11/25/02
Track and Field
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State head coach Al Schmidt has announced the signing of Christina Hernandez, a thrower from Ashville, N.C.

Hernandez won two state championships during the 2002 season, taking the state 4A title in the discus outdoors and shot put indoors. At the 2002 Adidas Outdoor Championships, she finished seventh in both the shot put and discus.

A senior at A.C. Reynolds High School, Hernandez lists her best throw in the discus at 145-7, while her best shot put measured 43-9 1/2. She received the Asheville Citizen-Times Female Track Athlete of the Year in 2002.

"She's a really good thrower," said Schmidt. "We think she'll have a big impact on our program."

Hernandez has been a participant in the USA Track & Field Junior Olympics the past three years. A co-captain of the Reynolds High School track team the past two years, she is scheduled to graduate in May 2003 and currently maintains a 3.71 GPA.

Hernandez also is a member of various clubs in Asheville, volunteering at the VA hospital and at the Manna Food Bank over the past four years. She also is a member of the Future Farmers of America and the Sign Language Club. She was named to the honor roll from 1997-1999.

Christina Hernandez is the daughter of Pamela and Ed Hernandez.

Source: MSU Media Relations

11/23/02
Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ A trio of players from the state of Mississippi, as well as an all-region catcher from South Carolina, highlight Mississippi State softball's 2002-03 signing class announced Friday by head coach Jay Miller.

Stephanie Comeaux and Hayle Guess, a pair of standouts from East Central High School's Class 4A state championship squad, and Amory native Keri McFarling highlight State's largest in-state class in program history. South Carolina's Blair Geddings marks just the second prep softball player from the Palmetto State to sign with the Bulldogs, joining current Bulldog freshman Stephanie Owens.

"I think we did a very good job filling the needs of our team," Miller said. "We got an outstanding pitcher in Stephanie Comeaux, a great catcher in Blair Geddings and two of the best athletes in the state of Mississippi in Hayle Guess and Keri McFarling. Both have tremendous speed and are very versatile.

"We signed the best players in the state of Mississippi and that is good news for Mississippi State. I believe each one of these players can contribute immediately and we are very pleased that they chose Mississippi State University and our softball program."

The staff ace in East Central's run to its second consecutive Class 4A state championship, Comeaux (Lucedale, Miss./East Central HS) hit .224 with 16 runs scored and 16 RBIs in the batter's box, but did most of her damage in the circle. She went 30-4-2, striking out 403 batters in 238 innings and walking only 19. She allowed only five earned runs for an 0.14 earned run average.

Voted most athletic and most talented on two separate occasions at her school, she has been featured in Who's Who Among American High School Students and was a recipient of the United States Achievement Academy's 1999 national award.

"I am really excited. Next year can't come soon enough," Comeaux said. "The girls were very nice when I came there on my visit and it was like I was in a whole new family again."

Guess (Moss Point, Miss./East Central HS), who has staked her claim as East Central's starting shortstop the last three years, was recently garnered with all-area softball honors from The Mississippi Press and has collected four-straight all-district 4 honors and three consecutive all-state accolades. Last season, Guess batted .333, drove in 23 runs, scored 19 times and led the two-time defending 4A state champion Lady Hornets in stolen bases.

A featured prep in Who's Who Among American High School Students as well, Hayle has collected her team's Golden Glove and season batting awards on numerous occasions and, this past season, received the honor of possessing her team's highest GPA.

"I am very excited to continue my playing career at the Division I level in the Southeastern Conference," Guess said. "I could not be entering a better place than Mississippi State. I am very excited to play for coach Miller."

An all-state selection at Amory High School, McFarling (Amory, Miss./Amory HS) has been a regular starter for the Lady Panthers at pitcher and shortstop. A four-time all-state selection in slowpitch competition, McFarling was also an all-state and all-division honoree in fast pitch competition. Named most valuable player for her team in 2002, McFarling was also selected as a member of the all-north regional team this past season.

"I have always wanted to be a Bulldog," McFarling said. "It is a dream come true for me to sign with Mississippi State."

Geddings (St. Mathews, S.C./Calhoun Academy) is a four-time all-region 4AAA selection and one of the main cogs in Calhoun's run to a pair of regional final appearances. Named the most valuable player of her team as a sophomore, she has played in the South Carolina state all star game on two occasions. She has also lettered three times in basketball at Calhoun Academy.

"I loved the campus at Mississippi State and the small-town atmosphere," Geddings said. "I loved being around the girls on the team and I am really looking forward to playing there."

Source: MSU Media Relations

Hayle Guess

Hayle is a player Mississippi State softball is showing a lot of interest in. I caught up with Haley at her home Monday night (June 24th).

Hayle, what position do you play?
"I am mainly a middle infielder. I play some outfield."

What is your primary position?
"I play second in high school but in the summer I alternate. I guess you could say shortstop since that is what I am being recruited as."

What do you feel are your strong points on the field? In other words what you do best on the field?
"I am aggressive, very aggressive. I have good speed. That is one of my really good points."

What about your hitting and fielding ability?
"I think I am a better fielder than a hitter right now. I came from slowpitch. I have always played slowpitch."

When did you start playing fastpitch softball?
"Last summer was my first summer to go fastpitch (seriously). I have played fastpitch since I was 11 or 12, but not seriously. I played some introductory league when I was 11. Then I started playing for the Coastliners from Pascagoula when I was 12 or 13."

What honors have you earned during your high school career?
"I've gotten All-District for three years and All-State for two years. High school-wise, I have gotten the defensive award every year and the scholastic award one year."

What colleges are recruiting you?
"The big one is Mississippi State. And I've gotten letters from a university out of Maryland called Towson University and Drexel University out of Pennsylvania."

What schools are you most interested in at this time?
"My number one choice is Mississippi State, then there are the others powers such as LSU that you would also love to play for. But my number one priority is Mississippi State."

What do you like about Mississippi State?
"I like the school and the campus. I went to their camps last year and this year and I met a lot of the (MSU softball) girls. The coaches are very good teachers. I just like being up there. I would fit in there really well. I feel very comfortable there. And it is not that far away from home. I don't really want to go that far away from home."

Have you enjoyed the recruiting process, so far?
"Oh yeah, it is very exciting."

Are you on a summer team?
"Yes sir. I play with a team out of Mobile called the Thrillers. We travel every weekend. We usually try to find the biggest recruiting tournaments."

Is this the first time you have played on a team like that?
"No sir, I have always played on a travel team. I started it when I was 9 and playing slowpitch. Last summer, I went completely fastpitch. We didn't travel as much because I played for my dad on what was a first year fastpitch team. We didn't travel to the really big tournaments but we got out there. This is my first year with the Thrillers."

When did the Thrillers start playing this summer?
"As soon as school got out, we started the first weekend."

When do they play games?
"It is like normal tournaments. For South Carolina, we left last Wednesday and got back Sunday. This is our first weekend off. We go to Pensacola the next weekend. We'll play in Mobile the next weekend, then we have one week off. After that, we go to Texas. We leave on a Sunday and get back on a Sunday. I think it is like a 200 team (tournament)."

It sounds like the Texas tournament is a huge tournament. Is this the first time you have played in a tournament that big?
"After I got through with my dad's team, I played in a national tournament with a team from Brandon called Southern Style. We played at Panama City, Florida, then, after I got back from that tournament, I went to the Texas tournament with the same Thrillers team I'm playing with this year. I enjoyed it."

Getting back to the places that you have traveled to, where did you go prior to the South Carolina tournament?
"We had just gotten back from Birmingham."

Was that the first place you had gone to?
"No sir, we went to Germantown, Tennessee before that weekend."

Do your parents travel with you to these tournaments?
"My dad goes with me every weekend. My mom goes when she doesn't have to work."

Hayle, that just about does it. I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me.
"It was nice talking to you. Bye bye."

Keri is a player Mississippi State softball is showing a lot of interest in. I caught up with Keri at her home Tuesday night.

What position/s do you play?
"I play shortstop and pitcher."

Are you being recruited primarily as a shortstop or pitcher?
"Shortstop. I don't really want to pitch after high school."

Do you know what your stats were last season?
"I'm not sure about my pitching but I batted .496."

How long have you been playing fastpitch?
"Since I was in the 8th grade."

You mentioned that you started playing fastpitch in your 8th grade year in school, when did your first start playing fastpitch softball in the summer?
"I started last summer."

Do you have a summer team you travel with?
"Yes sir, we are called the Lady Noles. They are based out of Saltillo."

When did your summer team start its games?
"We played a couple of slowpitch tournaments in between high school and summer league fastpitch. Our first fastpitch tournament was at Germantown."

What places have you traveled to this summer with your team?
"We went to Germantown two weekends ago and to Birmingham this past weekend."

What are your strong points on the field?
"I am very aggressive. I hustle."

Batting .496, I have a feeling your hitting is also a strong point of yours.
"Yes sir, I think my hitting is stronger than my fielding right now."

Do you consider yourself as having a good arm?
"Yes sir, I think I have a good arm."

What kind of honors have you earned in high school?
"I have been All-Division and All-State all four years."

You were All-State as an 8th grader?
"Yes sir. I think I was better my 8th grade year than I am now. (laugh)"

What colleges are mailing you letters?
"I've gotten letters from Ole Miss and Mississippi State. I've talked to Alabama at their camp. My parents have talked to a school out of Illinois. I've also had a few junior colleges from around the area mail me letters."

What schools are you most interested in at this time?
"Mississippi State, definitely and Alabama if that ever comes along."

Have you grown up a fan of any particular college?
"Mississippi State. I have always been a Bulldog."

What are the college coaches saying about you when you go to their camps?
"They like my arm, my work ethic and how I hustle. They always talk about my aggressiveness and how I just act like I want to get the ball and be on the field. Mississippi State was mainly impressed with my aggressiveness."

That about does it. I really appreciate you talking the time to talk with me. Bye, bye.
"Ok, thank you so much for calling. Bye, bye."

11/23/02
Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ Mississippi State softball head coach Jay Miller, along with assistant coaches Bo Reid and Annie Smith, will host three different winter softball clinics in late December and January.

A pitching and catching clinic will be the focus of a clinic on December 28, while a hitting clinic will be featured on December 29. The winter clinics will conclude on Jan. 25, 2003, with an all-skills session.

The pitching and catching clinic is designed to provide in-depth instruction into both pitching and catching and participants will learn all the basic fundamentals of both positions. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn advanced skills and drills for both the pitcher and catcher. The camp will help both the athlete just learning the skills, as well as the advanced softball player.

The hitting clinic will cover mechanics, skills and dozens of hitting drills to help improve power and consistency at the plate. Campers will learn all the basic fundamentals of hitting, plus advanced hitting techniques. The all-skills clinic in late January is designed to cover mechanics, skills and dozens of drills to help improve play at the plate and in the field.

Miller, who took over the helm of the Mississippi State softball program in August, has developed 18 all-American players over the past 15 years. He is a member of the USA national team coaching staff for the 2004 Olympic games and, in 1997, was selected as the Big XII Conference and Midwest Region coach of the year while serving as the skipper at Missouri. He has taken two teams to the NCAA Women's College World Series and five teams to the NCAA Regionals.

For more information on the MSU Softball winter clinics, or to obtain an application, please contact camp administrators at (662) 325-0572. Applications for the clinics can also be obtained by logging on to Mississippi State's official athletic department website, www.MStateAthletics.com.

Source: MSU Media Relations

11/17/02
Cross Country
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Mississippi State's cross country team finished its 2002 season Saturday, ranking eighth at the 2002 NCAA South Regional meet, hosted by Tennessee.

The Bulldogs posted 183 points, three points behind seventh place Georgia Tech and just 18 points out of fifth. The eighth-place finish is the second-best in school history in the regional/district meet, topped only by the 1990 squad's seventh-place showing.

For the first time in school history, MSU had two runners named to the all-South team. Sophomore Meggan Hodge earned all-South region honors for the second straight year, finishing 10th overall (22:30.42). Fellow sophomore Tiffany McWilliams placed 19th (22:41.01), and was also named to the all-South team. Hodge's finish is the third-best individual showing in the meet before the NCAA Championships.

Senior Ronni Rudolphi ended her cross country career as the 43rd runner to cross the finish line Saturday, her best finish in regional competition in her career. She ends her career having finished in the top five in all but one cross country meet in four years.

"We didn't have a great day," said head coach Al Schmidt. "It was a good year, though. It's been a long season for the freshmen. They were a little tired going in."

Freshmen Zita Magloire (24:11.56) and Mina Thorstenson (24:12.07) took 60th and 61st, respectively. Fellow freshman Jennifer McPherson (24:49.37) finished in 79th place, while sophomore Trina Hobyan (24:54.30) came in 82nd. All four were competing in their first NCAA regional event.

Tennessee took the team championship on its own course, beating Florida State by two points. However, FSU's Vicky Gill took the individual title, crossing the finish line 40 seconds before Tennessee's Sharon Dickey with a time of 21:03.87.

On Monday, the NCAA will name the at-large teams and individuals for the 2002 NCAA Cross Country Championships, hosted by Indiana State University.

Source: MSU Media Relations

11/16/02
Cross Country
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State's cross country team heads to Knoxville, Tenn., for the NCAA South Regional.

The Bulldogs, in the regional rankings throughout the season, head to the meet hosted by the University of Tennessee with a chance to top the school's previous best finish in regional competition, when MSU finished ninth in 2000.

The sophomore tandem of Meggan Hodge and Tiffany McWilliams lead the Bulldogs into the meet. The duo earned first-team all-SEC honors during the SEC Championships two weeks ago, with McWilliams besting Hodge for the first time in their collegiate careers.

Ronni Rudolphi, the team's only senior competing this weekend, looks to help her team extend her career another weekend. The Moss Point, Miss., native has scored in all but one of her teams' races in her four-year career.

Also traveling with the team and looking to score valuable points are sophomore Trina Hobyan and freshmen Michelle Kinney, Zita Magloire, Jennifer McPherson and Mina Thorstenson.

The women's race starts at 10 a.m. ET at the Lambert Acres Golf Course Saturday morning in Knoxville.

Source: MSU Media Relations

Mathis is considered one of Mississippi's best golfers, winning the 2002 state amateur championship by defeating nine-time champion Cissye Gallagher 3 and 2 in the tournament’s final match.

She also claimed the title at the 2002 Mississippi Junior Amateur Championships, carding an 11-under par 137 in the two-day event.

At Picayune Memorial High School, she became only the second female to win medalist honors at the co-ed state championships, firing rounds of 67 and 72 to lead the Maroon Tide to a runner-up finish in Class 4A.

Mathis has also achieved success on the national level, winning the 2001 Exxon Future Tour Championship and placing second in the Conlee National Junior Invitational. She took eighth at the 2001 AJGA Nationals in Mobile, Ala.

"Amanda is an extremely talented golfer and an outstanding student as well," Sanders said. "She has a great deal of tournament experience both locally and at the national level. She will bring a tremendous amount of energy to our squad and will be an asset to our program."

Mathis is the daughter of Jim and Helen Mathis, and plays out of Picayune's Millbrook Golf Club.

Source: MSU Media Relations

"This is a great honor for Mississippi State University and the softball program here," Miller said. "A majority of these 22 players that were selected in September will make up the Olympic team in 2008. I am really looking forward to having the opportunity to work with them."

No stranger to the USA Softball, Miller has served in various capacities with the organization throughout his coaching career. He has proved successful on the international level, most recently coaching the USA Elite (Developmental) squad, which included former Mississippi State all-American Kellie Wilkerson, to an appearance in the 2002 Canada Cup championship game on July 21. In 2001, he was selected as one of six finalists for coaching positions on the 2004 Olympic team.

Miller currently ranks 13th on the NCAA's all-time victory list, collecting more than 700 victories in 18 years as a collegiate softball coach. He will make his debut as a Mississippi State head coach on Feb. 4, 2003, when the Bulldogs entertain Southern Miss in the season opener for both squads at the Mississippi State Softball Field.

Source: MSU Media Relations

Senior outside hitter Misty Hubenthal from Georgetown, Texas, and junior middle blocker Jennifer Rousey from Champaign, Ill., are among 18 athletes representing 13 schools tabbed for all-district academic honors. Both were named to the six-player second team. The district includes all NCAA Division I schools in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Hubenthal, MSU's team leader with 395 kills, has compiled a 3.67 grade point average in Biological Sciences. Rousey, a Communications major with a 3.92 GPA, leads the team and ranks among the SEC's leaders with a .322 hitting percentage and 96 total blocks.

Mississippi State concludes its 2002 volleyball season with a 1:30 p.m. match Sunday at Alabama.

Source: MSU Media Relations

11/04/02
Volleyball
COLUMBIA, S.C. - No. 20 South Carolina (19-4, 12-1 SEC) used a balanced offensive attack Sunday afternoon to shut out Mississippi State 3-0 at USC's Volleyball Competition Facility. The loss was the ninth straight for the Bulldogs (10-16, 1-11). USC hit a blistering .467 in topping the Bulldogs 30-18, 30-18, 30-20.

Nadia Sefferovich, Sarah Morgan and Sam Alban all had 11 kills each and Niece Curry added 10 as the Gamecocks closed out their 2002 home schedule in impressive fashion.

USC set the tone early, hitting .528 in the opening game. Berna Dwyer totaled seven kills and hit .875 in the opening stanza and did not play the remainder of the match.

Nicole Broome and Ashley Sledge had eight kills each to pace the Bulldogs. Sledge hit .421 with no hitting errors to reach her season-high for kills.

USC notched a 50-34 edge in digs, though State's Tanika Taylor registered led all players with a match-high 14.

The Gamecocks held MSU senior Misty Hubenthal without a kill until late in the second period. Hubenthal finished the match with five kills, her second-lowest total of the season.

The Bulldogs begin a three-match homestand Friday, hosting SEC West rival LSU at 7 p.m. on Senior Night at the Newell-Grissom Building.

Source: MSU Media Relations

The Lady Bulldogs were paced by freshman Sofie Andersson, who tallied a three-day total of 221 to finish tied for fourth. Sophomores Natalie Booth and Beth Irwin both carded 77-77-74=228 and shared 18th place honors.

Tulsa claimed the overall title, as the Golden Hurricane fired a tournament-low 287 to overtake four teams on the final day. Wake Forest's Nuria Clau totaled a 2-under par 214 to claim medalist honors.

The Landfall Tradition concludes the fall slate for Mississippi State. The Lady Bulldogs will open their spring season Feb. 10-11 at the Green Wave Invitational in New Orleans, La.

Source: MSU Media Relations

Moore, a sophomore, needed just one score in the last game of the season to surpass former Bulldog Meredith Riekert's four-year old career scoring record, but got a pair of goals, including her seventh career gamewinner, to shatter the mark. Van Zandt's 22nd career goal thrust her into a first place tie atop MSU's career list in that category. Riekert established both of her records through 78 career games. On Sunday, Moore played in her 41st, while Van Zandt participated in her 35th.

MSU freshman goalkeeper Courtney Hubert picked up her first win as a Bulldog, tallying 6 saves in the first 69 minutes of action. Breanne Milne's late second half goal helped the Gamecocks avoid their first shutout in the series since a 1-0 blanking at the hands of the Bulldogs during the 2000 season.

Mississippi State used every player on its 24-person travel roster to help keep its regular season finale record unblemished at 8-0, including a 4-0 mark in such games on the road. The victory also marked Statešs first of the season in Sunday contests. The win gave MSU's senior trio ­ Lynda Henry, Jessica Kauffman and Jessica Wells ­ their 31st career win distinguishing the class of 2002 as the winningest in MSU Soccer history.

"We played well today, and having the chance to give everyone on the team an opportunity to play was fun," said Mississippi State head coach Neil McGuire. "It was a nice way for our seniors to go out."

State and JSU spent much of the opening period trading off quality looks, many of which went wide of the respective nets. After a handful of near-misses by the Gamecock offense through the first 34 minutes of action, Kendra Benshoff added yet another when her shot from about 25 yards out lined a couple of feet above the MSU crossbar and out of danger. The teams traded off shots down the stretch but it was MSU that lit up the scoreboard first when it utilized a set play that culminated with Moorešs goal in the 44th minute (43:05).

The Gamecocks got a couple of scoring chances early in the second half that could have been used to tie the score, but headers by Jane Little and Ashley Martin in the 47th and 58th minutes, respectively, went just high of the MSU crossbar. MSU stretched its lead in the 75th minute (74:36) when, after a handball infraction inside the box by JSU's Emily Hulburt set up an MSU penalty kick, Moore drilled a shot to the rightside for a 2-0 advantage for the Maroon and White. JSU cut its two-goal deficit in half just six and a half minutes later (81:06) on Milne's 18-yard shot, but Van Zandt's slice-and-dice score in the 86th minute (85:47) put the game out of reach.

Source: MSU Media Relations

11/01/02
Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ The Mississippi State soccer team (5-12-1, 2-5-1 SEC) will close out the home portion of its 2002 schedule Friday afternoon as the Bulldogs suit up to take on cross-state rival Mississippi (12-3-2, 4-3-1) in a 2 p.m. contest at the Mississippi State Soccer Field.

The contest will mark the ninth meeting in eight seasons between the two clubs as both split a pair of contests near the end of the 2001 campaign. MSU clinched its first SEC West title in program history with a 2-1 double overtime thriller in Oxford on Nov. 2, 2001, then, six days later, dropped a tough 2-1 contest to the Rebels in the opening round of the SEC Tournament. Mississippi leads the all-time series, 4-3-1.

Of MSU's four losses in the series, only one has come at home. State has outscored the Rebels 3-1 at the Mississippi State Soccer Field, including shutout victories in both 1996 and 2000. State has allowed just one goal at home in the history of the series.

"Playing against your rival will always be one of the major highlights of an MSU Bulldog's career," said Mississippi State head coach Neil McGuire. "Ole Miss is an excellent team. They are very well-coached and they are extremely disciplined. We will have to be at our best in order to win this game."

The Rebels will be led by SEC Player of the Year candidate Kelly Renie who, after tearing her ACL prior to the start of last season, has erupted this season to score 17 goals (nine gamewinners) and three assists in pacing the Rebels. Karen Hall has also been effective for the Rebel offense, scoring six goals and four assists.

Defensively, Mississippi is as good as they come, limiting their 17 opponents this season to an average of just one goal, while posting eight shutouts along the way. Junior Brittany Gillespie has handled the goalkeeping duties for the Red and Blue admirably, turning in a 1.00 goals against average and 67 saves to go along with an SEC best seven shutouts. Prior to Tennessee's goal in the 23rd minute Sunday afternoon, Gillespie had held her opposition scoreless for 332 minutes and four seconds of action. Her seven shutouts are the most ever by a UM goalkeeper.

Although not needing an added incentive for the contest, Mississippi State will honor its senior class in a ceremony prior to the first whistle of Friday's action. Together, the class of 2002 has accumulated a 30-37-2 mark as Bulldogs, including first time victories over five opponents. They were juniors when Mississippi State captured the 2001 SEC West title, as well as secured the program's first SEC Tournament berth.

"Being their last home game, it is fitting that we get to play our nemesis," McGuire said. "These graduating seniors have helped take this program from its mere beginnings to winning a divisional championship. We thank them sincerely for everything they have done for this team."

Source: MSU Media Relations