01/30/01
Softball - The Mississippi State softball team, who received its highest preseason ranking in program history on Wednesday, was tabbed to finish third in the SEC Western Division in a preseason poll released Monday morning by the league office.

Alabama was the choice to win the overall conference crown, garnering six of the 11 votes. LSU received four and South Carolina nabbed one vote. Points for the poll were awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis for the Eastern Division and on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for the Western Division. Vanderbilt is the lone conference institution which does not field a varsity softball team.

The Bulldogs, who will enter the 2001 campaign with a No. 23 ranking, finished the 2000 campaign with a 17-13 conference record, and a 44-27 record overall, to finish fourth in the SEC West behind LSU, Alabama and Arkansas, respectively. It is the third-straight season that the Bulldogs have been projected to finish third in the division.

In the divisional race, Alabama tallied 62 points and seven of the 11 first-place selections as the leading vote-getter in the Western Division race. LSU earned 57 points and four first-place votes in finishing second in the SEC West. Mississippi State placed third with 40 points, followed by Arkansas in fourth with 37 points. Auburn was fifth with 24 points and Mississippi sixth with 13.

South Carolina paced the Eastern Division vote tally with 54 points and all but one first-place vote. Florida was second with 38 points. Kentucky finished third with 32 total points and received one first-place vote. Georgia, with 21 points, and Tennessee, with 20 points, rounded out the SEC East.

"This promises to be the most competitive year ever for SEC softball," said Mississippi State head coach Kathy Arendsen. "Alabama returns the most talent and experience which gives them the edge going into the season, however there are several other teams that will compete for the SEC crown.

"We are working diligently on incorporating our young talent with our veterans and believe that we will be one of those teams when the SEC season begins."

Mississippi State will continue practice through the end of this week, before opening its 2001 season at home on Feb. 6 when the Bulldogs suit up to host visiting Belmont. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at the Mississippi State Softball Field. State will begin its conference schedule on March 14, traveling to Gainesville, Fla., for a three-game series with the Florida Gators.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/28/01
Baseball Notes:

The Bulldogs are ranked in all three of the national preseason polls for college baseball: 17th (Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll), 21st (Collegiate Baseball) and 21st (Baseball America).

Mississippi State opens an attractive 34-game home schedule and the inaugural National Bank of Commerce Classic Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. against New Orleans. MSU also takes on No. 8 Notre Dame Feb. 17 and Feb. 18 in 1 p.m. games at Dudy Noble Field. All four games of the NBC Classic, including a 10 a.m. Notre Dame-New Orleans contest Feb. 17, are included on the MSU baseball season ticket.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/19/01
Baseball - Mississippi State will open the 2001 Diamond Dawg baseball season with "The First Pitch," the Bulldogs¹ fourth annual preseason fan festivity and banquet, Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 6:30 p.m., in the Colvard Student Union ballroom on the MSU campus.

Former Mississippi State player and longtime collegiate head baseball coach David "Boo" Ferriss will serve as featured speaker at "The First Pitch." Ferriss, a member of the MSU and state of Mississippi Sports Halls of Fame, spent 44 years as a player or coach in professional and college baseball during his career.

Tickets for the reception are $20 apiece and may be purchased at the MSU Athletic Ticket Office beginning Friday morning. "First Pitch" tickets may also be ordered over the phone with an approved credit card, 662-325-2600 or 1-888-GO-DAWGS (46-32947). As has been the case during the first three baseball preseason banquets, a capacity crowd is expected. Ticket office hours in the Bryan Athletic Administration Building are 8 a.m. until 5 p.m, Monday through Friday.

"The First Pitch banquet has become an integral part of the season-opening ritual at Mississippi State, and an event that our players, coaches, and great fans eagerly look forward to every year," MSU head baseball coach Pat McMahon said. "This year, in addition to meeting the 2001 Bulldog baseball team, those at the banquet will get an opportunity to hear one of Mississippi¹s all-time coaching greats, Dave "Boo" Ferris."

MSU opens its 2001 baseball season Friday, Feb. 16, in the inaugural National Bank of Commerce Classic at Dudy Noble Field/Polk-DeMent Stadium vs. the University of New Orleans. The Diamond Dawgs will also play Notre Dame in single games Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 17-18, at 1 p.m.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/16/01
Baseball - Mississippi State's 2001 Baseball Bulldogs, ranked 21st in the preseason polls released by both Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America, are tabbed for a runner-up finish in the SEC's Western Division in the annual poll of the league's 12 baseball coaches.

The Bulldogs garnered 53 total votes and one divisional championship vote, trailing defending NCAA champion LSU, the coaches' pick to win the 2001 league crown. Louisiana State picked up 10 of 12 first place votes for divisional honors and nine of 12 votes for the overall championship. Florida out-pointed South Carolina for the poll's top spot in the SEC East and received the other three overall championship votes. Points were compiled on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division, and coaches were allowed to vote for their own team. The coaches also voted for one team as an overall champion.

Mississippi State, picked to finish fourth in the SEC West a year ago, battled LSU down to the final day before taking runner-up honors with a 17-10 league record.

MSU launches preseason drills in two weeks and opens a challenging 56-game schedule against 2000 NCAA regional tournament entrants New Orleans and Notre Dame in the inaugural National Bank of Commerce Classic Feb. 16-18 at Dudy Noble Field, Polk-DeMent Stadium.

SEC Western Division
Team Pts. 2000 SEC Finish
1. LSU (10) 69 19-10/1st
2. Mississippi State (1) 53 17-10/2nd
3. Auburn (1) 48 17-13/3rd
4. Alabama 42 16-14/4th
5. Arkansas 22 8-20/6th
6. Mississippi 18 12-17/5th

SEC Eastern Division
Team Pts. 2000 SEC Finish
1. Florida (7) 66 18-11-1/2nd
2. South Carolina (4) 59 25-5/1st
3. Georgia (1) 45 14-15/3rd
4. Tennessee 36 10-18/5th
5. Kentucky 20 12-16-1/4th
6. Vanderbilt 14 5-24/6th

() - First place votes
SEC Championship votes: LSU 9, Florida 3

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/08/00 - The day-long Mississippi State University Baseball Coaches Clinic Friday, January 12 opens a busy month of preseason baseball activity on the MSU campus, including two weekends of baseball instruction at the Fourth Annual Mississippi State Baseball Winter Camps.

Coaches from all levels of the sport will converge on Mississippi State Friday for the clinic, which begins at 9 a.m. in the Shira Fieldhouse and includes an on-the-field afternoon session at Dudy Noble Field. The clinic features informative sessions conducted by fourth-year MSU head baseball coach Pat McMahon and his staff and one of high school baseball's most successful mentors, coach Sammy Dunn of Vestavia Hills (Ala.) High School.

Mississippi State's winter camps are scheduled the next two weekends, with the high school sessions featuring a hitter's camp (Jan. 13) and pitcher/camp camp (Jan. 14). The second camp weekend is designed for campers in first through eighth grade and includes a day-long hitter's camp (Jan. 20) and a pitcher/catcher and defensive skills camp (Jan. 21). Each session of the camp opens with registration at 8 a.m. at the Shira Fieldhouse and concludes at 4:30 p.m.

The 2001 MSU baseball team and coaching staff, former Mississippi State players, collegiate coaches from the area and professional baseball scouts will serve as instructors during the camps.

For additional information or to complete registration on either the MSU Baseball Coaches Clinic or the MSU Winter Baseball Camps, contact the Mississippi State University Baseball Office (662-325-3597).

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

(I talked to Coach McMahon at the MSU women's basketball game yesterday. He wanted me to post the above so that any coaches or high school players who check out my page would know about the camps. He would love for all of you to sign up and attend the camps. - Gene)

01/04/01 - Mississippi State's Baseball Bulldogs have garnered their second preseason top 25 ranking for the 2001 campaign, checking in at No. 21 in the poll compiled by North Carolina-based Baseball America.

The Bulldogs, who finished 41-20 and ranked 15th last year, join SEC rivals LSU (No. 3), South Carolina (No. 8), Auburn (No. 11), Florida (No. 13), and Georgia (No. 16) in the ranking. Atlantic Coast Conference power Georgia Tech edged 2000 College World Series participant Southern Cal for the top spot.

USC is one of the Bulldogs' three non-conference opponents included in the poll. State plays host to No. 8 Notre Dame twice during the season-opening National Bank of Commerce Classic Feb. 16-18 at Dudy Noble Field, travels to No. 2 Southern Cal Feb. 23-25 and hosts No. 25 Southern Miss Apr. 17-18 at Dudy Noble Field, Polk-DeMent Stadium.

State was ranked 21st in Collegiate Baseball magazine's preseason ranking announced in December.

Baseball America's Preseason Top 25
Team W-L Final Rank
1. Georgia Tech 50-16 6
2. Southern California 44-20 5
3. Louisiana State 52-17 1
4. Miami 41-19 13
5. Nebraska 51-17 8
6. Arizona State 44-15 12
7. Florida State 53-19 3
8. South Carolina 56-10 4
9. Notre Dame 46-18 NR
10. Clemson 51-18 7
11. Auburn 41-20 25
12. Rice 43-23 NR
13. Florida 43-23 20
14. Stanford 50-16 2
15. Cal State Fullerton 38-21 22
16. Georgia 32-26 NR
17. Central Florida 43-19 NR
18. Pepperdine 36-23 NR
19. Tulane 38-22 NR
20. Baylor 45-17 14
21. Mississippi State 41-20 15
22. Long Beach State 31-25 NR
23. East Carolina 46-18 NR
24. Minnesota 38-24 NR
25. Southern Mississippi 32-26 NR

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/03/01 - For those of you who are going to travel to watch the baseball team play USC in Los Angeles this baseball season, here is the team's lodging info. The team will be staying at the Marina Del Rey Courtyard by Marriott. It is located about 5 miles from LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) and about 10 miles from the USC campus. The Hotel's phone number is 1-310-822-8555. Normal room rate is $119 or higher but if you ask for Ferris or Karen and tell them you are MSU fans the room rate will be $107. First come first serve. The dates of the games are Feb.23rd, 24th, 25th.

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