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01/28/04
Dr. Robert Collins, a team physician for the Mississippi State University athletic program, has been announced as the 2003 Southeastern Conference Team Physician of the Year. The award is sponsored by the Hughston Orthopedic Clinic of Columbus, Ga., and DJ Orthopedics of Carlsbad, Calif.

Dr. Collins has worked at MSU for the past 26 years, serving the last 15 years as the Director of the Longest Student Health Center on campus. He is also a clinical associate professor in family medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical School in Jackson, Miss. He is board certified in family practice and holds a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Sports Medicine.

The SEC Team Physician of the Year award, which is given annually to a family or orthopedic physician in the league, provides Mississippi State University $1,000 for use in the Student Athletic Training Program. A formal award presentation to Dr. Collins is planned for an upcoming MSU men's basketball game.

The initial SEC Team Physician of the Year was presented last winter to Dr. Peter Indelicato, orthopedic surgeon at the University of Florida.

Source: MSU Media Relations

01/16/04
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ Mississippi State placed 20 football student-athletes on the 2003 Southeastern Conference Fall Academic Honor Roll, the conference office released Thursday.

Of the 20 Bulldogs recognized for their work in the classroom, sophomore place-kicker Keith Andrews led the way with a perfect 4.0 in biological sciences.

State seniors named to the team included: Brittan Cross (3.55 in biological engineering), Blake Jones (3.61 in interdisciplinary studies), Joey Judge (3.13 in history), Brent Smith (3.97 in general business administration), and Robert Wallis (3.75 in geosciences).

Juniors who earned nomination to the team included: Jared Cook (3.84 in general business administration), Tyler Freeman (3.47 in general business administration), Reginald Harris (3.31 in secondary education), Logan Owens (3.28 in physical education), McKinley Scott (3.10 in general business administration), and Gabe Wallace (3.00 in general business administration).

In addition to Andrews, first-year eligible sophomores on the squad, were: Willie Evans (3.04 in general business administration), Kenny Kern (3.52 in banking & finance), Brett Morgan (3.04 in physical education), Samuel Myers (3.67 in biological engineering), Will Prosser (3.17 in physical education), Gregory Shelton (3.52 in banking & finance), Brad Weathers (3.02 in physical education), and Kyle York (3.82 in general business administration).

Source: MSU Media Relations

01/08/04 - New strength coach named.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University head football coach Sylvester Croom announced Wednesday the hiring of Jim Nowell as head strength and conditioning coach, pending approval by the Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning.

Nowell, 36, comes to the State program from the University of West Virginia, where he served the Mountaineers for the past two years as Director of Skill Development on the strength and conditioning staff. He assisted the 2003 Mountaineer football program to an 8-4 regular season finish this year and a berth in the post-season Gator Bowl.

A Level I USA Weightlifting Strength Coach, he is also a member of the National Strength & Conditioning Association.

Nowell joined the West Virginia athletic program following a two-year stint in the Southeastern Conference as the assistant strength and conditioning coach at LSU. While in Baton Rouge, he worked with the football, baseball and softball programs. During that time, the football team won the 2000 Peach and 2002 Sugar Bowls, the softball team claimed two SEC titles, and the baseball team captured the SEC Western Division championship.

Prior to joining the collegiate strength and conditioning ranks, Nowell was assistant athletic director, football defensive coordinator and head strength coach from 1997-99 at Madison (Miss.) Central High School. He helped Madison Central to the 1999 Class 5A state football championship and to two state powerlifting titles. During his time at the prep power in suburban Jackson, Nowell helped the football program to a 36-7 overall record, including15-0 mark during that '99 campaign. He was named Mississippi Strength Coach of the Year in May, 2000.

Prior to his work at Madison Central, Nowell served as a football assistant coach at Byram, Collins and Clinton High Schools in Mississippi, and Escambia High School in Pensacola, Fla.

A native of Magee, Miss., Nowell graduated with a bachelor's degree in coaching and sports administration from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1990. He earned a master's degree in administration and supervision from William Carey College, graduating in 1998 with a 4.0 grade point average.

Nowell is married to the former Linda Vernamonti, and the couple has two children, Taylor and Jordan.

Source: MSU Media Relations

01/07/04
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University head football coach Sylvester Croom announced Tuesday the hiring of Brick Haley to his coaching staff, pending approval by the Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning.

Haley, 37, comes to Mississippi State from Georgia Tech, where he helped the Yellow Jackets to a pair of post-season bowl games the past two seasons as linebackers' coach.

Georgia Tech concluded the 2003 campaign with a second-straight 7-6 overall record, including a 52-10 win over Tulsa in the Humanitarian Bowl. During this past season, Tech defeated Auburn 17-3, and beat post-season bowl teams North Carolina State and Maryland, holding the latter to just a field goal as well. His top two linebackers, Keyaron Fox and Daryl Smith, combined for 272 tackles, 24 for loss (minus 80 yards) and five quarterback sacks (minus 33 yards). Fox was named first-team, all-Atlantic Coast Conference for his performance (150 tackles, 13 for loss), while Smith earned honorable mention all-league mention.

In 2002, Haley helped Tech to a 7-6 overall record and a berth in the '02 Silicon Valley Classic in San Jose, Calif. Under Haley's tutelage, Tech linebackers Smith, Fox and Recardo Wimbush finished 1-2-3 on the team in total tackles. In fact, that trio combined for 285 tackles, 34 for loss (minus 90 yards) and 10 quarterback sacks (minus 57 yards). Wimbush earned all-ACC recognition following that season.

Haley joined Chan Gailey's Tech staff following three seasons as the defensive coordinator and linebackers' coach at Baylor, 1999-2001.

Prior to joining the Big XII institution, Haley coached the outside linebackers at Clemson in 1998.

A native of Gadsden, Ala., Haley entered the college coaching ranks full-time as the defensive line coach at Austin Peay from 1991-93. He was named the defensive line coach at Troy State in 1994 and remained there through the 1996 season. During that season at Troy, Haley's defense allowed an average of just 115 rushing yards per game and racked up 39 sacks. He was named defensive coordinator there following the '96 campaign, but moved to Houston to coach the outside linebacker in 1997.

Haley has one year of experience in the Southeastern Conference, having served as a graduate assistant at Arkansas in 1990. He began his coaching career on the high school level in Enterprise, Ala.

Haley starred as a linebacker at Alabama A&M from 1984-88. He received the school's Inspiration Award in 1987 and Most Valuable Player Award in 1989. He also earned a spot on the Division II All-America teams in 1988 and '89.

Andrea "Brick" Haley is married to the former Tina DeLaine. They have one son, A.J.

Source: MSU Media Relations