Looking Back

With 2010 being the Centennial Celebration for one-hundred years of
the University of Southern Mississippi, it's time to look back on some
of the accomplishments of the athletic programs. To think that the
first football game was played in Kamper Park down Hardy street in
Hattiesburg, MS. The pickup game was played between the Mississippi
Normal College Normalites and the Hattiesburg Boy Scouts. Mississippi
Normal won the game 30-0. Granted times were very different back in
1912, so a college team defeating a bunch of boyscouts was probably a
lot more challenging than what it initially sounds like. Since then
there have been multiple accomplishments by the college that even the
average student wouldn't realize. The football program is the most
storied because of societies' gradual change from baseball being
America's past time to football. The program was at its highest point
with its victory against Colorado St. in the Autozone Liberty Bowl in
1999. Since then there have been seven consecutive winning seasons,
multiple bowl appearances, and over one-hundred players drafted into
the NFL. Some of the most notable players have been Brett Favre, Ray
Guy, and Adalius Thomas. Favre is the only player to receive the honor
of NFL MVP three years in a row. Guy is the only punter to ever be
drafted in the first round in league history. Thomas was a sixth round
draft pick with the Baltimore Ravens who became an instant starter and
perennial Pro Bowler. There have been more Southern Miss players
drafted in the recent years, with Michael Boley drafted the highest to
the Atlanta Falcons in the second round. Southern Miss has a
reputation of producing great offensive lineman under the radar, and
many of the players are drafted in the lower rounds to later become
stable players in the league. The Baseball team made strides by
reaching the College World Series in 2009. After changing coaches from
Corky Palmer to Scott Berry, the team is looking to establish itself
amongst the great programs in the NCAA. This year's team is young, but
should put up a good fight when it comes time for the conference
tournament. The basketball programs have made slight improvements over
the recent years. It's never been a pro prospect producing site, but
the program has consistently made strides to establish itself amongst
the best in the conference. The women's program has had the highest
amount of success in recent years, with reaching the conference
championship in 2009. The volleyball team won conference this year,
but was eliminated in the NCAA tournament by Tulane. Overall, the
entire Athletic program strives to establish itself amongst the best
in college athletics and take a year-by-year approach in accomplishing
that long term goal.

Category:

Sports

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