The Mississippi College baseball team is looking to get past the “Dog Days” of the season. After starting the year 18-4, the Choctaws baseball team has hit a rough patch, going 4-5 in their past 9 games, but Mississippi College ace Chris Crosby and catcher Brandon Broussard believes the team will get back to their winning ways.

Broussard knows this team is more complete than in years past, and he hopes that will get the team out of this slump. “This year’s team gels a lot better than last year’s team. We have a lot of arms in our pitching staff this season. If someone is struggling, we have someone who can fill. Our hitters starting out in the beginning of the year were leading the conference in batting averages at .380, and we are pretty confident hitting the ball and scoring runs,” said Broussard.

A big part of the Choctaws’ success this season has been their pitching staff, especially the three starting pitchers, who have a combined era of 3.54. Crosby is one of the pitchers having an outstanding season, and he believes the pitching staff deserves more credit. “Our pitching staff has been pretty solid. I feel like a lot of guys do not get the credit that they deserve. Our hitters are good, and we have a really good lineup, but our pitching staff has been pretty good as well. We have Hunter Mullis who has been phenomenal for us this year; Zach Ingram has been doing pretty well; and our bullpen for the most part has been lights out. Every pitcher has his days, but for the most part we have been locked in and on,” Crosby said.

It helps a pitcher to know that they have a defense backing them up, and the MC team has a really good one. “Our defense is phenomenal. I am the type of guy that is going to pound the strike zone and attack the hitter, and having a defense behind you that is one of the best in the GSC makes it easier to pitch. We have the best outfield in the GSC. I have full confidence in my defense, especially behind the plate with Brandon Broussard. It is honestly a blessing to have a defense like we do,” said Crosby.

Broussard has been a quiet hero on the baseball team, as his leadership and toughness has built confidence for his pitchers. “That is our guy. Broussard has been a dawg for us all year. I can’t say enough good things about him. He has caught every single game for us, even though he has been banged up with a dislocated shoulder and all kinds of things. He is the best catcher I have ever had in my life,” said Crosby.

It is not just the starting few who are having a great year for the Choctaws, but the relievers too. “Brandon Kennedy is the first person that comes to mind as a reliever; he has come in and helped us out a lot. He throws a lot of strikes and gives us an opportunity to get outs. Austin Chastang has come in and thrown a lot of zeros for us as well. Our relievers have been really good this year,” Broussard said.

Mississippi College had a tough loss recently, when the team gave up 7 runs in the 9th inning to lose to Montevallo by the score of 12-11, but Broussard still believes in his relievers. “Ryan (Lane) is a very consistent guy for us, but he just had an off day yesterday and we still believe in him. Normally when we put him in that position he is going to perform well, and it is just baseball. So you live and forget,” Broussard said.

After a team meeting, Crosby wants the team to compete and bring it every single game. “I expect us to really bring it to people. We came out really hot. We kind of hit a wall these past couple of weeks, but we brought the team together and had some heart-to-hearts. I really feel like that is going to change our aspects and mentality for the rest of the season,” said Crosby. “We cleared the air. I felt like we did not have much closure as a team, and we needed to address some problems that we had with guys not playing up to par. We know we are a pretty good team, and we know what everyone is capable, of so we were just encouraging guys to believe in themselves,” Crosby said.

Mississippi College is currently in 6th place in the GSC with a record of 11-6, and the Choctaws can improve that record this weekend in a home series against Christian Brothers.

Mississippi College’s softball team has established a winning culture over the last few years. The team won the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Championship in 2016, and brought the Gulf South Conference Championship title to Clinton in 2017. As they approach the conclusion of regular season play, the Lady Choctaws have one thing on their mind: another championship.

Head Coach Brooke O’Hair has been at Mississippi College for over a decade, so she knows what it takes to build a successful program. “You always have to set that standard. Every year, that’s your goal: you want to win a championship,” O’Hair said. “Thankfully, we’ve been able to set the bar high for the incoming girls, and then you have the seniors who want to go out on top.”

One of those seniors is Kristen Gardner. “Winning last year was absolutely amazing. It was one of the best feelings,” Gardner said. She feels that the team really proved themselves in 2017. “We’ve got a target on our backs this season. People are coming after us more than they did last year. We definitely have to be more resilient every time we play,” said Gardner.

Gardner says the team’s No. 1 goal is to win a national championship, of course, but she explained the importance of working towards that goal with a “one game at a time” mentality. Gardner says she feels the team has finally gotten into their groove for the year. “We’ve really done a lot better about coming together as a team and are executing really well in all areas,” she said.

Being a transfer, Gardner says it really meant a lot to her that the coaches trusted her abilities coming from junior college. “My experience here has been amazing. The environment of the school and my teammates – everyone is so uplifting.”

So far this season, the team is 19-11 overall, with a record of 12-8 in conference play, with a stretch of GSC match-ups in the near future. At this point in the year, the coaches have been putting more emphasis on the little things. “Keeping everything fine-tuned is key,” O’Hair said.

Assistant Coach Leigh Streetman spoke about what it’s like for her to be a part of the softball family at MC. “Coming into a program where winning championships is normal is awesome; it really gives the girls a competitive edge. They know what they’re capable of,” said Streetman.

Looking towards the future, Streetman feels that the championship culture surrounding the Lady Choctaws is what enables the program to recruit top notch athletes. “Winning championships is what’s going to continue to give us the success that we want,” she said.

“The great thing with winning championships is that you get a lot of attention,” O’Hair said. “Every kid wants to be a part of a championship program. That’s what you dream of as a little kid.”

As long as The Lady Choctaws are able to continue to bring home the championship trophies, there may be a lot of young girls with dreams of wearing blue and gold one day.

The Choctaw football team began spring practices earlier this semester and is already making adjustments. Athletic Director Mike Jones announced in January that both Paul Rasmussen and Tommy Laurendine would join the Choctaw coaching staff as the new defensive line coach and offensive coordinator. Along with additions to the roster and coaching staff, the Choctaws have also incorporated new schemes to the playbook. Head Coach John Bland said the majority of their spring practices are spent learning the new plays and adjusting to different coaching styles. He said the players have accepted the new coaches well and “We’re seeing some positive things out on the field.”

Until last Friday, all spring practices were in preparation for the annual Spring Game scrimmage where the Choctaw offense battled the defense. Now, Bland said their attention will turn to staying in shape and keeping grades up, because the main focus for Choctaw athletics has always been academics.

A large portion of the team roster consists of transfers from around the country, so there are always adjustments to be made both on the field and in the classroom. “We’re gonna really focus on academics and hopefully finish this semester strong, so these guys can continue to be here and play football for us,” said Bland.

Colton Magee and Tiberias Lampkin are two seniors on the Choctaw football team this season. Both athletes transferred to Mississippi College during the 2017 spring practice season.  Filling the outside linebacker position, Magee said the Choctaws are working hard to “put the pieces together” on the team. Magee said that in his final season at Mississippi College he wants to finish strong. “The coaches have given us a new game plan, so we just want to keep getting better,” said Magee. He hopes that this season they will have a strong support system from the fans since the team has been working hard all spring. He said, “We’re gonna compete, and it’s gonna be a great time.”

For the senior running back Tiberias Lampkin, spring season practices are spent learning to adjust to the new offensive coordinator, Tommy Laurendine. Lampkin has enjoyed getting to work with Coach Laurendine this season at his new full back position. “He’s been really challenging me mentally by showing me a lot of things that I need to get better at,” said Lampkin. The senior full back believes the team is really “drawing together” this season by improving their game both physically and mentally. Looking forward to his senior year, Lampkin just wants some victories. “I can’t stress that enough because I know Clinton is tired of losing,” he said. He said a winning season for the Choctaws “would mean a lot to this community and a lot to me. I just want to win.”

The Choctaws will begin their fifth season under Head Coach John Bland this fall. With eleven total games during the 2018 season, the blue and gold will play six contests at home in Robinson-Hale Stadium. Their first game will be a non-conference matchup against the Clark Atlanta Panthers who defeated the Choctaws 32-29 last season in overtime. The Choctaws will face eight Gulf South Conference opponents and end the season in Cleveland, Miss., against longtime rival Delta State.

Senior women’s tennis captain Brenna Keller hopes to leave a lasting impact on Mississippi College tennis, this being her last season playing tennis for Mississippi College. Keller said it is bittersweet for such a huge chapter of her life to be coming to an end.

Before coming to Mississippi College, Keller was in the United States Military Academy. She joined the MC women’s tennis team as a freshman and has worked tirelessly for the last four years to become the best tennis player she could possibly be. She said it has been an incredible journey being able to see how this team and each individual player has been able to grow over the past few years. “It has been a wonderful transformation going from the first year to this year – from average to dominant,” she said. Not only that, but, as a senior, she has been able to see what some of the younger players are capable of doing and how they can continue to be successful and lead the team in future years.

Keller said she is proud of the way the team has really been able to come together this year and “make it happen” on the court. She is proud to witness the confidence that each player has gained with every win they have achieved. She is proud to see all of the excitement expressed over their success. She said she is most proud of the way all of the girls have bonded together and have built such a special team. According to Keller, the team went from a team that expected a few losses in the season to a team that believed they could win every single match. They have been working extremely hard since day one, and she said their hard work is certainly paying off.

This season of tennis has been stellar, according to Keller, and it has been filled with nothing but joy. At this point, the team is still undefeated and for the program’s first time in history, they are nationally ranked at number 23 as a D2 tennis team.

Keller said the success of the team is partly due to the fact that they all feed off of each other’s attitudes and motivation. “A positive and well-functioning team fosters an environment for success,” she added. It is extremely evident that their positive attitudes and emotions have helped build up the team. She said it seems as though each individual player has been able to really boost their own confidence on the court, which feeds back into the positive atmosphere of the team as a whole. She added that apart from just having a successful season, all of the good vibes have really made this season fun and enjoyable.

As her final season comes to a close, Keller said she oftentimes finds herself thinking, “Wow, that was the last time I will play on these courts,” or “That was the last time I will compete against this team or that player.” Even though four years of great talent and experience or coming to an end for Keller, her impact on the team is something that will continue on past May 5.

The Choctaws baseball team has gotten off to a hot start. The team has won 10 of its first 12 ballgames including 4 against ranked opponents. Mississippi College needed to get off to a good start this season especially after starting 2-17 at the beginning of last season. MC did turn their season around last year finishing 20-28. Coach Haworth say the momentum of last year’s team carried over this season.

“It was crucial, last season we were 2-17 to begin the year but our guys did turn everything around. This year we walked into it believing that at the end of last year that we can win ball games, and we are good enough to be in this league,” said Haworth.

A big reason for the Choctaws success has been their bats. MC currently has 8 hitters batting over .300. “Our ultimate goal is to reach base, then to manufacture runs. If we are up 10 nothing, or down 10 nothing; our guys are not allowed to look at the scoreboard and we are supposed to manufacture runs every single inning,” said Haworth.

Mississippi College first basemen Blaine Crim feels comfortable knowing that if he gets on base, that one of his teammates will bring him in. “I think everybody builds off of one another. We are seeing good pitches and we are not missing right now. I think we have a really good lineup, we are getting on base and letting the lineup work,” Crim said.

Crim has played third base most of his career at Mississippi College, but this season coach Haworth made a switch. Haworth decided to put Crim at first base and Billy Cameron at third. The switch has paid off, Cameron is hitting .400 with a team high 3 homeruns. “We are just trying to get all of best players on the field. Billy is a really talented third basemen with a lot of range,” said Haworth.

“It is something we talked about coming in, and I know coach really wanted me to play third and Blaine is an incredible athlete so I don’t think the transition was with me it was more with Blaine. He has handled it exceptional,” Cameron said.

These Choctaws are a complete team, while their offense is really good; their pitching staff has been dominant. MC has three good starting pitchers; Chris Crosby, Hunter Mullis and Zach Ingram. But it’s not just their starters, the Choctaws bullpen has also stepped up and closed games.

“Early on when we faced Lindenwood College we do not know how we were going to start those 3, but Crosby has really shown consistency on the mound and so has Mullis. Ingram had a banged up shoulder during the fall, so he has been trying to find himself on the mound. He has done that in his last two outings.” Haworth said. “Those guys have been getting us deep into the game, and letting our bullpen work because we have a pretty good bullpen and that is why we are able to finish off games,” said Haworth.

The baseball program has completely turned around from a few years ago. The team believes that is from their chemistry and selfish attitudes. “We have three standards that our guys live by, that is Faith, Selfishness and relentlessness. We are not going to be a selfish group of guys, we are going to take care of one another. We give our season to Christ,” said Haworth. “We have had two guys be saved this year, Coach Perez our assistant coach was baptized and we have seen things changed in our program, and that what we want to see happen to other people,” Haworth said.

Crim has seen that change of culture on the field too, especially since his first year at Mississippi College. “Drastically, first year we could never really put it together, and we struggled that season. Last season I thought the same thing was happening when we started off 2-17 but something clicked. We had a culture change and we started winning. We wanted to transfer that over to this year, and it did” said Crim.

Coach Haworth does not want his squad to get complacent, he just wants his team to play Mississippi College baseball “Don’t let success get into your head, we are out to prove that we are better than what we are. Once we get to a place that we figured it out, then we are going to start slipping and humbleness is going to set in. I think what we have to do is keep worrying about manufacturing runs, putting 0’s on the board and doing the little things right. Make sure we are doing this for Christ,” said Haworth.

Cameron sees a lot of potential with this ball club “We can’t try to do stuff too fast, or try to be players that we are not. We all have our role and the time we hurt ourselves is when we get out of that role” said Cameron. “This year we started strong, and we are going to finish strong too. I came here to win Championships, and I really do believe that we have the team to do it” said Cameron.

Mississippi College travels to face the Shorter Hawks in Rome, Ga this weekend before coming back home to face Lee University in the GSC home opener.

A season in any sport is kind of like a ball of clay in the hands of a potter. It may be solid in the beginning, but it’s got some obvious flaws. It may be rough, misshapen, or even unbalanced. But that’s why the potter is there to smooth everything out and turn it into a work of art.

The 2018 Mississippi College Lady Choctaws softball team is a lot like that blob of clay. In the beginning, they started out with plenty of kinks. But those kinks are quickly being molded out as the season goes along. And that’s exciting for the 2017 Gulf South Conference Tournament champions.

The Lady Choctaws started their season on Feb. 3, 2018 in the Southern Softball Showdown against Palm Beach Atlantic University. Here we are one month later, and it’s clear that MC isn’t exactly where many expected them to be at this point.

The softball team currently sits at a record of 7-7 including a 2-4 mark in GSC play. While that I not necessarily a bad spot to be, it’s not exactly the ideal start, especially for a championship-caliber team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament last season.

“So far, we’ve had kind of a rocky start,” said junior third baseman Kristen Qualls. “But I think we’re finally getting it together and figuring out what we need to do, where we need to be, and people’s roles on the team. I think it’s coming together well.”

While this is an encouraging sign to hear, it’s also an encouraging sign to see.

When the Lady Choctaws began their 2018 season, the only consistent thing seemed to be their inconsistency. MC would win a game 8-3 and follow it up a few days later with a 10-2 loss. After going through some ups and downs through the first two tournaments of the year against non-conference opponents, the Lady Choctaws finally settled into conference play at the GSC Opening Weekend Festival.

But the festival ended up bringing even more uncertainty. The Lady Choctaws went 1-2 throughout the weekend and were outscored 25-13 over the span.

Was it time to hit the panic button? No, because there’s still over 30 games left in the season. But it was definitely a time to question just how prepared MC was to defend their title and reputation.

The Lady Choctaws then headed off to West Georgia where they dropped the set two games to one. The series loss turned out to be another frustrating step in the road of progress.

But that’s what it is all about: progress. The Mississippi College Lady Choctaws know that, and still believe that this season holds incredible potential.

“There have been a lot of highs and lows and a lot of ‘test’ for this team,” said assistant coach Leigh Streetman. “I think with that happening early on is going to push us through with GSC play and the remainder of our midweek games. We have enjoyed seeing the team friendships being formed and life of the team. This group is special and has no limits.”

That’s due to a few different factors. For one, the Lady Choctaws are still showing signs of being a great team on the mound, in the field, and at the plate. Their offense and defense are taking significant steps in the right direction with each passing game and turning up the heat.

“We are showing snippets of what we could do as a whole,” said Qualls. “I think that when the hitting becomes consistent for the duration of the season, the pitching and defense are there, and all of the aspects of the game are there, I think people are going to be surprised at what we bring to the table.”

“We have a great pitching staff, a great offense, and a great defense,” said junior pitcher Penny Nichols. “Once those come together, it’s going to be an amazing thing. We are going to explode and do great things in the GSC and hopefully win another championship and go further.”

Another promising aspect of their play this season is quite simply their leadership. Of the 18 Lady Choctaws on the roster, 11 of them are either juniors or seniors. That not only injects a lot of returning talent into the lineup, but also gives MC certain players to lean on in different situations.

“Both senior and junior classes play a huge role in leadership as they outnumber the underclassman,” said Streetman. “The younger ones look to them for guidance in certain areas. The upperclassman are the ones with experience in big games and allow the freshman and sophomores to grow and mature to prepare us for postseason.”

Qualls is one of those leaders as she is currently in the middle of her third season with the Lady Choctaws. Qualls is second on the team this year in homeruns, including back-to-back homers against the University of Montevallo in MC’s first GSC win of the season.

“Just trying to make sure everyone’s head is on straight,” Qualls said of her role as a leader in the dugout. “Sometimes, my head isn’t on straight and I have to take a step back and remember that I am a junior this year that has to lead by example and lead by what I say. [I’m] just trying to take these younglings under my wing and get to a championship.”

But there’s also a new crop of Lady Choctaws in the lineup that are chomping at the bit to help keep the MC’s tradition of success alive on the softball diamond. One of those is freshman second baseman Kayla Murphy.

“I think after getting to know each other as the season goes on and getting to grow as a team, there’s nothing that will be able to stop us at all,” said Murphy about the potential that the team has yet to reach.

And as we’ve seen throughout the history of sports, confidence can help a team dig into the fight as well.

But where will that confidence spawn from? It could come from the Lady Choctaws’ next matchup this weekend at Shorter University. Maybe it won’t show up until next weekend when they take on Lee University at home. Or perhaps it already spawned on Tuesday at Miles College.

MC picked up two decisive wins against the Golden Bears, and many Lady Choctaws are hoping that those wins will serve as the turning point for their season going forward.

“Definitely,” said Nichols in regards to whether the wins over Miles could help the Lady Choctaws turn a corner. “We saw things starting to come together there. Hopefully we put things together there and go from that point.”

There is still a long way to go before MC reaches the finish line on their 2018 regular season, and the Lady Choctaws have a lot left to prove. But that’s exciting for this new group that’s having fun with each other both on and off the diamond as they continue growing into a singular unit.

“We have a lot of crazy personalities on this team, but that’s what makes us special,” said Qualls. “I think that’s one thing that will lead us to a lot of success this year. That’s what we do: we have fun when we play and when we do that, we’re successful.”

“We have a ton of energy in the dugout,” added Nichols. “Everyone is up and crazy. It shows on the field too. Everyone has each other’s backs. It’s awesome.”

The 2018 Lady Choctaws are a lot like a rough ball of clay pulled from its container. Without a potter, they are nothing. But with the idea of progress serving as the potter, there is a whole world of potential on what they could become. And as the season goes along, they are quickly smoothing out and finding their shape.

“I’m excited that people are going to be upset,” said Qualls. “People are going to be shocked when we come back from 7-7 and we’re going to be successful and continue to compete.”

“The run will come,” added Streetman. “We just have to trust the process and know it’s still early. This team is special and when we show up we will be hard to beat.”

With a full slate of GSC opponents on tap over the next few weeks, all we can really do is sit back and watch as the 2018 Lady Choctaws continue finding their form. But that’s what makes the journey all the more exciting out at the MC Softball Complex. Let’s see just what this Lady Choctaw softball team can become.

A.E. Wood Coliseum just got a whole lot brighter. On Feb. 9, two new scoreboards were installed in the Golden Dome at Mississippi College. The boards have been a long-awaited upgrade, as the old ones had been up for almost two decades. The old boards included basic functions like keeping score and time, but now, there’s almost nothing the new ones can’t do.

There were two brand-new scoreboards installed in the coliseum, but the biggest upgrade is the one on the east end of the gym. The board, which is made up of several smaller LED screens, measures 16 feet tall by 26 feet wide and reaches across nearly the entire right side of the wall behind the goal, replacing the banners that once hung there.

David Nichols, the Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications at Mississippi College, explained that a new video board had been on the program’s “wish list” for a while, but it was just a waiting game when it came to funding. “We eventually had some people step up and say they wanted to help us out with this idea,” Nichols said.

Oscar Miskelly of Miskelly Furniture, and Bob Boyte of Bob Boyte Honda were two contributors in the funding of the new video board. Long time Athletic Director Mike Jones said, “Oscar was out here one day, and he asked me how big we were going to make it.” Jones said he told Miskelly that they’d make it as big as they could with the funding that was provided. It was then that Miskelly said, “We gotta go big or go home.”

“It took us about a year to get everything locked down on pricing, what we wanted, and how we wanted it, but once we did, we were finally able to pull the trigger,” Jones said. “We’re very thankful for Bob Boyte and Oscar Miskelly.”

As far as capabilities, the new video board can do a lot. “It’s a much more detailed board,” Nichols said. “We can keep up with the players who are in the game, how many points they’ve scored, and how many fouls they have.” Along with displaying more game details, the board also enables the program to run advertisements and show crowd interaction. “We have the capabilities to run just as much video as we want up there,” Nichols said.

Nichols also touched on the fact that the new board could be used as a recruiting tool. “We can bring recruits in, put their names up on the board, and make them feel welcome,” he said. Jones added that along with recruiting, the new video board will improve MC’s game day environment. “We haven’t even touched the tip of the iceberg with what it can do and what we can do with it,” Jones said.

Nichols and Jones both feel that the new board will give the basketball and volleyball teams an elevated home court advantage. “We just want to create a really good environment for our players, students, and fans,” Jones said. “When other teams come in here, it’s definitely a wow factor,” he added.

Not only will this board be used by the Choctaw teams that play in A.E. Wood Coliseum, but there is potential for it to reach the MC student body along with the Clinton community, as well. “The thought is to eventually have movie nights in the coliseum using the new board,” Nichols said after explaining how they can transform the screen to play any type of video. “With the movie night idea, there are options for us to advertise them as fundraising events, it really does give us an opportunity to involve others,” Jones added.

We could be seeing some more upgrades to the coliseum in the future. “The long-range goal is to improve the seating on the upper level,” Jones said.  As far as a timeline, there really isn’t one. “All of these things are based on when we’re able to secure funds.” Jones explained that this applies to all the athletic facilities within the department, as they plan to renovate other facilities around campus in the future.

Both Nichols and Jones encourage the faculty, staff, and students of Mississippi College, along with the community to come out and see the new video board, and support MC’s student athletes.

The Mississippi College softball team has built a foundation of success the past few seasons. The team won the NCCAA championship in 2016 and won the GSC tournament last season. The team has centered their culture on family and Christ, and that has helped them get through all of the ups and downs of the season.

This is Coach Brooke O’Hair’s 12th season as the Head Coach of the Lady Choctaws. O’Hair knows that many teams have talent, but not many of them have the chemistry to win a championship. “We try to build a family atmosphere, and we try to put Christ first. Since we have that strong foundation, all of the ups and downs of the season do not affect us that much. That is the main reason that we were that successful. Yes, we had talent; yes, we had the power and the speed,  but there are a lot of teams that have all of that, and the thing that sets us apart is that foundation with Christ,” O’Hair said.

Senior Kathrine Lee is the school’s all-time leader in stolen bases and hits in a season. Lee is the leader of the outfield, and she sees a team that loves to be around one another. “We held it together; we loved playing with one another. If you love being on the field with someone, then you are going to play well together,” Lee said.

Junior Kristen Qualls came from a championship program at Madison Central so she knew what a championship program was like before coming to Mississippi College. “I came from a winning culture in high school, and when I came here I wanted to continue to bring that winning culture to MC,” she said.

The NCCAA championship in 2016 wasn’t just the first softball championship for Mississippi College, but it was the first softball championship for the entire state of Mississippi. That is a historic accomplishment and it will always have a special place in Coach O’Hair’s heart. “It means everything, that national championship is the very first national championship in the state of Mississippi. So not only was it huge for Mississippi College and our softball program, but it was huge for the state of Mississippi,” O’Hair said.

No one expected the Lady Choctaws to win the GSC last season, even after a NCCAA Championship. It was Mississippi College’s first season eligible to compete for a title. But O’Hair and her squad did not care. “That one was sweet too, just because back when we were Division II, I was not a part of that – so being able to do that again and to go out in our first season of eligibility and win the GSC (which is the toughest conference in Division II) is amazing. Who would have thought that we would have done that in our first season? That was special because no one expected it but us,” said O’Hair.

All of these rings show how much progress the softball program has made over the years, and Qualls now wants a National Title. “It shows how much progress we made; we came from Division III, where we were successful, and went to Division II, where we have been successful. We just want to keep winning and showing people that we are good enough… so far, we have built up the winning and we are going to try to continue and go for a Division II ‘Natty’ this year,” Qualls said.

Lee sees her legacy beyond the diamond as something that could be special for years to come. “It builds a foundation for the future, and it shows that our programs are definitely something you should want to be a part of,” said Lee.

Every team is different, but this year, the Lady Choctaws will have a lot of new starters, but that doesn’t mean the expectations aren’t high. “They got a little bit more spunk in them, and we do not have anybody that is on our bench that couldn’t also start for us,” O’Hair said. “We haven’t always had that, so our depth is really good. So if we have an injury or someone is in a slump, we can go to the bench and not skip a beat. That is going to really help out this program this season,” said O’Hair.

The biggest thing young teams have to overcome is consistency and communication. The Choctaw veterans know this. “We have a lot of new people on the field, and we have to try to figure out how to play beside somebody and how to communicate properly, learning the system. With all the weather, it has been pretty difficult to work on the communication and work on the strategy,” O’Hair said.

“I think we are a very talented team. That is for sure, but our consistency is not there right now. We are going to get to a point to where the consistency is going to be there, and when that happens, we are going to be very successful,” Qualls said.

Now that the team has won the NCCAA Championship and the GSC Championship, they want a bigger prize; a National Championship. “I want another championship, and the key every year is to win a championship. Of course, it is not always a national championship. Last season we won the GSC and went to postseason play in Division II. Now it is all about going further in the postseason to work for that national championship,” said O’Hair.

The team starts GSC play early this season, so they will find out how much grit they really have. The Lady Choctaws will play in the GSC Opening Weekend Festival this weekend.

Mississippi College held the men’s basketball senior night on Wednesday evening in A. E. Wood Coliseum. Four senior athletes and their families were honored before their last home game of the 2017-2018 season. Antonio Johnson, Otis Harvey, Xavion Dillon, and Ricky Breakfield joined their families in center court to be recognized in front of the home crowd.  Each senior has a unique journey that brought him to his final home game as a Choctaw.

Johnson is the only senior player that has been with the Choctaws all four years of his college career. He said that in the beginning, his experience was rough. The McComb native made an appearance in only 17 games his freshman year but worked hard to earn his current position as a starting player. “I had to get used to the speed of things and the coaches, but overall, it’s been a great experience,” he said.

Johnson’s mother passed away earlier in the season and emotions ran high during the halftime ceremony. He said that having the rest of his family with him to celebrate the night meant so much to him. “They support me in everything I do. We’ve continued to love each other even through such a hard time.”

Johnson’s favorite memories were made on the court at A. E. Wood Coliseum. He said playing for the home crowd is unlike anything else. With a great support system behind the team, the fans are what made his college career unforgettable. With all of his experience as a part of the Choctaw team, Johnson is a team leader and gives advice to the younger players on the team. He believes that the key to success for the future of the Choctaw team is “building team chemistry.” He hopes that in the coming seasons the team will make it to the playoffs and bring home a GSC championship.

For players like Otis Harvey, the Choctaw experience has been a little shorter.  Originally from Gulfport, Miss., Harvey is a transfer from Jones County Junior College. Harvey spent the last three years with the Choctaws, but missed most of his first season due to an injury. At one point, Harvey wanted to give up the basketball altogether, but decided he wanted to finish his career out strong. He said that during the time spent away from the sport he “gained a hunger for the game.” With only one game left in the season, he said the Choctaws are not giving up.

Xavion Dillon is from Tylertown, Miss., and a transfer from Southeast Missouri State University. Finishing his second year with the Choctaws, Dillon hasn’t seen as much playing time as the other seniors but has enjoyed his experience with the team just the same. “It’s been a long journey of ups and downs, but it’s been fun,” he said. He wishes luck to the Choctaw team in the coming years saying, “They’re young and talented. Going into next season, I expect great things from them.”

Ricky Breakfield is a walk-on from Wesson, Miss., and playing collegiate basketball was a lifelong dream. Breakfield made the decision to walk on for a spot on the Choctaw basketball team last year. Although he saw just a bit of playing time, he said his overall experience has been great. His time with the team has been short, but Breakfield said that it was easy to “click with the other guys” because of their different personalities. He’s grateful for the opportunity to join the team even though he spent the majority of the season supporting them from the bench. “God truly blessed me to get to fulfill this dream, and it’s been great,” he said.

Each senior athlete said that their best memories were simply spending time with their teammates. Road trips are the best way to form relationships that are key to having a successful team. With 15 games on the road this year, the Choctaws had plenty of time to bond. The team has one final road game of the season this Thursday night.  The Choctaws will take on GSC rival Delta State in Cleveland, Miss. Just like the last match up against the Statesmen, the Choctaws know to expect an intense game. These four seniors have given their all this season, and Choctaw fans can expect the same this week. The Lady Choctaws will tip off at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Choctaws at 7:30 p.m.

The Mississippi College men’s golf team is set to start their spring season on Monday, Feb. 26, at Spring Hill College for the Badger Invitational. The team is coached by John McMath, who recently retired from the mathematics department at Mississippi College.

Over the last several years, McMath has seen many differences in the program since he began his coaching career here almost 13 years ago. McMath was asked by athletic director Mike Jones to coach the team, but under unique circumstances: “I was asked to help raise some funds to support a golf team for three years.” If the team could make it those three years on donated funds, they would reinstitute the golf program at MC. The efforts were successful. Almost a decade later, golf is a thriving program on the campus of Mississippi College.

Like many coaches at MC, one significant change McMath noted was the transition he witnessed when the Choctaws went from Division III to Division II. “Moving from Division III to Division II has allowed us to give scholarships.” McMath explained that he has had some good teams in the past, but there’s no denying that the GSC is a league that is very good at golf. Assistant coach and former Choctaw Ethan Doan said, “there are five teams in the GSC that are in the top 50 in the country,” which makes for some stiff competition for the Choctaws, who sit at 93.

Last spring, the Choctaws were successful, bringing home a road win from the Buccaneer Spring Classic in Southaven, Miss. They were also able to claim a victory at home in the Mississippi College Spring Invitational. Those wins last Spring have given the team the motivation to work toward the same – or even better – results this year.

Zach Anderson, a junior on the golf team, expressed his excitement for the spring season to begin. “We have a pretty solid team; we should be able to qualify for regionals,” he said. Anderson started playing golf at the age of 5, when his dad began taking him to the course. “My dad was kind of my coach growing up,” he said.

Anderson has a few personal goals for the upcoming season. “I want to qualify for every tournament and have a scoring average under 76,” he said. Anderson also emphasized the quality of the competition within the GSC conference, saying “everyone’s good.” Despite the steep competition, Anderson feels that his team is good enough to make it far and finish in the top five of the conference.

As for preparation, Anderson said that golf off-seasons are pretty short. “We end our Fall season in November, and we start practicing for spring around the third week of January.” During the short period of time that they do have off, the team does some resting and focuses more on their time in the gym. Once it’s time for the season to start, though, it’s all course work.

“Last year, the golf program had its best year yet,” Anderson said. He is completely confident that he and his teammates will be able to break more scoring records this season and win some tournaments. “When we became DII, I don’t think anyone really feared MC, but now that the coaches have done what they have, we are definitely contenders and we are definitely a threat.”

Coach McMath encourages everyone to come support the golf team later in the season as they host their spring invitational tournament at Lake Caroline Golf Club, in Madison, Miss.

Former Mississippi College football star Chris Lyles is enjoying success in the Canadian Football League. Lyles signed a two year deal with the Saskatchewan Roughriders last May after he was released from the Indianapolis Colts rookie mini-camp.

The main goal for Chris Lyles is to one day reach the NFL, but for right now he is blessed and excited for his opportunities in the CFL. “I have one more season of my contract for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders because I signed a two year contract. So I want to finish my last season strong and the main goal is the NFL. That is where I am trying to go but the CFL has made me stronger, and it has made me appreciate the time that I am putting in. The good thing is that God is good, and if the NFL doesn’t work I could have a long CFL career” Lyles said.

Lyles played two seasons for the Choctaws where he had two interceptions and 7 pass break ups. He acknowledges that Mississippi College has helped him become the leader he is today. “Mississippi College taught me how to be a leader, someone who leads by example” Lyles said.

Professional football atmospheres are intense and it took Lyles a little while to get over that fear of playing in front of a huge crowd. “The first game I was really nervous. It was a preseason game against our rival the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. It was a sold out crowd, they had 30,000 people, and I have never played in front of a crowd like that before. I never have played in a quarter of the size of that crowd. I am not going to lie I was tickled, I was scared, I was nervous but that game really made a man out of me. It made me decide if I really wanted to play professional football or not” said Lyles.

Chris Lyles grew accustomed to playing in front of the “best fans in Canada”. It made him feel like he was playing in the NFL already. “Our environment is the best, we have the best fans in Canada. We had the best attendance in the CFL last season. That environment will scare you sometimes because how loud they are and how much they love you. At the same time they do not want to see you fail, they are behind you,” Lyles said. “I did real well in a game, and all these kids were screaming my name. They were like Mr. Lyles and I just gave them my gloves. I was like a hero to them and it was like playing in the NFL,” Lyles stated.

Canadian football and American football have some differences, and it took time for Lyles to adjust. “The field size in the CFL is a lot longer than American football. Formations are different, their receivers can move off of the line so I had to adjust. I had to use my brain more and it’s wasn’t about how athletic you are. It’s about technique. It is more of a technique type of game” Lyles said.

Lyles had to get out of his comfort zone in Saskatchewan, where he had to play the halfback position instead of cornerback. “In the CFL there is 12 guys on the field instead of 11, and I played a Nickle back or safety type position. That position is one of the hardest positions on the field. I was in that position because I was athletic enough and quick enough to play it. When I got there I had to adjust to the big field and there was a lot ground to cover. Halfback is a tough position but I like it,” Lyles said.

Adjusting to football wasn’t the only thing Lyles had to do. He also was adjusting to life north of the border. “Being so young and being so far away from home. It was tough but I had to adjust… The people were very different, it was a big variety of people, and at first I was uncomfortable because I did not know anybody. I really did not have anybody to relate to, but they still made me feel at home. They welcomed me with open arms” said Lyles.

His whole football career Chris Lyles relied on his athletic ability. Standing at 6’4 and weighing 194 pounds, Lyles was the perfect size for an NFL cornerback. His speed and athleticism is even more impressive. At his pro day, Lyles ran a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash, had an 11’ board jump, and had a 39 inch vertical. But in the CFL Chris Lyles could not just rely on his abilities anymore, he needed to learn technique and become a student of the game.

“When I was in college I was so into my athleticism. I depended on my speed and my gifts for everything, but in the pro’s everyone is athletic and has talent. There is no way to beat someone without watching film and having great technique” said Lyles.

Lyles learned how to be a pro quickly, as professional practices are intense as they come. “CFL practices were very competitive and it is always the 1’s vs the 1’s. There was a lot of real game situations, and scheming against the other team” said Lyles. “We focused on their scheme and their key players. We watched filmed every day in the morning, and after practice. So it was film film film…” Lyles said.

If practices were hard, learning the playbook was even harder, as professional playbooks never stop growing. “The playbook was big. We changed plays after every week and there was a new playbook after every week. It was according to what the other team was doing, so one week we would be playing pattern reading, another week we would be playing man, and the next week we would be playing a cover 4/cover 2 type coverage” said Lyles.

In professional football, there are moments when you realize that you are playing against the world’s best athletes. Chris Lyles had that moment in his rookie season’s finale. “Last game of the season we played the Ottawa Redblacks and they moved me back to corner for the first time. There was a receiver who was really quick and fast. He gave me a welcome home, he was catching some passes and I said to myself that I need to “bow up” and I had to figure this out. I knew I couldn’t get down on myself, and I had to be strong” Lyles said.

After a moment like that, rookies can question if they belong in the league, but Chris Lyles remembered that he can play with these guys. He first realized that in the preseason where he stepped up when his team needed him. “It was the second preseason game and we played a great team called the BC Lions. We were in Vancouver we were getting beat kind of bad and our coaches were like we need someone to step up. Something went through me in that moment and I had my Father (God) with me. I made great plays, I had great tackles, forced fumbles and I had a real good game. That’s what showed me that I could play with the best” Lyles said.

Chris Lyles hopes his second CFL season is better than his first. His ultimate goal is to play in the NFL, and there has been a long line of CFL players who transitioned to the NFL. If Lyles keeps playing well, Mississippi College might have a Choctaw in the League.

The Mississippi College Men’s Basketball Team has gotten out to its best start since rejoining the GSC in 2014. A big reason for that is junior transfer Donovan Ham, who came from Georgia Highlands College. Before that, Ham played at Texas Tech. Ham averages 14.6 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, and 3 assists for the Choctaws this season.

Coach Lofton believes that Ham’s size, athleticism and basketball IQ make him stand out. “The biggest thing that he brings that we haven’t had here is size. He has got some length and is a good athlete. He can do a lot of things. He is a good ball handler, and he really gets into the lane and sets up our other players. We haven’t had that in the past and I think that is the biggest difference in our team this year compared to past years,” Lofton says.

Ham has great basketball pedigree in his family. Donovan’s father Darvin Ham played eight seasons in the NBA, won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, and is currently an assistant for the Atlanta Hawks. Donovan’s older brother, Darvin Jr., played at Northwest University, and his younger brother is currently playing high school basketball.

Lofton knows Donovan is going to play well each and every night because that is how he was raised. “His dad was an NBA player and is an NBA coach, so he gets that from his genes. What we have to do is play better around him, because I know he is going to play well for us,” Lofton says.

A big perk about having an NBA father is that you are always around NBA players. Ham notices a major difference in the mindset of NBA players. “NBA players have a different mindset. They are definitely more mature, and they just get it. It is a different type of mindset that they have. The players understand the game, the spots, how they need to score, and the execution and preparation.  The game is totally different from college,” Ham said.

“The role is the biggest thing. If you are a shooter you have to prepare before the game and get your shots up, or if you are a defender you have to come out with the intensity to defend. I always think about what I need to do before the game, and how I can execute and help the team win,” said Ham.

Ham’s teammate Junior Davy Fisher sees that focus and preparation in Donovan. “Donovan is an all-around good guy. He works harder than a lot of our players. He is not very outspoken, but you know he is taking it seriously and he wants the best for the team,” said Fisher.

“What I respect about him the most is how seriously he takes his practice outside of our team practice. The best thing I think Donovan does is take game shots at game speed. He does that over and over again,” Fisher said.

The biggest thing that Ham got out of being around NBA players and watching his dad play was that he got to fully understand the game of basketball. “Growing up I always used to watch him play, and seeing him coach has definitely given me a lot of wisdom in basketball. My basketball IQ — I am always seeing things before others do, and I see things that others don’t. I just understand the game both in offensive sets and defensive sets,” Ham said.

With several key players out for the rest of the season for the Choctaws, the team is going to need Ham to have the mamba mentality more than ever. “He is frustrated right now that our team lost some of our size and that has hurt us. He is trying to do a lot to try to carry us. He has to and we need him to. For us to have a chance to win, we have to have great production from him, and he has to score the basketball. He also guards the opposing team’s best player, and he does a great job at that,” said Lofton.

At the beginning of the season Ham did not see himself as a leader on the team, but as the season has progressed and Ham has gotten more comfortable at Mississippi College, he has become one of the leaders of the team. “At first I really did not see myself as a leader because we had three seniors, but as of now I see myself as a leader because people follow what you do, and always look at your body language. If you have a positive body language, then you could uplift your teammates and everyone is going to play just as good as you” said Ham.

Ham wants to play professionally when he has done his career at Mississippi College, but as of right now, he just wants to win. “I just want to win, and play as good as possible and help the team win. After that, if I am successful, hopefully I can play professionally, but as of right now, I am just focused on this season,” said Ham.

Ham says his family is what continues to push him forward. “My family is my motivation. I feel like I just have to be successful. My dad was successful; my older brother was successful; and my little brother is successful, too. So we have a successful family,” Ham said.

The Choctaws will play rival Delta State on Saturday, Jan. 27. Come out to support our Choctaws!

The Mississippi College Men’s soccer team started the year off with a bang, going 8-0-1 in their first 9 matches. Then the Choctaws hit a rough path going 2-2-2, but the team has turned back to their great play winning the last two matches.

MC defeated West Florida to open up the GSC tournament on Tuesday, and now onto the semi’s to play Alabama Huntsville. Head Coach Kevin Johns says the team got back to scoring goals, and as long as they keep scoring he likes their chances in the GSC tournament.

“To have a game like 6-0 (vs. Auburn Montgomery) hopefully it puts us right back in the frame of mind of scoring goals into the conference tournament. As long as we go out and perform well, do the small things correctly, and score goals we should be fine. I said this in preseason we will defend well, if we finish our chances that we get then I like our chances in the GSC Tournament” said Johns.

Senior Elliot Rimmer knows that the Choctaws have to do the little things to win in a tough conference like the GSC. “In this conference most games are decided by one or two goals and every game is made up of thousands of little moments and decisions. It comes down to which team makes the right decision and does the little things at the right moments” Rimmer’s said.

The Choctaws got rewarded for their good play this season, as 5 players got selected to the all-conference team. Jacob Farthing and Humberto Pelaez made first team all-GSC, which Victor Bazan, Horacio Gutierrez Jr. and Elliot Rimmer made second team honors.

Success like that is not only great for the players but the program as a whole. “It is a good mark for our whole program, not just those individual players because it takes good effort and we probably had a few other guys that could have got that award. It is good to see 5 guys get it, and it’s more of a mark of our whole team in our conference. We have a really competitive team and it says something for our program going forward” Johns stated.

Humberto Pelaez is honored by the recognition but he would like to see all of his teammates make it. “I would like to have all of my teammates on the list or in the first 11. It’s an honor for me, and it’s an honor for the program.”

Rimmer knows he could not receive this honor without his teammates. “It says a lot about the guys we play with, every day we come out and it’s a battle at practice. There is not a drop off in talent anywhere on the field. When we are having our squad games, the 1^st 11 vs the 2^nd 11 they beat us about half the time. So I do see why it shouldn’t be more than five, we have plenty of talent on the team” Rimmer said.

Now the team is ready to win the GSC, and Elliot Rimmer says this is what the program has been building towards. “This year is the culmination of for four years of building towards this. The women’s soccer team has a saying that we adopted call a ring by spring, and I would love to finish out as conference tournament champions and get that ring” said Rimmer.

Pelaez knows the team has the talent to win the GSC but it is all about attitude and mindset. “We know we are the best team, there is no doubt about it, our coach says it all the time, and coaches from other teams say it all the time. So if we have the right attitude and we perform we will win it easily” Pelaez said.

Coach Johns does not want to put the NCAA tournament chances in anyone else’s hands but the Choctaws. “We do not want to put anything in anyone hands outside of our own. Because the top four have a shot to go to the NCAA regionals, but we just want to win it. To us it is the championship game because if we win that we move forward if we don’t we are out” Johns said.

The Choctaws are currently ranked 4^th in the South NCAA Regional. If the Choctaws win on Friday against Alabama Huntsville they would play the winner of the West Alabama vs. Montevallo game for the GSC Championship.

Adversity is present everyday in our lives, from stressing over a big test to preparing for a big game, or even just deciding to go to class at 8 a.m. Challenges are presented in multiple ways, but it is how we respond to those challenges that make us who we are.

The Lady Choctaws have battled much adversity through the 2017 season, as the team has suffered multiple injuries throughout their first 24 games and have a new head coach. Former head coach Julie Redus stepped down on Oct. 6, and new interim head coach, Holly Tupper, took her place at the helm of the volleyball team.

It has been an adjustment, but Coach Tupper has enjoyed the new leadership. “There has definitely been some adjustment, just my role with the team … but it’s been something I have enjoyed and I get to learn as I go.” Tupper said. Senior defensive specialist Madison Kimes adds on to the switch at head coach, “A lot of changes have been happening so far, but it has been really good,” she said.

Throughout all the changes as the season goes on, players and coaches look to one player that drives them to be the best person they can be, and that person is redshirt freshmen Kaitlyn Wilson. Wilson is from Tupelo, Miss., and last year was diagnosed with Chron’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disease which most commonly occurs in the end of the small intestine. Wilson could not play last year because of the disease and it was a difficult process during recovery and treatment. Wilson’s strong spirit and resiliency got her through the trials and tribulations. Wilson did not expect to be back so soon from Chron’s, “It was really hard last semester just thinking that I would not come back to school, much less touch a volleyball court, so it’s been a blessing, even though it hasn’t been my best expectation to how I would be, it’s still a blessing to be back at school,” she said.

Wilson’s attitude impacts the team morals as a whole, and also inspires others to live their lives the same exact way, “She’s the sweetest, most encouraging, and strongest girl you will ever meet … A lot of people are telling her she can’t play volleyball anymore because of her disease, but she still comes out, tries her hardest, and gets everything done. It’s just really inspiring and makes you want to work hard as well,” said Kimes.

Coach Tupper also gives her thoughts on Wilson, “It’s been really impressive seeing her battle on and off the court, overcoming adversity day in and day out showing up even when she does not feel well or it’s been a bad day for her. She shows up and is a great teammate and is committed to making the team better … I’ve been really impressed with her ability to persevere. She’s showed our team what it’s like to persevere and be mentally tough,” said Tupper.

Wilson has not only been an inspiration to her team and all of MC, but she is also hoping to spread awareness to those affected by Chron’s around the world. “It means so much to spread awareness because most people don’t know what Chron’s disease is. When I heard about it, I thought it was just for old people, like, ‘I’m 18, that shouldn’t happen,’ and it just means so much to spread awareness to try and find a cure since it’s not curable yet,” said Wilson. She also has some words for those currently fighting the Chron’s right now, “Stay strong, but also share your stories because most people don’t know about it, and the best thing for awareness and for people to stay strong is to have a support group. It’s definitely good to know people who have had it for quite some time now.”

Brave, strong, joy, and kindness are just a few words Wilson’s peers used to describe her, and she truly shows that by the way she lives and the way she acts. She truly leaves a lasting impact not only on her team, but anybody that sees her as an example of strength and perseverance.

The Mississippi College Men’s basketball team opened preseason practice this week. The Choctaws have the four returning starters, which is the most of any school in the GSC, and Head Coach Don Lofton believes this is the team that will finally give MC respect in the GSC.

Lofton has been the head coach for the Choctaws the past 13 seasons and has been on the coaching staff for the past 33. Mississippi College struggled last season, going 7-19. Nevertheless, the team is returning three of the four leading scorers from last year.

Lofton believes that the experience his players gained over the past season will pay off this year. “We have four returning starters from last season. We have more depth than we had in previous years. We have a lot of experience, and that experience has not always been good. But that experience will pay off for us this year,” Lofton said.

Junior guard Antonio Johnson says the past two years have helped build chemistry with his teammates. “Experience is going to play a huge role; we know each other, we know what we like to do and how we like to play. We know where we like to catch the ball, and things like that,” said Johnson.

Johnson led the GSC in three-point percentage last year at 44 percent. But this year he wants to grow as a defender and as a leader. “Personally, I would like to fix my defense, and become more of a leader than I was last season.” Forward Stacy Mack wants to give the young Choctaws a road to success. “I want to give advice to the young guys, make a blueprint for them. This year, I now have a voice, being in my third year, it will be a real fun year,” Mack said.

The Choctaws will work hard on their defense this preseason, as they gave up 81 points per game last year. “We have been pretty good offensively but not nearly good enough defensively. We want to emphasize everything, especially defense. We really need to improve defensively. This Gulf South Conference is really tough, so we have to worry about getting better each and every day,” Lofton said.

MC had a really tough offseason, as they worked on their mindset, and always pushing each other. Mack believes that will help push the Choctaws to a new level this season. “It’s all about the mindset, Coach Quick really taught us that no matter how heavy the weight is, you just have to have that mindset to push through. I think that will do us good during the season when everybody is tired. Are you going to basically quit or are you going to keep playing when it gets tough?” he said..

Mississippi College wants to gain respect this season, and Coach Lofton knows it is not where you start but where you finish. “The next step is to gain some respect; there are 14 basketball teams in our league and we were picked to finished 12th. I’ve learned a long time ago, that it is not where you are picked but it where you finish. Hopefully we finish a whole lot higher than 12th. We expect to and want to. Hopefully this basketball team that we have can,” Lofton said.

Mack just wants to prove the Choctaws are a good basketball team. “We really have to prove ourselves. I know how much potential we have with this team. We’ve always had great talent; now we just need to put it together. I am looking to come out first — my expectations is to be first in the polls. I want to win everything. I just want to win, I will do anything it takes to win, and I honestly put my body on the line just to try to win,” Mack said.

The Choctaws start preseason play at Embry-Riddle on Nov. 10, in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Coach Longabaugh and his Lady Choctaws started their season on fire. The team currently has a 3-0-1 record with a tie against 13th ranked North Georgia. Longabaugh says the team has to take it one game at a time. “We have to take game by game, win it game by game. We need to win the conference to automatically qualify to get in (the NCAA tournament). I think we started off on a great foot, up in Cleveland, Tennessee, when we went up to play Rollins, who did beat us out last year to get into the national tournament. We beat them to make a point.”

After beating Rollins, the Lady Choctaws tie against number 13th ranked North Georgia and that proved the team can compete with anyone, Coach Longabaugh says. “We tied them (North Georgia) in double overtime on a neutral field, which was great because it proves we were just as good as they are. We are that kind of a program; we are a nationally competitive program.”

Junior Goalkeeper Andrea McDonald says the team needs to keep its composure, as it is a long season. “We need composure because last year we were so close, and we were so close my freshman year. Last year we made it to the conference finals and this year it’s about staying strong throughout the whole entire year.”

McDonald says the team is no longer underdogs, and since they are ranked 17th in the nation, the team will get their opponent’s best each and every match. “We are currently 17th in the nation right now, which means we have a target on our backs and we are going to keep it that way.”

Captain Katie Taylor has enjoyed seeing her teammates come together this season. “This year we are working for each other. We literally have girls doing the extra slide tackles, the extra sprints, because they know the person beside them is working just as hard. It’s been cool to watch us grow off the field and on it.”

Taylor wants the Lady Choctaws to outwork every team they face this season and be known as the hardest working team in the Gulf South Conference. “When we leave the field we want the other team to be able to say that we are the hardest working team they’ve played all year.”

Coach Longabaugh really likes his team, and he says the team has a good mix with young players and veterans. “We have a young team mixed with a little bit of older veterans; our midfield is strong, and our backline is strong.”

The Lady Choctaws go on the road this weekend to face Shorter on Friday, and Lee on Sunday. The tough road trip is a good test for MC Coach Longabaugh says as the team needs wins against tough opponents to get into the NCAA tournament. “We have to play teams like that if we want to advance into the national tournament or even the conference tournament for that matter.”

MC’s goal for the rest of the season is to keep winning games and win the GSC. “We want to win conference,” said McDonald.

The Mississippi College Volleyball team defeated the Loyola (La.) Wolfpack this week, 3 sets to none. This marks the first time in program history the Lady Choctaws defeated the Wolfpack. The team will travel to Arkansas for the Dr. Margaret Downing Invitational, where they will finish out their non-conference schedule with matches against Grambling State, Arkansas-Monticello, Texas A&M International, and tournament host, Southern Arkansas. The Lady Choctaws will play host to Auburn Montgomery to kick off Gulf South Conference play.

With a record of 10-21, one might not instantly describe the 2016 season as successful, but it was a huge improvement for the Lady Choctaws. 2016 was the first time in five seasons that they won 10 games. It was also Julie Redus’s first year as head coach. When any coach comes to a program, especially one that has not been winning a lot, they want to change the team’s culture. That is easier said than done, but Coach Redus thinks the Lady Choctaws are on the right track. “It’s really hard to change a culture, especially with the transition to Division 2 and playing in a tough conference like the Gulf South Conference. What’s going to change our culture this year is our eight-senior squad. I’ve got eight seniors this year who are really changing the culture themselves. I’m just allowing them and leading them in the right direction. I let them take control and leave their own legacy. Culture and legacy are synonyms for us right now.”

Senior Madison Frazier would like to see more conference wins this year, as the Lady Choctaws only won three Gulf South Conference matchups. “It was great to have 10 wins,  of course, but we would hope to get a lot more conference wins this year. We had a slow start but I feel like we can still do it, for sure.” Two of those conference wins last year came against the West Georgia Wolves, who happen to be one of Frazier’s favorite opponents. “My favorite team to play against is West Georgia; we’ve beaten them twice, two years in a row. Hopefully we can do that again.”

Junior Shelby Grace Mays and her teammates have established a team goal to help get more wins this year. “Our goals are to minimize on our own errors. We think we have a lot of potential this year; we have a lot of talent. I think we really beat ourselves most of the time by our own errors. I think if we minimize our own errors offensively and defensively we will double our wins from last year.” By eliminating errors, you avoid beating yourself — this can be applied to all sports. Mays also has a personal goal she believes will help the team. “My personal goal is help the team as much as I can by minimizing on my own errors. Serving errors are big for me right now.” You can find Mays in the gym getting in extra practice on her serves, especially for opponents from Alabama. Mays, an Alabama native, looks forward to playing against other players from her home state. “Coming from Alabama I would love to whoop up on UNA or West Alabama or Huntsville. There’s a lot of pressure when I play over there, but I feel like I play better under pressure, so that helps. There’s at least one player on each of those teams that I played club (volleyball) with, so it’s always good playing against old friends.”