The STATE of Golf Volume 4 - 2017 | Page 20

Campus Updates

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Men's & Women's Golf Team Unveil New Practice Clubhouse

In 2016, the Mississippi State University men’s and women’s golf teams unveiled their new practice facility, located on the property of the new Mossy Oak Golf Club. The facility includes a five-green driving range, short-game training areas and a 16,000 square foot putting green formed into the shape of the State of Mississippi.

The facility also features a 6,400-square foot team clubhouse with locker rooms, players'

lounge, coaches’ offices, indoor putting center (with SAM PuttLab training system), exercise room and conference room. The project also features a 2,400-square foot indoor hitting bay, equipped with two Trackman swing and ball flight analysis systems and a club repair room.

The Bulldog Club, the private fundraising arm of the Mississippi State Athletics, partnered with Old Waverly Golf Club on the $2.2 million project.

Bulldogs dominate Rebels, 55-20 to Reclaim Egg Bowl

OXFORD, Miss. - In front of the biggest crowd in Egg Bowl history, Mississippi State ran past rival Ole Miss 55-20 to reclaim the Golden Egg trophy Saturday afternoon at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

The Bulldogs (5-7, 3-5 SEC) went three-and-out on their first drive, then ramped up for an offensive explosion the rest of the game, quickly taking a 27-10 lead over the Rebels (5-7, 2-6) in the second quarter, before UM trimmed the margin to 27-20 at halftime. But State dominated the second half, outscoring the Rebels 28-0 to cruise to victory in the 113th all-time meeting between the teams. The Bulldogs' 55 points were the most scored in the annual rivalry since MSu score 65 in 1915.

MSU's offensive output came largely on the ground as the sophomore duo of quarterback Nick Fitzgerald and Aeris Williams helped MSU set a new school record for rushing yards in an SEC game (457). Fitzgerald set MSU's all-time rushing

SEC game (457). Fitzgerald set MSU's all-time rushing record by a player at any position with 14 carries for 258 yards and two touchdowns.

Mississippi State then capped off the 2016 season with a win in the St. Petersburg Bowl and against the Miami Redhawks, 17-16. It was not pretty, but the win was Coach Mullen's fifth bowl win in his tenure at Mississippi State.

The offseason has been an active one as well, as the Bulldgos hired a new defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham. Grantham came over from the Loiuisville Cardinals. Ironically, Peter Sirmon assumed Grantahm's role as DC at Lousiville.