STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State women’s basketball team will trade the Maroon & White for the Red, White, and Blue when it represents the United States at the 30th Summer World University Games in Naples, Italy.
MSU, the back-to-back NCAA runner-up and 2018 Southeastern Conference regular-season champion, was selected to represent USA Team by the United States International University Sports Federation (USIUF).
“We are humbled and honored to have the opportunity to represent the United States of America and all that means,” said MSU coach Vic Schaefer, whose team is 126-22 in the last four years. “We will do our very best to take advantage of that opportunity and represent this great country in the most positive way possible. We are going to go over there and compete for a gold medal.”
The event begins July 3. The basketball portion runs through July 12. Representing USA Team, MSU will be one of 16 women’s basketball nations competing in the event.
MSU will play three pool play games, and the top two teams in each pool advance to the medal rounds. The remaining teams will play consolation games. Pools will be announced at the Head of Delegation meetings in April.
The World University Games are organized by the International University Sports Federation and held every other year. The event, which features 18 sports, is open to men and women ages 17-24 who are or have been in the past year a student at a college or university.
MSU will be the third full team from a women’s college program to represent USA Team in the event. Maryland played in the 2017 event, while Charlotte and a Big 12 Conference-fielded team competed in the 2007 and 2003 events, respectively.
It will mark the second-straight year Vic Schaefer’s squad has traveled to Italy. In August, MSU went 3-0 in a trip that featured stops in Rome, Florence, and Como.
n Team Maroon wins Game 1 of Fall World Series: At Starkville, Team Maroon used two big innings Thursday to earn a 9-4 victory against Team White in Game 1 of the Fall World Series at Dudy Noble Field.
“It was a good night, with a really good crowd, and I loved the atmosphere,” MSU coach Chris Lemonis said. “Our guys are really competing, which is great to see. Peyton (Plumlee) settled in and pitched well to get the win. Jared Liebelt and Colby White helped solidify the bullpen and close it out. I’d like to see our defense play a little better and our pitchers pound the strike zone a bit more, but overall it was a good night.”
Plumlee started for Team Maroon and allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits in four innings. The senior struck out four and walked one. Liebelt threw two innings of one-run relief. White allowed one run in one inning.
For Team White, Jack Eagan allowed three runs and six hits in three innings. He walked three and struck out two. Bryce Brock, Denver McQuary, and Cole Gordon each threw one inning. Brock and Gordon allowed three runs.
Maroon broke the game open with three runs in the third and three more in the sixth.
Landon Jordan’s RBI double opened the scoring for Team White.
JT Ginn worked a bases-loaded walk to tie the game.
Maroon took the lead with a run in the bottom of the second on a Jake Mangum sacrifice fly. Rowdey Jordan hit the first of his two home runs to tie the game at 2.
Team Maroon took the lead for good on a Dustin Skelton home run with one out in the third. After the first 1-2-3 inning of the game in the top of the fourth, Maroon scored three runs on an RBI single by Josh Hatcher had an RBI single, Skelton’s RBI groundout, and Anthony Hickman’s RBI single.
Jordan had an RBI single in the firth to cut it to 6-3.
In the sixth, Team Maroon used a squeeze bunt by Skelton to score the first run of the inning. After a Benjamin Bell sacrifice bunt pushed runners to second and third, Jake Mangum’s two-run single made it 9-3.
Jordan’s second home run accounted for the final run in the top of the seventh.
MSU will play Game 2 of the Fall World Series at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Dudy Noble Field. Admission is free. Fans can enter through the Left Field Lounge entrance and sit in right field. No access to the grandstands will be granted.
n No. 23 women’s soccer team will take on No. 5 Texas A&M: At College Station, Texas, the No. 23 women’s soccer team will take on No. 5 Texas A&M at 7:30 p.m. Friday night in a Southeastern Conference match.
MSU (9-3-1, 2-3-1 SEC) will try to earn its first victory in the series.
Texas A&M boasts the No. 2 Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) in the nation and is the reigning SEC tournament champion.
“It’s a very loud, crowded, hostile environment, so that’s going to be a great opportunity and experience for our team,” MSU coach Tom Anagnost said. “I want to make sure everyone’s ready and on the front foot to take advantage of that opportunity.
A win would give MSU its second victory against a team in the RPI top 10 this year. It would also mark MSU’s first 10-win season since 2001.
n Volleyball team will take on Arkansas: At Fayetteville, Arkansas, the volleyball team (5-13, 1-4) will take on Arkansas (7-9, 1-5) at 7 p.m. Friday in a SEC match. The match will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
“It is going to be another tough weekend as we hit the road for our match on Friday against a tough Arkansas team,” MSU coach Julie Darty said. “This league is tough, top to bottom, and you have to bring it every time you step on the court. We are going to continue to talk about the process and focus on taking steps in the right direction. For us, it’s always about our serve and pass game and staying dialed into the game plan. I am excited for this group to continue to get better and more efficient. Every time we compete, we want to get a little bit better. I am hopeful that we can stay true to the process and keep on grinding as this season continues.”
n Women’s tennis team will open play at ITA Southern Regional Championships: At Oxford, the women’s tennis team will begin play Friday at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Southern Regional Championships.
The four-day competition will feature individuals from more than 10 programs from the region, including SEC foes Alabama, Auburn, and LSU.
Singles finalists and the doubles champion will advance to the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships on Nov. 7-11 in Surprise, Arizona.
Junior Sara Lizariturry will compete in singles and will partner with rookie Tamara Racine in doubles. Racine enters the weekend 4-2 in singles.
Senior captain Anastasia Rentouli, ranked 125th nationally, will take the court with a 4-2 singles mark. She will partner with senior Janina Braun in doubles.
Sophomore Magda Adaloglou and freshman Emma Antonaki will round out MSU’s doubles tandems.
Adaloglou is 4-4 in singles, while Antonaki is 3-3.
Sophomore transfer Meredith Roberts will round out the lineup. She is 3-3 in singles.
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