Dear Bears Fans:
 
It has been a busy spring! 
 
As most of you know, we announced Dana Ford as our new men's basketball head coach on March 22.  I am thrilled at the progress he is making on the recruiting trail and in hiring his staff.  Coach Ford has attended numerous functions in the community already, and he will continue to get out to various events and gatherings in the coming months.
 
Any time there is coaching change, there is a period of acclimation with the players. I sense our current players are adjusting well to Coach Ford and his expectations.  I sincerely encourage you to get your season tickets reserved now and help JQH Arena return to the best home court advantage in the Missouri Valley. There is nothing like a packed arena to help create atmosphere, to energize the team and to impress recruits. Simply put, there is a direct correlation in your attendance and participation and the success of our program. You make the difference!
 
We rolled out some men's basketball season ticket specials to help get that process started. Whether you are a long-time season ticket holder or considering season tickets for the first time, we have created packages and incentives for all fans to make this upcoming season affordable and special.  
 
A season ticket information link has been provided for you should you have any questions. 
 
It is our goal to make the games fun, exciting and affordable for all types of fans.  I think you will see that in our ticket offerings!
 
Congratulations to coach Dave Collins and our men's and women's swimming teams for winning their respective conference championships. The women won their second MVC championship in a row and ninth in 10 years. The men avenged a narrow loss at last year's MAC Championship by regaining the title this year. To win team championships, you have to have many great individual and relay performances, which we certainly did. 
 
Our women's basketball team finished second The Valley and participated in its fourth consecutive postseason tournament. The Lady Bears defeated La. Tech in the first round of the WNIT in Ruston and handed that tradition-rich program its first-ever postseason home loss after going 40-0 over the years!
 
We recently completed our eighth annual Maroon & White Banquet which features those student-athletes who have achieved a 3.25 GPA or better. This year, we recognized 48 percent of our athletes who met this exclusive criteria. It is always a great evening for camaraderie and fellowship between our athletes and professors. A special thanks to Dan Raines and his staff for their work in helping our student-athletes succeed and for organizing the event. I'm so proud of our continued academic successes!
 
You may have noticed a recent announcement from The Valley regarding its programming shift to the newly-announced ESPN+ platform. In the future, ESPN personnel in Bristol will determine which games will be featured on ESPN+ -- a premium subscription service as part of the new ESPN app – and which games will remain free on ESPN3.
 
For subscribers who pay the monthly $4.99 fee on the ESPN app, you will not only receive all the Missouri Valley Conference games and all ESPN3 programming, but also access to every ESPN platform from your device – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, SEC Network, Longhorn Network, etc. – with no cable or satellite service verification. If you have questions, please contact ESPN customer service at (888) 549-ESPN from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m., daily or online at support.espn.com.
 
Spring football is winding down and we hope you plan to attend our annual Maroon and White Game on Thursday, April 19.  Tailgating starts two hours prior to the 7 p.m. kickoff, and admission is free. I want to welcome back all of our football alumni who will be in town for the game and all the activities in store during their annual reunion weekend. Welcome back guys!
 
Coach Holly Hesse is also having a reunion this week with her Legacy Weekend celebration of 50 years of MSU softball. I look forward to seeing many former players in attendance. The softball Bears are currently in second place in the MVC, and we hope you come out to Killian Stadium this weekend to support our team.
 
Spring championships will be upon us soon. Missouri State will be hosting the women's golf championship at a course in Newton, Kan., April 15-17. We will also be hosting the MVC Women's Tennis Team Championship at Cooper Tennis Complex, April 27-29. Good luck to all of our spring sports as they compete for conference championships and the opportunity to go to the NCAA Tournament.
 
A special shout out to our newest sport beach volleyball. We hosted our first home match at the Allison Courts on March 22, and it was a huge success.  Congrats to coach Terri Del Conte and her staff on the inaugural season of beach volleyball. This is going to be a really fun sport to watch in the coming years.
 
Finally, our nationally-recognized baseball team is underway in conference play. They host top-10 national program Oregon State this weekend, and we hope you will get out and watch this special team as they vie for another NCAA Tournament run.
 
As we continue to look for ways to increase revenue, I encourage you to buy season tickets, participate in our BearsFund, give to our crowd funding opportunities, or simply buy licensed apparel to support the Bears with pride. Every little bit helps us fund our programs.  Our goal is to win championships on the field and in the classroom in a first-class way!
 
Thank you for your support. Go Bears!!
 
 
Kyle Moats
Director of Athletics