Mississippi College

The Mississippi College women's basketball team ran its win streak to four games as it garnered its third straight victory over in-state and Gulf South Conference foe, Delta State University, to the tune of 59-50 on Saturday, Feb. 5. MC improved to 12-8, 7-6 in the conference. The Lady Statesmen fell to 9-9, 7-6 in the league. It's the first time in program history the Choctaws have won three consecutive in the series over its northwestern neighbors. Kayla Bradley recorded her first double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead the way for the Choctaws. She becomes the fifth player to accomplish the feat on the campaign. NeNe Williams joined Bradley in double figures with 10 points. "It's always a great day when we beat Delta State and you can really tell that we are continuing to mature and gel as a team," said head coach Greg Long. "I thought we started off really slow, but we were able to pick the tempo up in the second half and that bothered them. Our crowd was great and we are so appreciative of the continued support." The Navy and Gold shot 36.8 percent from the floor, hit 65.0 percent of its shots from the charity stripe and collected 40 rebounds in the win. MC jumped out to a 12-4 lead after the first 10 minutes of action, but only held a two-point advantage at the intermission as the Green and White outscored them 13-7 in the second period, including holding a 17-16 lead with 33 ticks left in the half. Jay Levy gave MC the lead back at the half as drained a 3-pointer with six seconds left. The Choctaws pushed its lead out in the opening minutes of the third quarter as it rode a 19-4 run en route to gaining a 46-32 lead going into the fourth. The Navy and Gold held its double-digit advantage until the 4:30 mark of the final period, when T'Kyra Hicks knocked down a pair of free throws. The Lady Statesmen pulled to within six at the four-minute mark, but Amelia Bell scored on a layup and Bradley drained a pair of free throws to push the lead back to double figures and never look back. Zyaire Ewing led the Lady Statesmen with 17 points and 11 rebounds. DSU shot 32.0 percent from the field and posted a clip of 75.0 from the free-throw line on the night. The Green and White struggled from behind the arc as it connected on just 2-of-11.

The Mississippi College indoor track and field teams combined for four school records as they competed at the University of South Alabama Invitational in Birmingham, Ala., at the Birmingham Crossplex on Sunday, Feb. 6. Ezra McCaw and Kelechi Christian each set the school record in the 60-meter dash. McCaw clocked the 7.78 time in her heat of the event and Christian matched the mark in the following heat during her MC debut. Jazmin Hernandez added to the school-record performances as she posted a time of 2:14.23 to finish fourth in the women's 400 meters. She added a second, fourth-place finish in the 800 meters with a time of 2:14.23. The men's 4x400 relay to notched a school record time of 3:15.08 to finish second. Will Grames clocked a time of 49.7 in his leg followed by Gabe Hodson's 48.7 and Fabio Palmieri's 47.5 Wes Gibbs ran the anchor leg with a time of 48.9. Hunter Kurz grabbed the only event win on the day for the Choctaws in the 5,000 meters. He clocked a PR and NCAA provisional time of 14:22.71 while Cole Benoit finished eighth in the event with a time of 14:56.19. Camilla Chambers started the day for the Choctaws with a PR in the women's 5K as she finished second with a time of 18:49.03. Josie Whipp turned in a time of 19:04.01 to finish eighth in the event. Gabe Poulin and Christian Balcer bested South Alabama Invite record times in the men's 3,000. Poulin clocked a NCAA provisional time of 8:20.97 to finish fourth. Balcer ran an 8:27.72 (11th place). The previous USA record was 8:28.87. Balcer and Gibbs each recorded top five finishes in the men's 800 meters. Gibbs posted a time of 1:53.65 to finish third in the event. Balcer turned in a time of 1:54.23 to finish fifth. Palmieri finished fifth in the men's 200 with a time of 21.68. Tytavia Hardy added a bronze finish to the women's ledger as she recorded a time of 8.73 in the women's 60-meter hurdles. She added a fourth-place finish in the women's triple jump with a distance of 12.08 meters.

The Mississippi College women's and men's tennis programs opened the 2021 season Saturday afternoon with the women taking the 7-0 sweep over Blue Mountain College while the men came up shy 4-3. WOMEN'S MC 7 | BMC 0 The Lady Choctaws (1-0) jumped out to a quick lead with a one point lead in doubles play, sweeping BMC wins in each of the three doubles matches, led by a 6-0 sweep from Maria Rodriquez and Emma Roberts at #3. MC would then push the lead out to 3-0 with singles wins at #6 with Maria Rodriquez (6-0, 6-2) and #4 with Anna Didkovska (6-4, 6-0). Anna Valiaeva (6-3, 6-4), Emma Roberts (6-3, 6-3), Fernanda Cota (4-6, 6-3, 6-3) and Paulina Cota (7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (tiebreaker) each closed out the 7-0 sweep to help lift the Choctaws to an opening day win over Blue Mountain College. MEN'S BMC 4 | MC 3 On the men's side, MC took a 1-0 lead, pulling two victories out of the three doubles matches, led by Hsiang Yi Wang/Shane Samyn (6-2) and Joe Jarvis/Walker Ellis (6-2) In singles play, MC (0-1) jumped out to a 3-2 lead with wins at #1 with Brady McDaniel (6-2, 6-3) and #2 with Joe Jarvis (6-7, 6-3, 6-4). BMC went on to win at #6 and #5 to take the win in singles play, 4-2, and ultimately winning the match 4-3 on the day.

Danny Sharp has been accepted into the physical therapy program at Samford University.

Mississippi College's Tytavia Hardy defends her Gulf South Conference Field Athlete of the Week Presented by TicketSmarter accolade as announced by the conference office on Wednesday, Feb. 9. The Pensacola, Fla., native claimed the award last week with two of the top times in the country after her performances in the 60-meter hurdles and the triple jump at the University of South Carolina Invitational. She ran the 60-meter hurdles in a school record time of 8.66 seconds. Her 60-meter hurdle time currently ranks 10th in Div. II. Her triple jump distance of 12.07-meters earned her fifth in the invite section and 12th among national leaders. Hardy followed up last week's performance with a leap of 12.08 meters in the triple during the University of South Alabama Invitational. The distance not only marked a season-best for the junior, but also qualified as a NCAA Division II provisional mark and currently stands 12th in the nation. Along with her fourth-place finish in the triple, she added a third-place finish on the track during the Invite as she clocked a time of 8.73 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles.

Camryn Johnson is using her creative talents to produce "Celebrating the Black Legacy," a theatrical production to recognize Black History Month at Mississippi College. The epic heroes and defining moments of the African American experience in the U.S. will spring vividly to life during "Celebrating the Black Legacy," scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24, in Swor Auditorium in Nelson Hall.

Dylan Gilbert is a junior at Mississippi College majoring in Accounting. He utilized Career Services for mock interview and resume assistance.

Mississippi College recently kicked off their season at the Gulf Shores Invitational. Looking forward to a great season, they have announced their roster for the upcoming season.

The Mississippi College women's tennis program opened the 2021 season Saturday afternoon taking the 7-0 sweep over Blue Mountain College. Looking forward to a great season, they have announced their roster for the 2021-22 school year.

Dakota Murphree dreams of one day becoming a minister, serving as a Baptist Student Union director, and owning an actual ranch that could be used as a retreat center for local churches. Hannah Quigley, president of the BSU at Mississippi College, aims to serve the Lord in whatever ministry He leads her to in the future. Murphree, a senior business administration major, and Quigley, a senior Christian Studies major, credit Mississippi College for helping set them on the path to achieving their long-term ministerial goals. They each shared their testimonies with high-ranking leaders of the Mississippi Baptist Convention and presidents and administrators of Blue Mountain College, MC, and William Carey University during the Education Commission meeting Jan. 14. Originally scheduled for the Clinton campus, the event took place virtually in deference to the rise in Omicron variant COVID-19 cases throughout the state. The Commission cultivates the interest of Mississippi Baptists on behalf of Christian higher education, strengthens the colleges of Mississippi Baptists and unifies their efforts in the Convention program of Christian higher education, and makes recommendations through the Convention Board to the Convention concerning all cooperative efforts in the field of Christian higher education, among other responsibilities. The pair of MC students is actually a couple: Murphree and Quigley have been dating for several months, and the prospect of a future professing the Lord's saving grace together strengthens their hopes - and their commitment to each other. "I'm so thankful the Lord has been able to use our very new relationship," said Murphree, who serves as vice president of the BSU. "Someone told me one time, whoever you decide to marry, you need to be able to do ministry better with them than do ministry without them. "Being able to know the Lord is able to use us and our relationship for His glory in a bigger way is something I thank Him for often." Murphree told the commission he was in his last semester studying business at Hinds Community College when he felt called to go into the ministry. A meeting at church on his last Sunday at Hinds helped lead him to Mississippi College. "I met Wes Wroten, the college pastor at First Baptist Church Clinton, and made friends with him and other MC students," Murphree said. "I went to MC's BSU, I did a lot of praying, I talked to a lot of people, and I decided to go into Christian Studies at MC." That decision came with a formidable obstacle for Murphree: how to afford his continuing education. "I didn't know how I was going to pay for it," he said. "I prayed, 'Lord, I felt like You called me to come here, but I don't exactly know how.' But the Lord provided for me to be here." Through scholarships and other financial assistance opportunities, Murphree was able to attend MC. He now serves as an intern for Wroten at First Baptist Church. "What the Lord has been able to do through my life is incredible," Murphree said. "I'm blessed with a Christian community and good friends who are important to me spiritually. "I've been able to speak with pastors about my call to the ministry. This University has propped me up and prepared me to be not only an efficient addition to the workforce, but also a disciple." He said his interest in ranching stems from his background. Hailing from the rural town of Vardaman, Murphree served as president of the Mississippi student chapter of Future Farmers of America while he was in high school. "I've always loved engaging with God's creation in a lot of ways," he said. "Wanting a ranch, I have the desire to provide for others, my community, and my family, and also to possibly use it for ministry. It sounds so exciting. "MC is a great institution. The professors are very knowledgeable in their field, but also, the community and the institution are built on a foundation of following the will of God. You see that when you go to class devotionals, when you go to events on campus, in what your friends talk about. It definitely prepares you for going out and doing ministry." He concluded his presentation by quoting Philippians 1: 20-21: "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (NIV) A native of Meridian, Quigley told the commission she surrendered her life to the Lord at 12 when she recognized that she was living in a broken world. "I had some bitterness towards my home life," Quigley said, "but after meeting the Lord, He turned that bitterness into peace and joy, and I have been so blessed to live with Him ever since." Referencing the Great Commission, she said one of the biggest testaments to the Lord's faithfulness in her life occurred during her freshman year at MC. "I had never been discipled before," she said, "but an upperclassman decided to pour into me and other freshmen girls and teach us how to make disciples of all nations as we are called to in Matthew 28." A biology pre-med major at the time, Quigley said she felt the Lord calling her to give her life to ministry. "I was terrified of this, because I did not think I was equipped for such a task," she admitted. "But I eventually decided to step out in faith and trust that the Lord would provide and guide me through. He sure did!" She switched her major to Christian Studies and never looked back. Currently a student intern at Wynndale Baptist Church, she is an avid participant in summer mission trips and Christian youth camps. "The (Christian Studies) professors have been nothing short of phenomenal," she said. "They've taught me so much about ministry and the Scriptures and have given me life advice about working in churches. "The BSU on campus has also played a huge role in my spiritual growth. They welcomed me in my freshman year and challenged me to seek the Lord during my time at college. I have the awesome privilege of serving as their president this year, and it has been amazing to see how God has used our ministry to further His kingdom." She said Mississippi College has equipped her with all the tools she needs to be successful in spreading the good news about Christ. "Not only has MC prepared me for ministry now, but I believe wholeheartedly that the time I have spent here at MC has definitely prepared me for whatever ministry I find myself in the future," she said.

The Mississippi College Office of Academic Affairs releases the dean's list after the close of fall and spring semesters each academic year. To be eligible for the Dean's List, a student must maintain a 3.5 grade point average, based on a 4.0 system. The student must take a full course load of at least 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit with all academic courses impacting their grade point average.

The Mississippi College Office of Academic Affairs releases the president's list after the close of fall and spring semesters each academic year. To be eligible for the President's List, a student must maintain a 4.0 grade point average, based on a 4.0 system. The student must take a full course load of at least 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit with all academic courses impacting their grade point average.

The Mississippi College Office of Academic Affairs releases the president's list after the close of fall and spring semesters each academic year. To be eligible for the President's List, a student must maintain a 4.0 grade point average, based on a 4.0 system. The student must take a full course load of at least 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit with all academic courses impacting their grade point average.

The Mississippi College Office of Academic Affairs releases the dean's list after the close of fall and spring semesters each academic year. To be eligible for the Dean's List, a student must maintain a 3.5 grade point average, based on a 4.0 system. The student must take a full course load of at least 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit with all academic courses impacting their grade point average.

The Mississippi College women's basketball team snatched the University of West Georgia's dream of a come-from-behind win as MC (10-8, 5-6 Gulf South Conference) hit key 3-pointers to win 78-70 in The Coliseum on Saturday, Jan. 29. UWG falls to 6-9 and 3-7 in the conference. The victory gives Mississippi College its first win in program history in the "City of Dreams" and its second straight win in the series. Four Choctaws scored in double figures led by Kyiah Julian with 15 points. The Greenwood, Ark., native was 3-for-5 from behind the arc and knocked down 4-of-5 from the charity stripe to assist in her scoring output in the game. Alana Canady added a double-double - her first as a Choctaw - as she tied for second on the team in points with 14 and grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds. It's the second double-double of her career as she scored a career-high 18 points and pulled down 10 boards during her time at the University of Central Arkansas. Ally Alford joined Canady with 14 points in the contest while Tamarah Sykes poured in a career-high 12 points. Sykes missed her third double-double of the season as she added eight rebounds, which tied Amelia Bell for second on the team. The Navy and Gold shot 36.4 percent from the 3-point line in the contest, a 40.6 clip from the field in the game and finished with 70.0 percent from the free-throw line, including 8-for-10 during the final 10 minutes. MC outrebounded the Wolves 47-33 on the glass. "This was probably our biggest team win in my two seasons at Mississippi College," said head coach Greg Long. "These ladies showed a lot of maturity tonight in a tough place to play. We got big-time minutes from multiple people and out depth helped us out. Now we have to turn our attention toward a tough squad on Monday." The Choctaws, which much of the contest, clung a 51-48 after the first 30 minutes of action, but witnessed the Red and Blue erase the margin and grab its first lead since the 2:17 mark of the opening quarter as Jaylin Austin knocked down the backend of a pair of free throws. The Wolves expanded their advantage to as many as four points in the period, but Sykes converted on an old-fashion, 3-point play to give the Choctaws a 66-65 lead and the visitors from the Magnolia State never looked back. MC closed out the final period on a 15-6 run. The win completes a season sweep and the second in the month of the Wolves.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. --- The Mississippi College women's basketball team extended its win streak to three games as it holds off Auburn University at Montgomery, 50-47, on Monday, Jan. 31. MC improved to 11-8 and 6-6 in Gulf South Conference action. The Warhawks fall to 6-10 and 1-9 in the league. The Navy and Gold held a 44-30 advantage after the first three quarters, but knocked down key free throws to ice the contest as AUM outscored the Choctaws 17-6 in the final period. "A win is a win and I'm glad we got out of there tonight with this one," said head coach Greg Long. "We once again had big-time plays when we needed them tonight. It was a total team effort and we are continue to show how deep we are this year." Ally Alford and Tamarah Sykes paced the scoring efforts for the Choctaws, who gain a 3-2 advantage in the series. Alford led the team with 13 points. It's her 11th consecutive game in double figures and 13th on the campaign. Sykes notched her team-best, third double-double of the season. The Aberdeen, Miss., native scored 11 points and added a team and career-high 12 rebounds coming off the bench. Amelia Bell a season-high five blocks in the contest as she led the defensive unit. MC recorded nine blocked shots in the game. MC shot 27.6 percent from the field in the game and connected on 65.2 percent from the free-throw line. The Choctaws recorded 49 rebounds in the outing. The Choctaws grabbed their largest lead of the game, 46-30, early in the final period on a driving layup from Kayla Bradley. AUM clipped the double-digit deficit to single digits midway through the quarter on a DeMaurea Moore layup. The Warhawks pulled within one point on a Allasha Dudley bucket, but Alford and Bradley each knocked down a free throw during the final seven ticks to hold off the charge. Catlin Carter led AUM with 15 points while Tamia Willingham pulled down seven boards. The Orange and Black hit 31.7 percent from the floor, but struggled from behind the arc with a 12.5 clip. They connected on 77.8 percent from the stripe and totaled 39 rebounds. The Choctaws held a slim, three-point advantage after the first 10 minutes of play, but increased their margin as they outscored AUM 34-23 over the next two quarters to gain the double figure lead heading into the final 10 minutes.

The Mississippi College indoor track and field programs recorded a strong weekend at the University of South Carolina Invitational on Friday, January 28th and Saturday, January 29th. The Choctaws combined for eight school records and three event titles against a field that featured 16 Division I programs. Al Ferrill and Jazmin Hernandez each made history in their performances. Ferrill finished second in the men's shot put as he broke his school record with a throw of 16.06 meters. He became the first Choctaw in program history to break 16 meters indoors. Hernandez breaks her school record in the mile. The Georgetown, Texas, native posted a time of 4:53.75 as she finished fourth in the event. She becomes the first Choctaw to break the five-minute mark in program history. MC also picked up a sweep in the distance medley relays with both the men's and women's teams picking up the titles and also setting school-records. The men's team consisting of Cole Benoit, Gabe Hodson, Jake Russell, and Hunter Kurz picked up the title with a time of 9:47.93. Their time also marked the third fastest time in Division II this season. The women's relay time won the title and set the school-record with a time of 11:55.71. The women's relay team consisted of Kathy Hammond, Ereyonna Gore, Emma Langley, and Hernandez. Their time marked the fourth fastest time in Division II this year. Cole Benoit added a school record time of 8:07.67 in the men's 3,000 meters. The time nabbed him the fourth-fastest time in Division II this season along with a fifth-place finish in the event. Fabio Palmieri joined the school-record breakers as he finished second in the men's 400 meters. Palmieri clocked a 48.05. Also, in the sprints, Shemar Patten posted a school-record time of 8.15 in the men's 60 hurdles to qualify for the finals. He finished eighth in the finals with a time of 8.21. Palmieri picked up his 2nd school-record of the weekend in the invite section of the 200 meter dash with a time of 21.52, which was good for 5th in the event. It also set an indoor PR. Tytavia Hardy set a school record in the women's 60 hurdles qualifying round with a time of 8.66, which grabbed her second place. She clocked an 8.84 in the preliminaries to finish 12th, but not advance to the event finals. Hardy continued to impress on Saturday as she picked up a top five finish in the women's Triple Jump with a distance of 12.07 meters. Christian Balcer and Gabe Poulin also put in strong showings in the men's 5K on Saturday as the pair finished in the top two spots with Balcer picking up the event title with a time of 14:33.37. This was also a PR for Balcer. Poulin finished second with a time of 14:34.68 A pair of Choctaws finished in the top five of the mile. Hunter Kurz led the duo with a second-place finish as he clocked a time of 4:07.72. Balcer turned in a time of 4:10.96 as he finished fifth in the event. Ferrill also picked up another top five finish on Saturday as he finished fourth with a distance of 16.58 meters. Wesley Gibbs picked up a top five finish in the men's 800 meter as he ran a 1:53.28 to finish fourth. Kathy Hammond finished seventh in the women's 3,000 with a personal-record time of 10:14.22. Brock Kelly posted a PR time of 8:31.86 in the men's 3K to finish 10th. Emma Langley picked up a tenth place finish in the women's 800 meter on Saturday as she had a time of 2:16.69. Leslie Baxter also picked up a PR as she finished 18th in the event with a time of 2:19.71. Ezra McCaw finished 16th in the women's 200 meter dash on Saturday with a time of 25.49. Gore also finished 16th in the women's 400 meter with a time of 59.10.

One of the nation's leading professional governmental societies has chosen a pair of Mississippi College accounting and finance double majors to participate in a prestigious leadership program. The Association of Government Accountants has selected Kaitlyn Dortch, a senior from Canton, and Kaylee Foster, a junior from Ocean Springs, for its National Collegiate Leadership Program. They are among only 10 scholars nationwide to be designated for the scholarship program that provides students the opportunity to engage with and learn from leaders in government financial management at the AGA's annual National Leadership Training event Feb. 23-24 in Washington, D.C.

Gracie Phillips is a junior member of MC Honors College majoring in Business Administration. She practiced mock interviews and received assistance with her resume from Career Services at Mississippi College.

Jamesia Kenney is a graduate student in the Biomedical Sciences department. She utilized Career Services to practice mock medical school interviews.

Jacob Beard is a senior majoring in Biological Pre-Medical Science. He has been accepted into Medical School at UMMC.

Sanders Goode has been accepted into UMMC Medical School. Goode is a Biological Pre-Medical senior who utilized Career Services for mock interview and resume assistance.

Kaitlin Stewart is a senior majoring Psychology. Stewart has been accepted into the MAC Programed at RTS.

Josi Hill is a senior Public Relations major. She utilized Career Services for mock interview and resume assistance.

The Mississippi College women's basketball team started the new year with a 73-51 win in Gulf South Conference play against the University of West Georgia. MC improved to 8-5 on the season and 5-3 in conference action. The Wolves fall to 6-7 and 3-5 in the league. The victory snapped a five-game slide to UWG in the series and gave MC its first win since Jan. 9, 2017. Ally Alford posted a team-high 23 points as she hit 5-of-9 from behind the arc and 8-for-15 from the floor. The Batesville, Miss., native also tied for tops on the team with seven rebounds, which matched a season-high. It's the fifth time this season Alford has led the team in scoring - the most by any Choctaw - and her fourth with 20-plus. The 23 points is her second highest total this season behind her high of 27 points set on Dec. 18 against Union. Alana Canady joined Alford in double figures scoring along with seven boards as she chimed in 14. Amelia Bell added 12 points while Taylor Ben also grabbed seven boards. The Choctaws shot 50 percent from the floor, including a 52.9 clip from the 3-point line. The Navy and Gold pulled down 38 rebounds. "So happy for the win and it was really important that we started the semester well," said head coach Greg Long. "I had some concerns with such a long lay off and you could tell it affected us, but I was pleased with how the team responded. They play hard and that made things happen for us tonight and it really showed." Zaria Bankston paced the Red and Blue with 11 points while Jaylin Austin had seven rebounds. The Wolves shot 31.6 percent from the field, but struggled from behind the arc at 20 percent. They managed 33 boards in the contest. MC led the for all, but 1:33 of the contest as the two teams exchanged leads through the first four minutes of action. Kyiah Julian knocked down a 3-pointer at the 6:08 mark to give the Navy and Gold a 12-10 lead and it never looked back. The Choctaws reached a double-digit advantage at the 1:50 mark of the opening quarter. MC saw its lead expand to 34-21 at the half. The Choctaws grabbed its first 20-point lead at the 3:43 mark of the third as Canady scored in the paint off an assist from Dezirae King. The home team grabbed its largest lead of the game, 62-33, on a fast break layup from Julian off a UWG turnover.

Mississippi College's Ally Alford is the Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week Presented by TicketSmarter, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday, Jan. 11. It is the third award this season for Alford. The Batesville, Miss., native posted a team-high 23 points as she hit 5-of-9 from behind the arc and 8-for-15 from the floor in a 73-51 win over the University of West Georgia on Saturday, Jan. 8. She also tied for tops on the team with seven rebounds, which matched a season-high. It is the fifth time this season Alford has led the team in scoring - the most by any Choctaw - and her fourth game with 20-plus points. The 23 points is her second highest total this season behind her high of 27 points set on Dec. 18 against Union. Alford is the first Choctaw to garner this accolade in the GSC and she joins a list of three former MC players who have accomplished three, conference weekly awards in program history (Lacey Palomarez-Kennedy - 7, LaToya Hopson - 4, Jalessa Taylor - 4). The trio accomplished the feat during the program's time in Division III as members of the American Southwest Conference. She is one of three players in the conference to claim freshman of the week laurels during the 2021-22 season. She joins the University of West Florida's Zoe Piller (4) and Lee University's Anna Muhonen (1). Saturday's win marked the largest margin of victory in the series with West Georgia.

Mississippi College's Christian Balcer is the Gulf South Conference Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Week Presented by TicketSmarter, as announced by conference office on Wednesday, Jan. 19. The Hurley, Miss., native reset a meet record in the 5,000 meters as he claimed the event crown. Balcer posted a time of 14:55.16 to break Emory University's Jack Whetstone's 2019 time of 15:01.67. He has won each of his collegiate races this season as he claimed the 3,000 meters at the Birmingham Southern Indoor Icebreaker in December. Balcer becomes the second Choctaw to garner the conference's freshman of the week accolade this season as he joins Wesley Gibbs, who earned the honor on Dec. 8, 2021. Mississippi College returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 22 as it travels to Birmingham, Ala., for the Samford University Open at the Birmingham Crossplex.

The Mississippi College men's indoor track and field team returned to action on Sunday, Jan. 16 as it won the Emory University Crossplex Showdown at the Birmingham Crossplex. The Choctaws, which garnered 152 points, had seven event titles as it defeated a field that included four Division II programs, including fellow Gulf South Conference members the University of Montevallo and Shorter University. Christian Balcer reset a meet record in the 5,000 meters as he claimed the event crown. Balcer posted a time of 14:55.16 to break Emory's Jack Whetstone's 2019 time of 15:01.67. Gabe Poulin and Hunter Kurz posted marks that surpassed the previous meet time. Poulin finished second with a time of 15:40.74 while Kurz was third with a 15:01.38. Al Ferrill recorded a pair of event wins - the most by any Choctaw on the day. Ferrill posted a distance of 16.28 meters in the weight throw and added a throw of 14.93 in the shot put. Christopher Garcia-Cloud finished fifth in the weight throw with a distance of 12.61 meters and was sixth in the shot with a 12.23. Ben Woolhouse joined Ferrill with a win in the field events as he posted a leap of 4.40 meters took take the top spot in the pole vault. Shemar Patten took the 60 hurdles as he posted a time of 8.24. Patten also finished seventh in the 60-meter dash (6.91) and eighth in the 200 meters (22.62). Fabio Palmieri took second in the 200 meters with a time of 21.91 while Will Grames was sixth with a 22.47. Gabe Hodson posted the best time in the 800 meters with a 1:56.08. Hodson was joined by Jake Russell among the top three finishers in the race. Russell took second with a time of 1:56.24. Preston Speed finished in the top five as he clocked a 2:01.62 in fourth. Elijah Araya was ninth with a time of 2:03.97. Cole Benoit won the 3,000 meters with a time of 8:28.71. Like the 800 meters, the Choctaws placed three runners in the top five as Brock Kelly took silver with a time of 8:33.97 and Braedon Methvin in fourth with an 8:40.44. Chris Webber finished seventh with a time of 8:48.29. The 4x400 relay team of Grames, Russell, Wesley Gibbs and Hodson took the top spot. The quartet clocked a time of 3:19.72. Gibbs added a second-place finish in the 400 meters to his ledger as he posted a time of 50.00. Mississippi College is back in action on Sunday, Jan. 23 as it returns to the Birmingham Crossplex for the KMS Invitational.

The Mississippi College women's indoor track and field team returned to action as it took the top team spot at the Emory University Crossplex Showdown on Sunday, Jan. 16. The Choctaws notched five individual event titles. MC defeated a field that included four Division II programs, including fellow Gulf South Conference members, the University of Montevallo and Shorter University. The Navy and Gold garnered victories in a pair of distance events to start the day. Jazmin Hernandez brought home the 5,000-meters title with a time of 18:02.27. Kathy Hammond won the mile as she clocked a time of 5:16.89. She added a second-place finish to her ledger as she joined Ereyonna Gore, Leslie Baxter and Emily Berry in the distance medley relay with a time of 12:37.71. Baxter and Norma Gutierrez added running event crowns to the Choctaws' list. Baxter added an event crown in the 800 meters as she clocked a 2:21.30 while Gutierrez took the top spot in the 3,000 meters with a time of 11:06.69. Tytavia Hardy posted the only event win in the field as she won the triple jump with a leap of 11.56 meters. Hardy also finished second in the 60 hurdles with a time of 9:01. Kiara Vance tallied a two third-place finishes as she posted a distance of 11.47 meters in the shot put and a throw 14.16 meters in the weight throw. Sakari Faulkner finished fifth in the weight throw with a toss of 12.85 meters while Victoria Myles recorded a throw of 12.446 meters. Vance wasn't the only Choctaw with a bronze-medal finish. Ryleigh Borbash posted a leap of 1.47 meters in the high jump. Shelby Dean finished third in the 3,000 meters with a time of 11:11.47 and Madeline Campbell clocked a time of 18:48.10 in the 5,000 meters. Ezra McCaw added a third-place finish in the sprints with a time of 25.76 in the 200 meters. Mississippi College is back in action on Sunday, Jan. 23 as it returns to the Birmingham Crossplex for the KMS Invitational.

Mississippi College honored the graduates of both summer and fall semesters in three campus ceremonies on Friday, Dec. 17. Dr. Blake Thompson, MC president, welcomed the graduates and gave opening remarks, while Dr. Tommy Leavelle, retired professor in the Department of Mathematics at MC and the 2020-21 Distinguished Professor of the Year, gave the Commencement Address. Thompson reiterated MC's theme, "Rise Up," for the 2021-22 Academic Year, inviting the MC Family to make this a year built on the "good work" God calls us all to do. The encouragement taken from Nehemiah 2:18 illustrates that, although situations can change at a moment's notice, God will strengthen our hands.