01/31/03
Track and Field
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State's men's indoor track team rose one spot to seventh in the latest power ratings released by Trackwire.com.

The Bulldogs are tied for seventh with Texas Christian on the latest list. The Southeastern Conference dominates the poll, with all 11 men's teams appearing. SEC schools hold the top five spots.

In Trackwire's Dandy Dozen listings, Pierre Browne is one of three individuals ranked in both the 60- and 200-meter dashes. The Toronto native is first in the 60m and second in the 200m.

On the women's side, sophomore Tiffany McWilliams holds the third spot in the women's mile Dandy Dozen. Her 4:39.73 at the SEC West Challenge automatically qualified her for the NCAA Championships in March.

Head coach Al Schmidt's squad competes next at the Rod McCravy Memorial in Lexington, Ky., Feb. 14-15.

MSU Media Relations

Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ Mississippi State's 25th-ranked men's tennis team got a strong test from Southern Miss Thursday, but eventually downed the Golden Eagles 6-1 at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre on the MSU campus. The match, which evened State's record at 1-1, marked the 26th straight win for the Bulldogs over USM (0-2).

MSU got on the board early by sweeping doubles play, notching 8-0, 8-2 and 8-6 victories at the three positions.

In singles, however, USM would challenge the Bulldogs hard with some close contests.

The teams split the first two matches off the court. MSU junior all-American Romain Ambert provided a 2-0 State advantage when he finished off Uwe Gneiting 6-4, 6-0 at the No. 1 position. At the bottom spot in the lineup, USM's Reid Bourgeois did not make Bulldog Luc Maasdorp's debut a memorable one, downing the true freshman 6-1, 6-1 for what would ultimately be the Golden Eagles' lone point of the day.

Of the remaining four matches, two would go to a third set and the other two were also very tight, but the Bulldogs rose up when they had to and swept all four contests for the final score.

Providing a 3-1 lead was State's other newcomer, Florent Girod. The Belfort, France, product held off Golden Eagle Nicolas Carteret for a 6-4, 7-5 win at No. 4.

A Mississippian would then post the clinching point for the Bulldogs over their in-state rival. Junior Matt Armstrong of Jackson, playing in just his second dual match ever, overcame service breaks in both sets to notch a 6-4, 7-6(1) triumph over USM's Marc-Olivier Lux at No. 5.

In the final two matches of the day, State's Jerome Le Belicard and Max Fomine would pull out three-set affairs. Le Belicard was a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 winner over David Canudas at No. 2. Fomine rallied from a set down to best Juanco Martin 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1 at No. 3.

"Southern Miss really challenged us today," MSU head coach Sylvain Guichard said. "I was very proud of our guys for they way they stepped up when things were tight and putting the match away. This was a solid team effort and win over a solid team."

Next up for the Bulldogs will be a matchup with No. 67 UAB on Sunday. Match time is set for 1 p.m. at the Pitts Tennis Centre. State will also host No. 54 Memphis this coming Wednesday at 2 p.m.

MSU Media Relations

Lane will again send Patricia Assumpcao, Elaine Fagan, Marcelle Hirt, Anastasia Kugokolova, Magdi Rekasi, Justyna Switala and Yumi Ueda to the courts. Newcomer Kugokolova is looking to continue her 2-0 start in maroon and white.

Mississippi State is 14-7 against Memphis all-time. In their last meeting in 1997, MSU swept Memphis 9-0 at Memphis. The match took place during the Lady Bulldogs first season under Lane.

Memphis' doubles tandem of Sabrina Lindemann and Monica Gonzalez-Gordo are ranked 56th in the nation by Omni Hotels Collegiate Tennis Rankings.

"I am looking for Memphis to be a true test for us," said Lane. "They have a really solid team from top to bottom, and they have a doubles team ranked 56 in the nation."

MSU will face UAB on Sat., Feb. 1, at the Pitts Tennis Centre in their next match.

MSU Media Relations

01/19/03
Men's Tennis
NORCROSS, Ga. ­ Mississippi State's remaining contingent in the 2003 Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships concluded play Saturday as both MSU doubles teams dropped close decisions in the round of 16.

Bulldogs Romain Ambert and Max Fomine fell 8-5 to Georgia's Nicolas Boeker and Bo Hodge. In another tight affair, State's tandem of Florent Girod and Jerome Le Belicard was edged by LSU's Peter Richman and Paul White 9-8(5).

In the consolation singles draw, which featured only one round of play, State claimed wins in three of five matches played. Four of those contests pitted Bulldogs against the LSU Tigers, with each squad claiming two wins.

The State freshman Girod staved off Tiger Bryan Fisher 7-6(4), 7-6(2) for his first career singles victory as a Bulldog. LSU's Cory Ross claimed a 6-3, 6-4 win over MSU's Le Belicard. Fomine was a 6-3, 6-2 winner over the Tigers' Brandon Nicholson. And LSU's Rafael Corazza downed Bulldog Michael Hailey 7-6(5), 6-1. In the fifth consolation match, State's Matt Armstrong ousted Mississippi's David Donaldson 6-4, 6-2.

The Bulldogs now set their sights on the opening of the 2003 dual match season, which will begin this coming weekend with a pair of matches at MSU's A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. State, ranked 25th nationally, will open the campaign by hosting in-state rival Southern Miss this Thursday, January 23, at 2 p.m. MSU will then immediately prepare for a bout with third-ranked Baylor on Saturday, the 25th, at 1 p.m.

Source: MSU Media Relations

In doubles action, Magdi Rekasi and Nastya Kugakolova at No. 1 defeated Heather Kelley and Anja Schmidt 8-3. At No.2, Justyna Switala and Yumi Ueda won 8-2 over Elizabeth Pitts and Brandy Smith. Mississippi State won the No.3 doubles match by default.

State won all its singles matches except at the No. 1 position. MSU sophomore, Rekasi fell 1-6, 4-6, in a hard fought match against Schmidt. In her first match as a Lady Bulldog, Kugakolva defeated Kelley 6-1, 6-1, at No.2. Ueda, playing No. 3 singles, downed Pitts in a 6-0, 6-1, decision to give the Lady Bulldogs the fourth team point needed to win the match. Switala won her match 6-3, 6-0, against Smith. Fagan finished next with a 6-0, 6-0, victory over Kristen Krauss at the No. 5 position. Assumpcao won the No.6 singles match for MSU by default.

"We opened up the way I expected us to," said head coach Tracy Lane. "Some of our matches were not as challenging as we would have hoped, but we played very well. Next week¹s matches should be much more challenging and we have to prepare for that."

MSU will be in action next against Louisiana-Monroe on Friday, January 24, at 2:30 p.m. at A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.

Source: MSU Media Relations

McWilliams, an all-South region runner in cross country during the fall, shattered the old indoor mile mark of 4:50.20. The sophomore clocked a 4:39.73 on the banked oval in Fayetteville to win the race and automatically qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships in March.

Four males also provisionally qualified for the NCAAs, led by senior Pierre Browne. The Toronto native tied his school record in the 60m with a 6.64, taking first in the race. Browne, the four-time all-American, currently owns two school records.

Senior Kelvin Harris also provisionally qualified for the NCAAs, finishing third in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.84. That is his personal-best time and the second-fastest time in MSU history.

Junior Marquis Davis and sophomore Glenn McFadden were the Bulldogs' other qualifiers, taking second and third in the 200-meter dash. Davis' sprint was timed at 21.16 while McFadden came in with a 21.20. Browne came in sixth at 21.57.

"This was a great way to open the season," head coach Al Schmidt said, "and a great meet for our team. It was unbelievable, seeing all of our personal bests broken today."

MSU's women also had other great showings. Freshman Zita Magloire finished second in the 800-meter run (2:13.69), clocking the fifth-fastest time in school history. Sophomore Meggan Hodge, a two-time all-South cross country competitor, came in second in the 3000m (10:02.50). Jennifer Johnstone, another sophomore, came in third in the weight throw.

State's men's team also took home two other first-place finishes. Sophomore LaChristopher Lewis claimed first in the 400-meter dash with a time of 47.95. Matthew Denton, a Hurley, Miss., sophomore, tied for first in the high jump, clearing 6-8 3/4.

Senior Chris Boldt had a career day, taking second in the mile run with a 4:06.99, the second-ranked time in school history. Sophomore J.D. Erickson finished second in the weight throw (55-6 1/2) and third in the shot put (52-11 1/2). Senior Dion Crabbe, a two-time outdoor all-American, finished fourth in the 60m with a time of 6.74.

MSU's men's team, ranked 10th in the nation by Trackwire.com, finished third in the five-school team competition, earning 93.33 points. On the women's side, Mississippi State totaled 65 points and finished fourth. Arkansas won both team competitions, with the second-ranked men gaining 151.33 points and the women amassing 193 points.

The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs travel back to the state of Arkansas next week for the Arkansas State Invitational in Jonesboro on Jan. 24-25.

Source: MSU Media Relations

01/18/03
Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State softball head coach Jay Miller announced Friday that spots remain open for the last of three softball winter clinics. Walk-up applications will be accepted for the January 25 clinic as well.

The all-skills clinic 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.

Applications for the clinic can be obtained by logging on to Mississippi State's official athletic department website, www.MStateAthletics.com. For more information on the MSU Softball winter clinics please contact camp administrators at (662) 325-0572 or by email at, asmith@athletics.msstate.edu.

Source: MSU Media Relations

In doubles, Ambert teamed with Max Fomine to post an 8-6 win over South Carolina's tandem of Ben Atkinson and Angelo Niculescu. The Bulldog team of Florent Girod and Jerome Le Belicard, playing in their first match ever together, showed signs of being a good combination, shutting out Georgia's duo of Jason Varela and Trevor Wilson 8-0.

In singles Friday, the all-American Ambert was upset by Vanderbilt's Matthew Lockin in the second round. Lockin overcame a set deficit to rally back for a 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 triumph.

In other action Friday, the State doubles team of Matt Armstrong and Michael Hailey was edged by the Georgia pair of Will Glenn and Raian Luchici 9-7.

Play will continue Saturday with the round of 16 in doubles. The day will also see the start of a consolation singles draw for those players that fell in qualifying and first-round main draw action Thursday. In competition for MSU in that draw, which begins at 8 a.m. ET, will be Armstrong, Fomine, Girod, Hailey and Le Belicard.

Source: MSU Media Relations

On the courts for the Lady Bulldogs are lone senior Elaine Fagan, juniors Marcelle Hirt, Justyna Switala and Yumi Ueda, sophomore Magdi Rekasi and newcomers Patricia Assumpcao and Nastya Kugakolova.

State's all-time record against Centenary is 4-0. Last season, MSU also hosted Centenary for the season opener where they were victorious with a 7-0 shutout.

The Lady Bulldogs are aiming to win their six straight season-opener in as many years.

"We are very excited to be opening up this weekend and have worked really hard this week," said head coach Tracy Lane. "We have a few new players in the lineup, so it is going to be exciting for us to see where we are and where we need to make improvements."

Source: MSU Media Relations 01/17/03
Men's Track
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Head coach Al Schmidt and his Bulldog track teams travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the SEC West Challenge on Saturday to open the indoor track season.

The men's team is ranked 10th by Trackwire.com Top 25, the nation's most widely respected collegiate track power rankings in the country.

The men's team is coming off of the best indoor national showing in school history, tying for ninth at last year's NCAA Indoor Championships. All of last year's national scorers return for the Bulldogs as they begin their season.

State is led on the men's side by seniors Pierre Browne and Dion Crabbe. Browne, a four-time all-American, and Crabbe, a two-time all-American, look to continue their success from last season.

Also contributing to the men's team will be junior Marquis Davis and sophomores Glenn McFadden and LaChristopher Lewis. All three provisionally qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships last year, with Davis returning as a two-time all-American.

Sophomore Tiffany McWilliams will lead MSU's women. A competitor in last year's NCAA Outdoors, the Red Bay, Ala., native had a strong fall in cross country to help her prepare for the upcoming season.

Action begins this Saturday with the field events scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. Running events begin at 12:30 p.m., in the Randal Tyson Track Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

MSU Media Relations

01/14/03
Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. - For the 12th straight season, Mississippi State's men's tennis team will begin its season ranked among the nation's top 25, as the Bulldogs came in at No. 25 in the 2003 preseason Omni Hotels Collegiate Rankings, released Monday by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

The Bulldog netters will begin the 2003 spring slate this weekend (Jan. 16-19) at the SEC Indoor Championships in Atlanta, Ga. State opens this year's dual match season next Thursday, Jan. 23, hosting in-state rival Southern Miss at MSU's A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre at 2 p.m.

State, which made its 12th consecutive NCAA Championship appearance last season (one of only seven teams in the country to do so), will be looking to improve upon last season's second-round showing in the NCAAs. Seven lettermen return for the Bulldogs in 2003, all of which are juniors and seniors. Two freshmen have joined the team as well.

"We are very excited about our preseason top 25 ranking," MSU head coach Sylvain Guichard said. "Our team is eager to prove that we are better than our No. 28 finish last season. We have a very experienced team along with a couple of talented newcomers and we are ready to begin working hard."

Individually, MSU senior René-Charles Combette was rated 76th in Monday's poll. The Ajaccio, Corsica, product has been ranked as high as 24th in singles during his career.

During his three years on campus, Combette has compiled a 64-48 singles record. Combined with doubles, his 133 career victories leave him just 24 triumphs away from State's career top 10 in overall wins as he starts his final campaign as a Bulldog.

Not in Monday's rankings, but definitely a factor-to-be on the national level is Bulldog Romain Ambert. The junior from Toulouse, France, who was ranked No. 3 nationally in singles prior to the fall semester, is not ranked in the spring preseason poll due to not playing the fall term.

Ambert, who has compiled a remarkable 64-22 overall record in singles during his career, will return as the Bulldogs' top player again this season. He was an all-America selection in singles last season after posting a 37-11 record (18-4 in dual match play). He was also named the ITA's National Player to Watch and was a first-team, all-SEC selection for the second straight campaign.

In the doubles rankings Monday, State had one pair on the list. Combette and fellow senior Jerome Le Belicard, who teamed for a 4-4 record in the fall and reached the second round of the Omni Hotels Southeast Region Championships, came in at No. 52. Since they did not play together in the fall, Ambert and Combette were not ranked as a tandem Monday. The duo finished last season 35th nationally and qualified for the NCAA Doubles Championship.