Dear Bear Fans:
It was a great fall for Bears' Athletics. Our teams performed at a championship caliber.  We had many success stories that I want to recollect with you.

Cross country had a very solid season and hosted the MVC Conference meet.  Thanks to Senior Associate AD Casey Hunt and all the volume of volunteers who made the meet a success. Coach Jordan Fife continues to make great strides with our team, and senior Jessica Allen had one of the best seasons in program history.

Women's soccer won the MVC Tournament, which we also hosted at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium. Coach Rob Brewer's team advanced to the NCAA tournament where they lost a heartbreaker in PK's to Oklahoma State. It was a great season for coach Brewer and the women's soccer team.

Our men's team also had a very good year and won the MVC regular-season title. They lost in the finals of the MVC Tournament in overtime, but finished with an outstanding season and many deserving individual awards for coach Jon Leamy's team.

Much has been publicized on the performance of coach Melissa Stokes and the volleyball Bears.  They ran the table in conference play by going a perfect 18-0 in the league and then sweeping the MVC Tournament. They extended their conference winning streak to 34 matches and then advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 10^th time in 15 seasons.

Coach Stokes was name MVC Coach of the Year and AVCA Regional Coach of the Year. Senior Lily Johnson was again named Player of the Year in the MVC for the third time, All-Region, and was named as the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year.   We truly appreciate the crowds that came out to see the team in the final two home matches of the year.  It was a great atmosphere for the
team and I know they very much appreciated the support.

Football is in the midst of its early recruiting period. The NCAA rules changed this year to allow Division I football to sign athletes Dec. 20-22 – as well as the traditional February signing period -- so I know they are out there working very hard to improve our program.

Our men's basketball team is off to a very solid start, and the MVC as a league blazing out of the gates to rank as high as No. 7 in most ranking metrics. Senior Alize Johnson is getting back to full strength and helping our balanced team head into conference play on a solid run.

I encourage you to come out and see our exciting brand of basketball.  We shoot the three, have depth and dynamic athletes, and we have players who can make great plays. You'll be impressed if you come out and support the team.  Also, pay attention to the ticket offers we have.  While the students are on break we will offer $5 tickets in the lower level bleachers.

Thanks to our students who have been outstanding so far this season. You have brought tons of energy and enthusiasm.  The Q is a tough place to play when the students and public get involved.

The Lady Bears are off to a tough start, but are coming off a fantastic home win over Wichita State.  Their schedule has been very difficult, and they need to get healthy to make strides in conference play. Coach Harper always has her teams playing their best come tourney time.

In terms of things to look forward to after the New Year, how about the Bears playing Mizzou in St. Louis at Busch April 3! 

Arch Madness in St. Louis, March 1-4 – Make sure to get your tickets now.  The earlier you buy them, the bigger block and better seats we receive.  We need your support more than ever in St. Louis, and you can contact our box office at (417) 836-7678. 

The Lady Bears head to Moline for the MVC Tournament March 8-11.

Our women's tennis team will be hosting the MVC Tournament at Cooper Tennis Complex this spring, and our golf teams had a very good fall and should be ready to contend for NCAA berths. Track and field has many outstanding individuals returning who will help us contend for a conference championship, and we expect a great season from MSU softball with a solid nucleus of standout players returning and several new faces we hope will make the Bears contenders in the MVC.

The success of our teams this fall has put us in a great position to contend for the MVC All-Sports Trophy.  We'll be keeping an eye on our standings throughout the winter and spring.  I'm extremely proud of our coaches and student-athletes for their performance on the playing field and the in the classroom.  Our GPA last year was the highest it has ever been, and we collectively reached our APR goal of 985 which is required to receive additional funding beginning in 2020.  In addition, last year we committed over 5,000 hours of community service in Springfield and southwest Missouri.  This number has and will continue to increase. 

Many good things are happening in athletics as well as the university!

Finally, I want to thank Dean Stephanie Bryant from the College of Business for her unwavering support of MSU Athletics. Best of luck to you in your future endeavors, and you're always a Bear in our eyes!

During this holiday season, we have much to be thankful for. Super fans and donors who care about making MSU the best it can be. Caring coaches, committed student-athletes, administrators and staff that work tirelessly to make the experience a memorable one our fans. Let's all stay positive and appreciate all the good things we have.

On behalf of Leeann and myself, have a safe and blessed holiday season!!