant Sciences, U.S. National Science Foundation-funded researchers automated the collecting process by using a combination of unique object identifiers, QR codes and citizen science. "Our goal was to create a resource for the scientific community," said lead author Ryan Folk of Mississippi State University. "In the future, we hope that all such collection information will be available online, where it's easy to find and the work won't need to be repeated." |
| Mississippi State hosting floral design kid camp | |
| School is almost out for summer. Are you looking for a kid camp that will help them grow? Mississippi State University is hosting their floral design summer camp in Biloxi on June 22nd. This camp provides kids between the ages of eight through 12 hands-on-work with live flowers. During the camp, they'll make a table centerpiece and wearable flower arrangements. The camp Instructor emphasizes that it teaches students not only a new skill, but the theory of design and working and living with flowers. The camp is for June 22nd at the Floral Design Studio in Biloxi and you can register online. There are also adult programs available throughout the year and they're also listed on Mississippi State University's website. |
| Mississippi receiving virus relief money spread over 2 years | |
 | Mississippi legislators are not in session now, so it could be months before they start deciding how to spend $1.8 billion in the latest round of pandemic relief from the federal government. Mississippi will receive part of the money this year and the rest next year. The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday released details about how much money state and local governments are receiving under the American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden, and how the money may be spent. "I think it's going to take some time to fully inspect and understand what's included," Mississippi Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Briggs Hopson told The Associated Press on Monday. The Treasury Department said state and local governments may use the federal money for public health, including efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. They may use it to address economic problems that the pandemic has caused for workers, households, small businesses, industries and government. They also may use some of the money to replace tax revenue that was lost because of the pandemic and to provide extra pay for essential workers. Other acceptable uses are for improvements to water and sewer systems and expansion of broadband access, the Treasury Department said. |
| Pandemic relief funds announced Monday. How much is Mississippi getting? | |
 | The White House and U.S. Department of the Treasury on Monday announced how much money states and cities would see from coronavirus relief funds, including for Mississippi. The funding, already approved by the Congress as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, is meant to supplement economic losses at the height of the pandemic last year. The state of Mississippi will see just over $268 million in funding, according to the treasury department. The funding is part of a total $19.5 billion package to help state governments recover from expenses related to the pandemic. Mississippi's largest cities will see an allocation of over $100 million, which is part of a separate $45.6 billion dedicated to cities across the country. Jackson, with the largest population in the state, will see about $42 million, according to the treasury department. The funding will help governments address revenue losses from the crisis and cover costs associated with the pandemic, such as assistance to households and businesses, pay for essential workers and possible investments in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves: Mississippi to drop federal unemployment supplement | |
| Mississippi will stop accepting supplemental unemployment benefits from the federal government next month, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said Monday. Reeves said the weekly supplement of $300 per person was intended to help people "who are unemployed through no fault of their own" because of the coronavirus pandemic. "After many conversations over the last several weeks with Mississippi small business owners and their employees, it has become clear that the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and other like programs passed by the Congress may have been necessary in May of last year but are no longer so in May of this year," Reeves wrote on Facebook. Alabama, Arkansas, Montana and South Carolina are also planning to stop accepting the $300 federal supplement. Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn sent Reeves a letter Monday saying that he and other lawmakers have heard from “increasingly desperate” businesspeople who say they cannot fill jobs. “They report that they cannot get employees to return to work because they can earn more from combined federal and state unemployment benefits than their normal wages,” Gunn wrote in the letter, which Republican state Rep. Nick Bain posted on Twitter. |
| Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves to end pandemic-linked unemployment payments | |
 | Unemployed workers in Mississippi will soon stop receiving enhanced federal benefits. Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday announced he will end payout of the $300 unemployment supplement included as part of the American Rescue Plan. This supplement is paid by the federal government in addition to state unemployment benefits. In Mississippi, the maximum unemployment benefit provided by the state is $235. Shortly after Reeves announced the state would opt out of the federal program, the Mississippi Democratic Party released a statement sharply critical of the governor's decision. "Mississippi boasts one of the highest poverty rates in the country," the statement said, calling Monday's action by Reeves "absurd" as well as "callous and heartless." This action by Mississippi's first-term Republican governor comes as other states move to end the enhanced federal payments. After the action by Reeves, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann threw his support behind the move in a statement to the Daily Journal. |
| Mississippi to end additional federal unemployment benefits in June, governor says | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves announced Monday that Mississippi will become the latest state to opt out of federal unemployment benefits to help people who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reeves said the state will opt out of the extra benefits on June 12. In a Facebook post, Reeves said he came to the decision after having several meetings and discussions with small business owners and employees over the past few months. The governor said that while benefits of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and similar programs may have been required in May 2020, they are not necessary now. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Labor released Thursday, there were 498,000 seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment benefits in the United States for the week ending May 1. The figure was the lowest number of claims the department had seen since March 2020, the report states. The Department of Labor announced Friday that 266,000 jobs were added in the United States in April, falling far short of the 1 million jobs forecasted by economists. As a result, the unemployment rate across the country went up to 6.1% in April, up from 6% in March. |
| Gov. Reeves to end $300 unemployment stipend after Speaker Gunn calls for crack down | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves said Mississippi in early June will opt out of a federal pandemic program that has been providing an extra $300 a week in unemployment benefits to Mississippians since last year. Reeves' announcement came just hours after fellow Republican, House Speaker Philip Gunn, called on Reeves to either start enforcing job-search requirements for unemployment benefits or end the federal stipend. Gunn said small businesses are reporting they cannot hire people because of the extra benefits, and that the state is not enforcing the rule that people search for work while receiving them. Gunn said he's heard reports that unemployment claimants are not following requirements that they earnestly search for jobs, and that "MDES is not effectively enforcing that requirement." House Ways and Means Chairman Trey Lamar, R-Senatobia, said he has heard from numerous employers in his district that they can't find workers because of increased pandemic benefits. "Not just one or two (employers)," Lamar said, "but a substantial number of businesses just here in my little hometown of Senatobia -- restaurants, other businesses. The place where I used to get coffee in the mornings can't open in the mornings because they don't have enough workers ... I think it's past the point for this. People can safely go back to work." |
| States Probe Business Practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers | |
 | Several states are investigating pharmacy benefit managers, with some saying they are focused on whether the companies fully disclosed details about their business and potentially received overpayments under state contracts, according to state officials and documents. States including Ohio, Oklahoma, Georgia, New Mexico, Kansas, Arkansas and Mississippi, as well as the District of Columbia, are scrutinizing PBMs, according to the offices of state attorneys general and auditors, as well as public documents including state contracts and securities filings. Details about the investigations' focus are typically not public. Officials with some states said they were looking at companies in their Medicaid programs and state-employee plans. Among the companies under scrutiny are units of Centene Corp. , UnitedHealth Group Inc. and CVS Health Corp. The stakes for Centene and other companies are particularly high when states bring suits related to their Medicaid programs, which are a major business for managed-care firms. Several states, according to publicly available contracts and state officials, have hired the same law firm, Liston & Deas, to investigate PBMs. Those include Ohio, Mississippi, Arkansas and Kansas. W. Lawrence Deas, a partner with the firm, said it was also working with Georgia and New Mexico. The number of states working with the firm is "certainly growing," he said. A spokeswoman for Mississippi's attorney general said the office's investigation was "similar to the Ohio case." |
| Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says Democrats can add a Senate seat in Mississippi | |
| U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said last week that Mississippi could provide his Democratic Party another seat in future elections. Ezra Klein, in his New York Times podcast, asked Schumer how Democrats could add senators like Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat from conservative-leaning West Virginia. In response, Schumer rattled off several states that were winnable for Democrats. "Mississippi, 38% of the vote is African-American, if we could get that vote up a little bit and then Jackson becomes a little more moderate because the people are moving in from tech and other jobs, I wouldn't cross that off the map," Schumer said. Schumer was Senate minority leader in 2020, when Democrat Mike Espy faced Republican incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. During the race that culminated in a 10-point Hyde-Smith victory, Espy publicly chastised national groups including the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee -- which, as majority or minority chair, Schumer wields great influence over -- for its lack of investment into his campaign. That lack of investment was such that Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Democratic congressman from Mississippi, leaned on Schumer to take a closer look at Espy's race. |
| Congress mulls $500 million in grants to help states upgrade cybersecurity | |
 | A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is drafting legislation that would provide as much as $500 million in annual grants to states and local governments to boost cybersecurity as financial fraud and ransomware attacks continue to cripple essential citizen services. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the House Homeland Security Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Innovation Subcommittee, said at a hearing last week that she soon planned to introduce the bipartisan legislation to provide the grants. State and local governments remain the weakest link in the national cybersecurity chain, while private companies and federal agencies have significantly ramped up spending in the past decade on cybersecurity to protect their networks from attacks. In 2020 alone, as many as 2,400 state and local governments, hospitals and schools paid out $350 million in ransom to regain access to networks after criminals locked up their computers and shut down services, Clarke said at the hearing. The combination of insufficient budgets for cybersecurity, poor staffing and continued reliance on aging mainframe computers to operate key systems like unemployment insurance processing, for example, have left states even more vulnerable to attack and fraud, according to a biennial report on the state of cybersecurity in states prepared by the consulting firm Deloitte in partnership with NASCIO. |
| DarkSide Ransomware Hit Colonial Pipeline -- and Created an Unholy Mess | |
 | After a ransomware attack late last week, Colonial Pipeline and the United States government have been scrambling to restore service to a pipeline that delivers nearly half of the East Coast's fuel. The culprit, according to the FBI, is the notorious and brazen ransomware gang known as DarkSide. And the repercussions of their attack may ripple far beyond what they intended. Colonial Pipeline says it hopes to restore full service by the end of the week; in the meantime, the Department of Transportation released an emergency order on Sunday to allow expanded oil distribution by truck. But the real impact of the attack may be felt in the world of ransomware. While a number of hackers have long engaged in anarchic targeting, including a horrifying rash of attacks on hospitals last fall, close observers say the pipeline incident may finally represent a turning point. "I am not surprised that this happened. It was realistically only a matter of time before there was a major critical infrastructure ransomware incident," says Brett Callow, a threat analyst at antivirus company Emsisoft. "DarkSide appears to have realized that this level of attention is not a good thing and could bring governments to action. They may stay with smaller attacks now in the hope that they'll be able to continue making money for longer." |
| Vatican warns U.S. bishops about rebuking President Biden, other Catholic pols | |
 | The head of the Vatican's doctrine office is warning U.S. bishops to deliberate carefully and minimize divisions before proceeding with a possible plan to rebuke Roman Catholic politicians such as President Joe Biden for receiving Communion even though they support abortion rights. The strong words of caution came in a letter from Cardinal Luis Ladaria, prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, addressed to Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The USCCB will convene for a national meeting June 16, with plans to vote on drafting a document on the Communion issue. There is division among the bishops, with some pressing for Biden and other Catholic public figures to be excluded from Communion over their abortion stance, and other bishops warning that such a move would be politically polarizing. Ladaria made several other points that could complicate the plans of bishops pressing for tough action: He said any new policy could not override the authority of individual bishops to make decisions on who can receive Communion in their dioceses. Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, D.C., has made clear that Biden is welcome to receive Communion at churches in the archdiocese. |
| Mississippi COVID-19 vaccination rate tumbles 65% since peak | |
| The COVID-19 vaccination rate in Mississippi is continuing its steep decline. Last week, 46,440 Mississippians received COVID-19 vaccines, a drop of over 16% from the week prior. The state's weekly vaccination rate has dropped 65% from its peak in late February. Mississippi continues to rank last in the nation for the share of its population that is partially or fully vaccinated. Allison Cox, executive director of the Jackson Housing Authority, said she's surprised more people are not getting vaccinated in Mississippi. Her organization even had difficulties in early March to fill the 240 vaccination slots per day they had through a partnership with Walmart. Still, Cox is proud that they were able to get around 2,000 Mississippians vaccinated over a six-week period. "Our northeast partners, like up in Maine, when they talk to us, they just can't believe that it's so accessible to us and that people aren't taking advantage of it," Cox said. The Mississippi State Department of Health reported on Monday that 974,542 people in Mississippi -- about 33% of the state's population -- have received at least their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly 839,000 people have been fully inoculated since the state began distributing vaccines in December. |
| Hartwig family makes $800K pledge to USM public health school in honor of college founder | |
 | Geoff and Marcia Hartwig pledged more than $800,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi College of Public Health in honor of the late Dr. Lynn Cook Hartwig, who founded the college back in 1988. This pledge brings the total pledge from the Hartwig family to $1 million. "The Hartwig's are such incredible people, and they would be the first to say this wasn't about them, that this was about Lynn and what she did," said Stace Mercier, executive director of the USM Foundation. According to university officials, Dr. Lynn Hartwig founded the Center for Community Health at USM and was the director of the college until a breast cancer diagnosis forced her to retire in 1995. Lynn later passed away in 1996 at the age of 48. Lachel Story, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, said that there are many kids who want to be a part of the public health program but cannot due to restraints such as funding. This pledge will be used to open opportunities for students like this. "This is going to help us be able to recruit those students as well as support them while they are here, as well as make sure we have stellar faculty that are the best in their field to teach them while they are here," Story said. |
| U. of Florida, other state universities, to end COVID-19 policies by fall | |
 | All 12 public universities in Florida are expected to return to normal pre-COVID operations by the 2021-22 school year, state higher education officials announced this week. That means fully open classrooms and in-person attendance at sports games and social events, a news release stated. The 2021-22 school year starts in August. The news, signed by Syd Kitson, chair of the BOG, and Marshall Criser III, chancellor of the university system, is not new for the University of Florida. Spokeswoman Cynthia Roldan said Thursday that UF did not have any additional information to give beyond the announcement, but past university messages from April and March already alerted students, employees and the public to the upcoming changes. UF Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Joe Glover announced via email on March 19 that the university planned to return to a "largely normal course offering" and "nearly typical" classroom experience for the summer B and fall semesters, barring any unexpected changes or recommendation to change plans from UF Health experts. The email came one day after Dr. Michael Lauzardo, head of the UF Health Screen, Test & Protect initiative, told the UF Board of Trustees that he anticipated decreasing COVID-19 cases and increasing vaccinations would allow a return to normalcy as early as June. |
| U. of South Carolina president apologizes, admits to plagiarizing end of commencement speech | |
 | University of South Carolina President Bob Caslen admitted plagiarizing a portion of the speech he delivered during an on-campus graduation ceremony on May 7, issuing an apology three days later and taking full responsibility for not citing its original speaker. Caslen delivered the copycat remarks to graduates of USC's Arnold School of Public Health, School of Music and the Darla Moore School of Business. He repeated the unattributed remarks during at least one other ceremony, held the morning of May 8. The wording in question -- lasting some two paragraphs in length -- was originally made by retired U.S. Navy four-star Adm. William McRaven during a 2014 commencement at the University of Texas. McRaven is the former Navy SEAL commander in charge of the mission to take out terror leader Osama bin Laden and author of the self-discipline book "Make Your Bed" which was an expansion of his own graduation speech. Caslen's address was already achieving viral status before the plagiarism came to light due to the president also having bungled the school's name during the ceremony, mistakenly congratulating the graduates as the "newest alumni of The University of California." |
| U. of Texas Faces New Outcry Over Old Song With Minstrel Roots | |
 | For generations, the fight song at the University of Texas at Austin has been etched into the state's very fabric. For students, the words "the eyes of Texas are upon you" have been sung before and after every sporting event and commencement. Beyond the campus, the song is ever-present at weddings and funerals -- and even space, where it was a wake-up call for astronauts on the Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions. But since last summer, the anthem, which was first performed in 1903 at a minstrel show by white students who were likely in blackface, has divided the Longhorn community, pitting administrators and wealthy donors against students and faculty who want the university to abolish it and write a new alma mater. University leaders had hoped to quell the uproar over "The Eyes of Texas" after a committee issued a report in March determining that the song had "no racist intent." But after administrators doubled down on the position that it would remain a central feature of university life, tension has escalated, with student campus tour guides going on strike, pleas from Black legislators to lose the song and threats by wealthy alumni to cut off donations if that were to happen. The dispute over the song has emerged as a flash point as universities across the country struggle to deal with traditions spawned in earlier eras. Many undergraduates at the flagship campus in Austin, the Texas capital that is often viewed as an oasis of progressive values in a state where Republicans wield immense power, have expressed disdain over the song's enduring presence. |
| Education Secretary Miguel Cardona ends DeVos ban on emergency grants for DACA and international students | |
 | Undocumented and international college students will now be eligible to receive pandemic relief grants after Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on Tuesday lifted a controversial ban imposed by his predecessor, Betsy DeVos. "The pandemic didn't discriminate ... and we want to make sure that all students have an opportunity to have access to funds to help them get back on track," Cardona told reporters on a call Monday. The Biden administration issued a final rule Tuesday revising a Trump-era policy that narrowed student eligibility for emergency grant aid provided through the stimulus packages. Congress has earmarked $35 billion in emergency aid since last spring for students facing housing, employment and food insecurities, but left it to the Education Department to flesh out the terms. After confusing and conflicting guidance, DeVos issued a rule in June asserting that only those who can participate in federal student aid programs can receive money. It shut out undocumented and international students as well as those with defaulted student loans or minor drug convictions. Although the Education Department later backed off on applying the rule to students in the latter group, it still viewed undocumented and international students as ineligible. The Trump administration said a 1996 welfare reform law bars those groups from receiving public aid. |
| New York to require vaccinations of university students | |
| Students at the State University of New York and the City University of New York must get vaccinated against the coronavirus to attend classes this fall, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Monday. The requirement, affecting more than 435,000 full-time students, comes as Cuomo and other officials offer a slew of incentives aimed at encouraging people to get inoculated as they see vaccine demand declining. "So, today, no excuses," Cuomo said at a briefing. "SUNY and CUNY boards will require vaccinations for all in-person students coming back to school in the fall." While more than 60% of the state's adult population has received at least one dose of a vaccine, Cuomo, who also chairs the National Governors Association, said the pace was declining in New York and across the country. Earlier on Monday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that a range of city attractions, including Lincoln Center, the Bronx Zoo and the Staten Island Ferry, will offer free admission in exchange for getting coronavirus shots. |
| After a 'Rocky Tenure,' Political Winds Sweep U. of Colorado President From Job | |
 | Mark R. Kennedy, president of the University of Colorado system, will be stepping down just two years after he was named to that position. The announcement, on Monday, follows a shift in partisan control of the Board of Regents. A narrow Republican majority of the regents voted 5 to 4 to appoint Kennedy president in 2019. The system is one of the few in the nation where a governing board is chosen in partisan elections. The 2020 elections, however, gave Democrats control of the board for the first time in more than 40 years, and Kennedy is calling it quits. Four of the regents, all Democrats, are also current or former employees at system campuses. It isn't just the Democrats' new one-seat majority that's a problem, said Glen Gallegos, a Republican and current chair of the regents. The controversy surrounding Kennedy's appointment may have hindered his ability to lead the four-campus system, Gallegos said: "It's been two years and it's still a difficult candidacy." As part of its 2019 presidential search, Colorado's board voted unanimously to name Kennedy the sole finalist. But emails obtained by The Chronicle through a public-records request revealed a deep partisan division among the regents about his candidacy. That division deepened as faculty members and students protested Kennedy's record as a former Republican congressman and, in particular, his past opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion rights. |
| Hundreds of academics pen letter in support of filibuster reform | |
 | Over 350 academics joined as signatories on a letter in support of filibuster reform in the U.S. Senate, with hopes that a clear history of the parliamentary procedure can better inform the debate surrounding its future. The Open Letter on the History, Impact, and Future of the Filibuster -- organized by the nonprofit organization Protect Democracy -- brought together historians, political scientists and other scholars to clear up misconceptions about the filibuster. "Historians don't usually weigh in on every current policy issue, because history doesn't really tell us what we should do in the present -- it just informs," said Seth Cotlar, a history professor at Willamette University and signer of the letter. "But the discussion around the filibuster always seemed to contain a bunch of assumptions about the history of the filibuster that were pretty incorrect." The filibuster allows senators to block or delay action on a bill through debate that can only be ended by a 60-vote supermajority -- except in the cases of executive branch and federal judicial appointments, budget resolutions, and trade agreements. Because Democrats hold a slim majority in the Senate with Vice President Harris as the tie-breaking vote, calls to reform the filibuster have grown, with President Biden also endorsing the idea. But the Democrats still lack the votes to make substantial changes -- more moderate members of the party, such as Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, aren't yet on board. |
SPORTS
| Baseball Cancels Midweek Contest with UT Martin | |
| The No. 2 Mississippi State baseball program has announced that the Tuesday (May 11) contest against UT Martin has been cancelled due to impending weather. Mississippi State will now turn its attention to a three-game series with Missouri. The Diamond Dawgs and Tigers will kick off the series on Thursday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU. The series continues on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. on SEC Network+. The Diamond Dawgs enter the weekend with a 35-11 overall record and a 16-8 mark in SEC play, just one game out of first place in the conference. State trails the due of Tennessee and Arkansas, who are tied atop the league standings at 17-7, while Vanderbilt sits just a half game out at 16-7 after playing just two of three games last weekend due to weather. |
| Mississippi State's Christian MacLeod named SEC pitcher of the week | |
 | Mississippi State's Christian MacLeod was named the Southeastern Conference pitcher of the week Monday, the league announced. It was his second SEC pitcher of the week award of the season. The junior earned the honor for his performance Friday at No. 19 South Carolina, shutting out the Gamecocks over seven innings. He struck out six in the Bulldogs' 9-0 win. MacLeod leads Mississippi State's starters with a 3.05 ERA and .218 batting average against in a team-high 56.0 innings pitched. He is second on the team with 79 strikeouts and just 46 hits allowed. |
| Mississippi State becomes first school to use COMPASS NIL platform | |
| Mississippi State athletics announced Monday it will be the first athletic department in the country to use the COMPASS NIL platform for student-athletes. NIL legislation, approved by Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves on April 16, will allow college athletes the chance to profit off their own name, image and likeness. The bill takes effect July 1. The COMPASS platform will provide athletes with education about the law, deal disclosure, and compliance monitoring tools, according to a news release Monday from Mississippi State. It is a product of CLC, a trademark licensing company, and Game Plan, a provider of athlete education. COMPASS will allow flexibility to adapt to NIL guidelines as they change with time, the release states. "We are excited to partner with Mississippi State to deliver COMPASS to their student-athletes and staff to help prepare them for success in the NIL era," CLC CEO Cory Moss said. "We designed COMPASS to be a fully-integrated tool to make it easy for student-athletes to receive NIL education and comply with reporting requirements, and we look forward to helping Mississippi State be a leader in the NIL space." |
| Mississippi State becomes first university to use Compass NIL platform for its athletes | |
| Mississippi State athletes are one step closer to getting compensated for their name, image and likeness. MSU announced Monday it is the first university in the country to implement the Compass NIL platform to assist players from all sports in potentially earning money off their name, image and likeness. Compass is developed by CLC, the nation's leading trademark licensing company, and Game Plan, a popular provider of athlete education. The program will provide all MSU athletes with NIL education, deal disclosure and compliance monitoring tools in one easy-to-use platform. "We're looking forward to this partnership with CLC and Game Plan," MSU Director of Athletics John Cohen said. "This will be an incredible resource to help educate our student-athletes and better position them not only for current success but also for life beyond college athletics." Gov. Tate Reeves approved Senate Bill 2313, better known as the "Mississippi Intercollegiate Athletics Compensation Rights Act" last month. The bill goes into effect July 1. At the time, Mississippi was the seventh state to approve such a bill. |
| Opening Round of Regionals Postponed Due to Inclement Weather | |
| Due to inclement weather and poor course conditions, the first round of the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional has been postponed until Tuesday. With the Bulldogs originally set to tee off Monday at 8:50 a.m. on Hole 10, the team is now expected to begin in a shotgun start at 10 a.m. CT on Tuesday to complete the first round. Official pairings and tee times will be updated on Golfstat.com as soon as they are established, including those regarding the final two rounds. For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's golf on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateWG." |
| NCAA women's golf regional at U-Club hampered by heavy rain; shotgun start Tuesday morning | |
 | Golf tournaments are renowned for their quiet as players prepare to hit a shot or line up for a putt. But there may be a chorus of a familiar refrain welling up from the inundated fairways and greens at the University Club: Rain, rain go away. About 5 1/2 inches fell on the South Baton Rouge course Sunday and Monday, washing out bunkers and leaving standing water on fairways and greens at the U-Club. That prompted officials to suspend the first round of the NCAA Baton Rouge women's golf regional Monday before even the first ball was struck. The plan now is for a shotgun start (players teeing off on every hole) at 10 a.m. Tuesday, but even that is problematic. As of Monday afternoon, there was a 70% chance of rain Tuesday and an 80% chance of rain Wednesday. "There's a lot of concern," LSU women's golf coach Garrett Runion said. The regional, scheduled for 54 holes, must be completed by Wednesday night per NCAA rules. There are contingencies if 54 holes can't be played. None of them are appealing. "Fifty-four holes is the goal," Runion said. "If not, then 36 holes is official. If we can only get in 18 holes, then that's official. If we can't even get in 18 holes, it reverts to the rankings." |
| Former Diamond Dawg roundup: Kruger makes debut; Woodruff and Graveman continue dominance | |
| Jack Kruger became the 62nd former Mississippi State player to reach the major leagues Thursday, as the catcher entered the ninth inning for the Los Angeles Angels as a defensive replacement. He did not accumulate a plate appearance. The elation was short lived, however, as Kruger was claimed by the Texas Rangers off waivers three days later. Milwaukee Brewers standout pitcher Brandon Woodruff continued his dominant season against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, pitching 6.2 innings and striking out 11 batters. However, the Brewers couldn't capitalize on his stellar start. "We knew Philadelphia was a good team," Woodruff told MLB.com after his team's 2-0 loss. "They threw the ball well and jumped on us early every single game. We hung in there, but weren't able to get the big hit." The dominant right-handed pitcher only allowed two hits and two walks. On the year, Woodruff has a 1.73 ERA in 41.2 innings of work with 51 strikeouts. |
| Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Honors Late Mom With Cancer Fundraiser | |
| Mother's Day is a wonderful time to honor and celebrate the influence of mothers in our lives. For Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, it is a chance to honor his late mother, Peggy, and her fight with cancer. Prescott lost his mother to colon cancer in November 2013 while he was playing at Mississippi State University. Prescott stepped away from the field to help his brothers, Jace and Tad, care for their mother while she was going through treatment. The now 27-year-old has continually utilized his platform as a star athlete to raise awareness of the disease. On Mother's Day, Prescott posted a cancer research fundraiser, in collaboration with the Stand Up To Cancer organization. Prescott's goal is to raise $50,000, in which the organization will use to fund colorectal cancer research. "Many of you know I lost my dear mother to colorectal cancer and every day I Stand Up in her honor through my foundation @faithfightfinish4," Prescott said on his Instagram. "The money raised will support the next early career scientist who will work alongside a SU2C Colorectal Cancer Dream Team and continue making progress in the fight against this disease. Together, we will end cancer." |
| Tennessee to allow full capacity for Arkansas series | |
| For the third time in four weeks, a baseball team is expanding its stadium capacity ahead of a series against visiting No. 1 Arkansas. Tennessee athletics director Danny White announced Monday that full capacity will be allowed for the No. 5 Volunteers' series against the Razorbacks that is scheduled to begin Friday night in Knoxville, Tenn. Nelson Stadium's listed capacity is 4,283. Attendance has been capped at around 50% for Tennessee's recent home games. White cited increased covid-19 vaccination totals in allowing larger crowds this week. Arkansas (36-9, 17-7 SEC) and Tennessee (37-11, 17-7) are tied atop the SEC standings leading into their series, one-half game ahead of Vanderbilt and one game ahead of Mississippi State. The Volunteers are coached by Tony Vitello, the former Arkansas assistant who spent four seasons as the Razorbacks' hitting coach and recruiting coordinator from 2014-17. Tennessee is 23-7 at home this season. The Razorbacks are 14-4 in games away from home, including 11-4 in true road games. While attendances are swelling at several ballparks, crowd sizes will be cut back in upcoming weeks. The NCAA has announced it will cap attendance at 50% for every stadium that hosts a postseason regional or super regional. |
| Tennessee baseball opens to 100% capacity at Lindsey Nelson Stadium for No. 1 Arkansas | |
 | Tennessee baseball is opening Lindsey Nelson Stadium to 100% capacity for its final regular-season series against No. 1 Arkansas, UT announced Monday. The No. 5 Vols (37-11, 17-7 SEC) host the No. 1 Razorbacks (36-9, 17-7) starting Friday for a three-game series. "As vaccination numbers continue to rise and other stadiums throughout the Southeastern Conference have demonstrated the ability to safely host events without attendance restrictions, Tennessee Athletics is taking this final step in its phased approach to creating an impactful homefield advantage, which will also enhance the gameday experience for fans supporting the fourth-ranked Vols heading into postseason play," a UT release said. Tennessee holds a half-game lead in the SEC East over Vanderbilt after sweeping Missouri. UT concludes the regular season at South Carolina with a three-game series starting May 20. The Vols have applied to host regional and super regional during the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA is expected to announce the sites this week. The NCAA has mandated that host venues cap attendance at 50 percent of capacity for those games. |
| UGA football contract with Florida A&M brings well-known marching band to Sanford Stadium | |
 | UGA lined up more than just a football game with Florida A&M to fill a nonconference matchup in 2028. The Rattlers are also bringing with them their well-known band, the Marching 100. Georgia is paying Florida A&M a $650,000 guarantee for the game in Athens on Sept. 9, 2028. The contract between the schools, signed last December, stipulates that "The Band of the Visiting Institution agrees to perform at halftime of the Game," according to a copy obtained in an open records request. "The Visiting Institution shall notify UGAA in writing of the number of band members who will be attending the Game..." The Marching 100 "has been credited for not less than 30 innovative techniques which have become standard operating procedures for many high school and collegiate marching band programs throughout the nation," according to its website. Members of the band played for President Joe Biden's inauguration in January along with marching bands from several other historically Black colleges and universities. The band also was featured at the NBA All-Star Game. ESPN's The Undefeated ranked Florida A&M as the No. 7 HBCU band at the end of the 2019 season. North Carolina A&T was No. 1. The Marching 100 was No. 3 for "musicality." |
| Athletes pressure Clemson into reinstating team, conducting Title IX review | |
| Clemson University recently reached a historic settlement with athletes on the men's track and field and cross-country teams, which is believed to be the first time men's intercollegiate athletic programs were reinstated by an institution as the result of a claim made under the federal law designed to create athletic opportunities for women. The athletes threatened to file a class-action lawsuit against Clemson in March, months after the university cut the teams due to an anticipated $25 million budget deficit in the athletics department. University officials said the deficit and decision were prompted by the coronavirus pandemic and that they considered other factors such as "gender equity and Title IX compliance," according to a November letter to the campus from athletic director Dan Radakovich. Cutting the teams would save the department $2 million annually, he wrote. The cuts would also have resulted in an inequitable number of sports opportunities for men versus women. There were nearly an equal number of men and women athletes participating in sports during the 2019-20 academic year, which meant the cuts rendered Clemson out of compliance with the 1972 Title IX law, said Arthur Bryant, an attorney with Bailey & Glasser LLP, who represented the athletes. |
| Studies: Recovered athletes had no heart damage from COVID-19 | |
| A study of 167 college athletes who underwent cardiac screening after recovering from COVID-19 found that about 4 percent of them, or five athletes, had heart abnormalities but no heart damage or inflammation, according to a press release about the study, which was published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation. None of the athletes experienced issues returning to practices and competition, the report said. The results are reassuring for medical experts, college leaders and athletics officials, who were concerned about the possibility of myocarditis, a heart complication caused by inflammation and scarring of the heart muscle, which doctors feared could occur while recovering from COVID-19. A survey of athletes in the Big Ten Conference who recovered from COVID-19 last year found that nearly 15 percent had myocarditis. Exercising with myocarditis can increase the risk of cardiac arrest and sudden death among athletes, and the complication contributed to the decision by some intercollegiate conferences, including the Big Ten, to postpone fall 2020 sports. But the study published Monday found no such conditions in athletes and backed up a previous observational study of about 3,000 athletes who had recovered from COVID-19, also published last month in Circulation. |
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