STARKVILLE — Kyle Niblett was drawn to sports statistics at a young age.
Growing up in Gainesville, Florida, Niblett read The Gainesville Sun every morning and would flip to the Major League Baseball boxscores and memorize everything he could.
The Mississippi State assistant director of media relations and social media coordinator never realized his passion could turn into a career.
“I was always into sports and I was always into stats, but I never computed the two together,” Niblett said. “I always kind of had a good idea I wanted to do sports and I wanted to do something statistical just because I had a really good memory and a real passion for sports, but I never knew the concept of sports information or public relations.”
Niblett, who serves as the No. 2 MSU football contact, will be shouting out notes and stats in the press box 3 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network) when MSU (3-2) play host to Troy (1-3) at 3 p.m.
Niblett also is MSU’s main baseball contact.
In the beginning, Niblett wanted to be a sports journalist, but he learned quickly that wasn’t for him.
After high school, Niblett attended a local junior college, but keeping his grades up wasn’t a top priority. In 2007, he wanted to enroll in the University of Florida’s Sports Management program, but his grades weren’t good enough. He majored in history, but still wanted to work with athletics, especially numbers, so in his first semester on campus he went to the third level of the Swamp — Florida’s football stadium – and volunteered in the sports information office.
He interned for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA one summer and contemplated getting a graduate degree.
“I asked around if I should get a master’s in sports management and everyone I asked for advice at the University of Florida said, ‘You’re better off getting two year-long internships in our profession then getting a master’s degree,’ ” Niblett said. “If you get two years of real-life experience, that’s the equivalent of a master’s degree.”
After graduation he interned for the Memphis Grizzlies and got the opportunity to return home and work with the Gator men’s basketball team and swimming and diving teams.
The MSU baseball team played in the 2011 Gainesville Super Regional and Niblett was on hand to help out in anyway he could at the event. Unbeknownst to him, he was working for the Bulldogs a few short months later. He applied for MSU’s secondary football position, which also included working as the school’s softball contact, and got it.
That’s when he began to learn his job wasn’t just about numbers.
“As much as I love (stats), the part that fascinates me now is the public relations stuff — the branding, the strategic messaging, and the PR side of it,” Niblett said. “Stats is such a small part of my job now days.”
Niblett has risen in the ranks at MSU, getting the coveted baseball job and replacing long-time Bulldog Joe Dier.
There was talk of him returning to Florida a year ago, but he is glad it never worked out because he loves his position, primarily because of the people he has worked with, including softball coach Vann Stuedeman, assistant athletic director of media relations Bill Martin, senior associate athletic director of external affairs Scott Wetherbee, former football sports information director Joe Galbraith, who hired him, and MSU Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin.
During his time in Starkville he has been to the College World Series, an Orange Bowl, and a couple of NCAA regionals with the softball team.
“It’s a place where championships can happen — championships will happen — and I’m having the time of my life,” Niblett said.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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