Davis Wade Stadium. The Hump. Dudy Noble Field. Newell Grissom Building. MSU Soccer Field. These are the places where magic really happens in Starkville, Miss. I believe athletics draw the Mississippi State student body and fans together more than anything else on campus, and with fall. comes football. But the excitement does not end there. The volleyball and soccer teams also kick-off their seasons this fall.

 For those of you who love athletics, get ready to have the time of your lives. If you have never attended an MSU sporting event, start now. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

 First stop: Davis Wade Stadium. The Bulldogs finished 9-4 last year with a blowout win over Michigan to wrap up an incredible season. This fall will welcome much of the same and more for the football team. Quarterback Chris Relf has never looked better as he leads an offense that many doubted last year. Relf threw for 288 and 281 yards respectively in the final two games and added three touchdowns both games.

 Relf’s favorite target, Chad Bumphis, will be returning for his junior year and hopes to again lead the team in receiving yards and touchdown catches. Add to that the ground game trio of Relf, Vick Ballard and LaDarius Perkins, and I think the Bulldog offense will be a pleasant surprise to many this year.

 Don’t forget the secondary of Charles Mitchell, Johnthan Banks, Nickoe Whitley and Corey Broomfield. I would put these four up against any other secondary in the SEC. If these guys and the rest of the defense can keep the ball in Relf’s hands, I think the Dawgs can make a legitimate push to Atlanta.

 Next stop: Newell Grissom Building. Bump, set, spike it’s time for some volleyball action. Most people do not realize how exciting and intense volleyball games really are, and this fall the volleyball girls will be ready to take the program to a new level.

 Leading the way for the Bulldogs are seniors Caitlin Rance and Faith Steinwedell. Rance finished third in the SEC with 256 kills last season, while the 6’2 Steinwedell has been sidelined two of her three years _{at State with ACL and MCL tears but looks to have a killer senior year. These two along with sophomore setter Paris Perret will account for most of the offense for State.}

 _{However, the defensive side will have a new look for State with the loss of two key seniors. Ashley Newsome led the SEC with 92 blocks last season where as Kayla Woodard finished second in digs with 335 at the libero position. Hillary Parker will replace Woodard, and Mandy Mellencamp and Hannah Wilkinson will be called on to dominate the net for the Bulldogs.}

 _{One volleyball freshman, Sarah Temperelli, came to State in the spring and has already been training with the team. Temperelli plays outside hitter or defensive specialist and brings outstanding talent to the team.}

 _{If you have never been to a volleyball game, you are really missing out. Come to a match, and you will leave entertained and in the Bulldog spirit.}

 _{Final stop: MSU Soccer Field. The soccer team will be looking to improve on a solid spring performance as they open their season up this fall. After losing six seniors, the team added four standout players including Canada native Shannen Jainudeen, who has played on Canada’s National Team since 2011. Jainudeen will be expected to solidify a back line which includes sophomore captain Morganne Grimes, who started every game her freshman season.}

 _{Up front the Bulldogs will be relying on Elisabeth Sullivan, Jasmine Simmons and Tarah Henderson to score the bulk of their goals this season. In her first year with the team, Sullivan scored six goals and had five assists to lead the Bulldogs in both categories.}

 _{Coming into his eighth season at the reigns for the Dawgs, Neil Macdonald must prepare his girls to face several tough SEC teams. However, they ended on a good note with a win over Ole Miss in their finale last season and ousted Alabama this spring to prove that they are climbing the ladder in the SEC. These girls have been working hard since the end of last season to become a premiere team in the 2011 season.
Football, volleyball, soccer — three great sports kicking off their seasons this fall. Don’t miss a game; wrap it in Maroon and White and come cheer on your Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium, Newell Grissom Building and the MSU Soccer Field.}