May 14, 2012

SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State University Athletics will soon be taking its show on the road with a seven-stop Summer Tour that gets underway in early June.

The series of alumni and fan outreach events are all free and feature current MSU coaches, administrators, student-athletes and team mascots in a variety of venues across the state. Each event will be a unique, family-friendly atmosphere, but MSU Director of Athletics Kyle Moats says the focus will be consistent throughout the tour.

"This is a great opportunity for us to spend some time with our fans across the Show-Me State," Moats said. "Every location will have a pep rally feel to it and will be a Maroon and White celebration for all ages. We are very excited to kick off this new initiative and look forward to getting together with past, present and future Bears this summer."

The Missouri State Athletics Summer Tour begins in Kansas City on June 1-2, starting with a Bearfest celebration at the Great Wolf Lodge (10401 Cabela Dr., Kansas City, KS) at I-435 and I-70 on Friday night from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Men's basketball coach Paul Lusk, football coach Terry Allen and Moats will headline the KC stop which will conclude on Saturday with MSU Alumni Day at Kauffman Stadium for the Royals-Athletics game at 1:10 p.m. CLICK HERE for tickets to the Royals-Athleticsgame at Kauffman Stadium, which includes an exclusive MSU/Royals tshirt.

The second stop will take play on June 15-16 in St. Louis. The weekend begins with a Bearfest event at the Doubletree at Westport (1973 Craigshire Rd., St. Louis), just off of I-270 between I-70 and US 40. Women's basketball coach Nyla Milleson, baseball coach Keith Guttin, Allen and Moats will be headlining the Friday night event, which begins at 5:30 p.m. The event will resume on Saturday at 1:15 p.m. with a Busch Stadium celebration at MSU Alumni Day for the Cardinals-Royals game. CLICK HERE for tickets to the Cardinals-Royals game at Busch Stadium, which includes an exclusive MSU/Cardinals tshirt.

The MSU Athletics Summer Tour then rolls into Jefferson City on Wednesday, June 20 with Lusk, Milleson, Allen and Moats leading the event at the Capitol Plaza Hotel (415 W. McCarty St., Jefferson City). The Bearfest celebration will start at 5:30 p.m.

The final June stop on the Tour will be on Monday, June 25 in Lebanon at 6 p.m. The annual Lebanon Alumni gathering featuring the golf tournament and evening social gathering at the Cowan Civic Center will be the backdrop for the fourth stop on the tour. Coaches Lusk, Milleson and Allen will be featured at the Lebanon event, along with Moats.

To further support MSU's statewide mission in Public Affairs and increase University outreach around the state, a community service initiative will also be part of all tour stops.

The final three stops on the tour will focus on the Springfield region with events planned at the Marshfield Country Club on Monday, Aug. 6; at the Ozark Community Center (The OC) on Friday, Aug. 24; and Thursday, Sept. 13 in Springfield. Specific times and features speakers for the final three tour stops will be finalized in the coming weeks.

"We are very excited about this initiative," Moats said. "We want everybody to come out and be a part of this celebration, show their Bear pride throughout the year and stay connected with Missouri State and the many great things happening on our campus."

2012 Missouri State Athletics Summer Tour

• June 1 - Kansas City: Great Wolf Lodge (10401 Cabela Dr., Kansas City, KS), 5:30 p.m. and June 2 at Kauffman Stadium (tickets), 1:10 p.m.
• June 15 - St. Louis: Doubletree at Westport (1973 Craigshire Rd., St. Louis), 5:30 p.m. and June 16 at Busch Stadium (tickets), 1:15 p.m.
• June 20 - Jefferson City: Capitol Plaza Hotel (415 W. McCarty St., Jefferson City), 5:30 p.m.
• June 25 - Lebanon: Kenneth E. Cowan Civic Center (500 E. Elm St., Lebanon), 6 p.m.
• Aug. 6 - Marshfield: Marshfield Country Club (860 E Hubble Dr., Marshfield), 5:30 p.m.
• Aug. 24 - Ozark: Ozark Community Center (The OC) (1530 W. Jackson St., Ozark), 5:30 p.m.
• Sept. 13 - Springfield: location TBA, 5:30 p.m.