This weekend, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball, will all be away competing despite the cold temperatures and winter weather.
The recent weather caused the softball games against Maryville University scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 18th to be cancelled, changes that Whitney Christian, a junior public relations major and short stop for the softball team, said are “just part of being a student athlete.”
The softball team began a three game series with Mississippi College on Thursday, Feb. 19th and will continue through Friday, Feb. 20th.
Christian said the team is looking forward to playing this weekend.
“As long as we stay strong and play for one another, the sky is the limit,” Christian said.
Unfortunately, the team dropped the first two games of the series to the Choctaws, 2-3 and 0-2, but look to bounce back for the third game with game time set for Friday at 1 p.m.
The baseball team will also play Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi on Thursday, Feb. 19th and Friday, Feb. 20th.
The Bulldogs dropped the first game losing 2-3, but then fought back taking the second game 10-3. The final game of the series is also set for 1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20th.
While the winter weather meant cancelled games for the softball team, it meant more time for practice for the women’s basketball team, said Mark Campbell, assistant professor of physical education and women’s head coach.
“We’ve been able to practice whenever we want to with no distractions,” he said.
Emily Sissom, a senior special education major and guard for the women’s basketball team, agreed that the winter weather was good for the team because it provided time to “catch up on some much needed rest and focus on the upcoming games.”
Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams play at the University of Alabama Huntsville on Saturday Feb. 21st, with the women’s team starting at 2 p.m. followed by the men at 4 p.m.
“This time of year every game in Division II is a tournament game even though we’re still in the regular season, so I think one of the transitions for us from NAIA to NCAA Division II is to get our mindset based on a region ranking,” Campbell said. “Therefore, conference championships don’t mean much. Region rankings are what matters, and so how we finish our conference season really has a great baring on what the region rankings are going to look like.
“So, I think we just have to think one game at a time and try to be the very best we possibly can by getting better every game. For this to happen our preparation becomes a little bit more detailed and we need to do a better job applying that preparation to games,” Campbell added.
Campbell said that it is going to come down to preparation and execution in the game on Saturday.
“We spend 23 games building credentials to prepare for tournament time, and it can be messed up with one game,” Campbell said .
Sissom, said she is “excited” about Saturday’s game and that the team has worked hard this season. “I am ready to get out there and take care of business.”
