With one child beside her, one child in her arms and another child due in June, things can be pretty hectic for Meo Stansbury.
In her determination to show support for her husband Rick, Meo brings their sons Isaac and Noah to Dad’s work. Issac is 4 years old, while Noah will be 2 on Apr. 26, so things can be unpredictable. The one certainty is that she will always be leading the Bulldog fans on the “De-fense” chant.
“The season makes the inconvenience of pregnancy go faster,” Meo explained. “I am so busy I don’t think about it-especially when we win.”
In addition to Isaac and Noah, Meo has served as a surrogate mother for players who are away from home in Rick’s six years as a head coach at State.
The couple met in the early ’90s as Meo worked in clothing design. Her company transferred her to New York, but the couple stayed in touch.
Meo returned and the two began dating.
“I told him we were the only two single non-students in Starkville so we had to get married,” Meo said. “We dated a long time and then married in 1997 at the Chapel of Memories.”
Meo explained that the boys are learning about their dad’s work but don’t yet have a full understanding.
“The guys on the team are their ‘buddies,'” Meo said. “When they do introductions, Isaac will say the names of the players and Noah will imitate him. They really want us to watch them. This year the boys have started singing the national anthem.”
The boys knew about Orlando and its attractions and let their parents hear about it.
“The team went to eat at ESPN Zone Wednesday night and the guys hammed it up, telling the boys that we were at Disney World,” Meo said. “The boys were freaking out, but they know we are here for basketball.”
Meo said her biggest concern is with Isaac’s and Noah’s remaining quiet during press conferences.
“Rick has a high tolerance with their behavior,” Meo said. “I grew up as one of four girls and we were always good and quiet.”
On Sunday, Isaac and Noah were clad in pint-sized MSU apparel as Xavier defeated the Bulldogs. The boys were the only pair in Maroon and White in the building not disappointed that the season was ending.
“They don’t really understand about winning or losing yet,” Meo explained. “It was one of those games-you know-you yell as hard as you can, but it doesn’t matter when teams shoot like that.”
Although things will slow somewhat for Meo, like all die-hard State fans, she wouldn’t have minded a couple more weeks on the road.
“We won’t travel so I don’t have to unpack, wash and repack. It will be a lot calmer and more routine, but I am sad for the seniors,” she said. “I hate to know it was their last game. Not only are they great players, but they have big hearts.”