Student organizations scramble after SAF reaches funding limit
CLAY HALE Managing Editor
The Associated Student Body Treasury Department capped Student Activity Fee requests for the spring semester on Tuesday, April 8, leaving some registered student organizations scrambling to fund activities planned for the remainder of the semester.
ASB Treasurer Sean Giamportone, a junior biomedical engineering major, said that RSOs submitted more than 400 requests over the last four months, which he said is an increase from last semester.
“We anticipated that the allocated funds would be fully utilized by the end of the semester. However, we understand that the exact time is entirely dependent on the volume and scale of the funding requests we receive,” Giamportone said. “This semester, we saw a particularly high level of engagement from our RSOs requesting, and our goal as the Treasury Department is to allocate as many resources
Researchers uncertain about future of NIH funds
University researchers who rely on grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are facing uncertainty while NIH funding cuts are being reviewed by federal courts.
The NIH is the primary public health research institution in the United States and is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
On Feb. 7, the NIH announced a policy that would have capped indirect cost rates — the additional funds given to a grant recipient to cover miscellaneous expenses related to their research — at 15%. Traditionally, indirect costs are separately negotiated for every grant, according to a Feb. 7 NIH statement. A part of President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting measures, the policy will reportedly save more than $4 billion dollars of funding annually, according to the NIH.
United States District Judge Angel Kelley issued a permanent injunction on April 4, blocking this policy. Despite the ruling, the NIH and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — which are led by Trump appointees Jay Bhattacharya and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — filed an appeal against the permanent injunction.
The cap, if implemented, would impact research operations at universities across the nation.
While the University of Mississippi’s Oxford campus received less than 6% of its research grant funding from the NIH last fiscal year, according to Director of News and Media Relations Jacob Batte, the appeal to Kelley’s block has set departments and researchers who rely on those grants on edge.
Joshua Sharp, acting associate dean of research for the School of Pharmacy, explained that for the 2023 fiscal year, 44% of the School of Pharmacy’s research expenditures came from the NIH.
Indirect costs are funds that help researchers pay for infrastructure and administrative costs, Sharp said.
“Our indirect costs rate is around 45%, so if it was cut to 15%, we wouldn’t be able to function,” Sharp said.
“These indirect costs support the infrastructure that
Sean Giamportone, a junior biomedical engineering major, was officially appointed and inaugurated as Associated Student Body Treasurer earlier this month after Robert Holliday was deemed constitutionally ineligible to hold the post. Holliday, a junior finance major, was elected treasurer during ASB elections on March 26 as a write-in candidate after no one launched a formal campaign for the position. According to Attorney General Madison Waldrop,
Holliday was later deemed constitutionally ineligible for the position because he had never been a part of ASB — a requirement outlined in Article III Section 2 (D) of the ASB Constitution.
The Daily Mississippian reached out to Holliday for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
If the winner of an election is not constitutionally qualified, the ASB Code calls for an additional runoff election between the two next-highest vote-getters. However, this process could not be pursued because one of those two
write-in candidates did not qualify for the position, and the other did not want it, according to Waldrop.
Former Attorney General Alex Kipping consulted advisers and ASB leadership, and they decided that a presidential appointment was the most appropriate path forward, according to Attorney General Waldrop.
“Because the code does not detail what should happen in this case, through conversations with advisers and other executive officers, former Attorney General Alex
GRAPHIC: KAT MOORMAN / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Sean Giamportone
PHOTO COURTESY: SEAN GIAMPORTONE
EMILY O’REILLY News Staff Writer
MADISON
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as possible to continue ensuring the success of our various student organizations. The depletion of funds demonstrates a strong student involvement and demand for funding.”
Despite funding requests being capped, Giamportone said that it is standard practice to leave a minimum amount of funds in the account. RSOs that placed requests on the ForUM prior to the cap were still considered for funding.
“Approvals were dependent on available funds, event-specific funding caps and overall allocation guidelines. As a result, some organizations were able to receive funding, while others did not meet the criteria needed for approval,” Giamportone said.
More than $425,000 was allocated to RSOs over the course of the semester before the Treasury Department sent an email to RSO leaders on Wednesday, April 9, that announced the semester’s funding limit had been reached.
The SAF contributes to student programming throughout the academic year and is calculated at $2 per credit hour for each student, according to the University of Mississippi’s website. RSOs may apply for up to $6,000 dollars of funding each semester, according to the ASB website.
There are also funds available for large scale programming and events that cater to the entire UM community. The Treasury Department judges requests on an individual basis, and the selected programming is contingent upon funds available at the time of the request. Students, including the treasurer and a team of comptrollers, have discretion on wheth-
NIH
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we use to perform cutting-edge research, train students as the next generation of scientists and serve the people of Mississippi and the greater community. Their loss would be a huge setback for the research, education and service missions of the University of Mississippi.”
Sharp said that in early April his department learned of a $2.1 million grant termination.
“On April 2, we received notification that a $2.1 million grant from the NIH that was in its first year has been unexpectedly terminated, effective April 30,” Sharp said. “This grant supported the recruitment and training of graduate students in biomedical sciences. This is just one recent example (of a grant termination), and we don’t know if there will be more program eliminations in the future that impact the University of Mississippi.”
Batte confirmed the cancellation of an NIH grant.
“The NIH did terminate a graduate student training grant designed to help increase diversity in the biomedical research workforce,” Batte said.
er these events receive funding.
Square Magazine — a student-run fashion magazine and RSO — planned to put in a SAF request to fully fund its fifth print edition. The SAF funded half of last year’s Square Magazine print edition, while the remaining funding came from the School of Journalism and New Media.
Square Magazine’s Editor in Chief Emma Greene, a senior journalism major from Oxford, sent an email hours before Giamportone’s email to RSO leaders that asked how many copies of the magazine the SAF would be able to fund. Square Magazine’s quote for its fifth print edition was $2,888 for 200 print copies, $3,598 for 300 and $4,796 for 400. The organization received SAF funds earlier this semester — approximately $250 for an Issuu subscription and $20 for graduation cords.
ally hate sticking my hands out when I thought we had the SAF fund to rely on,” Greene said.
Greene said the magazine will be published on Issuu — a digital publishing website — regardless of what happens with the physical copies. A cover reveal party will still be held at Harrison’s Yard on Monday, April 28.
Physical copies will not be ready by the cover reveal party,
member dues, which are $25 per semester. The sweatshirts will cost OMULS $2,400.
“We ended up having to cancel our two merch orders, and we had to shift direction and do something that was a little cheaper that could fit in the budget we have now that we were severely limited,” Vanstory, a junior management major from Memphis, said. “We were also planning to do
“We ended up having to cancel our two merch orders, and we had to shift direction and do something that was a little cheaper that could fit in the budget we have now that we were severely limited.”
said. “I’m a college student, too; I understand. I don’t like paying for anything that I have to, and so I definitely would never want to ask someone (for money).” Vanstory does not point blame at anyone for the SAF reaching its cap, but he did voice frustration with how the information was conveyed.
“I’m definitely not mad or upset. I understand why it happened, but it’s definitely frustrating because of how we were told the news,” Vanstory said. “I think people would have been less frustrated if maybe in the weeks prior we were kind of told, ‘Hey, we’re reaching the limit. Please try and get your requests in, and as long as we can make it work, we’ll try to approve it.’”
Increasing funding for the SAF would take a vote by the student body.
In lieu of SAF funding, several community businesses and residents have offered Square Magazine partial funding for print copies, but Greene is opposed to the idea.
“I have not been following up with these community members who said that they would be willing to donate if we were ever to collect just because I re-
While The Daily Mississippian was not able to confirm the reason for the grant termination, hundreds of other similar grants have been cancelled at research institutions nationwide due to an executive order — which was signed by Trump on Jan. 20 — that called for the cancellation of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) related grants.
When asked if this grant cancellation was related to the executive order, Batte said that that university cannot speak on behalf of the NIH.
“The School of Pharmacy is taking steps to improve our flexibility in handling unexpected financial hurdles that may be placed before us,” Sharp said.
Preparing for any possible outcome has caused the School of Pharmacy to limit the expansion of research opportunities.
“The university administration has been a supportive partner in these efforts,” Sharp said. “However, our resources are finite, and these preparations require us to limit expansion of programs and opportunities for our researchers and trainees at a time when our student population is growing.”
and Greene is not anticipating physical copies of the magazine to be available at all this semester. She said that next year’s editors in chief will likely have the final say on whether they print copies in the fall.
“As for this year, my plan right now is just to upload it on Issuu and see what the team chooses to do next year,” Greene said. “I will have graduated, but if they wanted to send me a copy, I think that would be lovely.”
The Ole Miss Undergraduate Law Society (OMULS) had plans to distribute t-shirts and hoodies to all members and host an end-of-semester party with food. Like Greene, OMULS Treasurer Landen Vanstory planned to submit requests for the merchandise and food. Instead, OMULS will pay for the sweatshirts through
an end-of-semester party, but after funding our merch with our personal dues, we can’t afford to do a party. So we’re either going to have to utilize our personal exec funds and kind of throw together something or not do anything.”
What might the “personal exec fund” be?
“That would be our personal pockets,” Vanstory said.
The end-of-semester party was planned for April 29, and Vanstory said OMULS Exec is still keeping that date open in hopes of hosting some type of meeting or party.
“It’ll most likely be a regular meeting, and maybe we can scramble a little money between the six of us on exec. But you know, I also don’t like asking people to use their personal money for things,” Vanstory
“In order to increase the Student Activity Fee per student, a vote by the student body would be required. While an increase to the SAF is not currently being considered, we are exploring adjustments to how certain funding categories may be capped in the upcoming academic year,” Giamportone said.
“We would also like to note that we did not suspend allocations until two weeks prior to our originally planned date, so there are no current plans to increase the SAF per student.”
Giamportone looks forward to next semester, when the SAF will likely expand with a predicted influx of students.
“We’re looking forward to allocating funds to RSOs this fall, and with the potential for increased enrollment, we anticipate having more resources to support student organizations,” Giamportone said.
- Landen Vanstory junior management major from Memphis
Traditional classrooms are no longer the standard
sively had more to teach.
Student course preferences at the University of Mississippi have shifted since the fall of 2019. More students now favor hybrid schedules — a combination of in-person and online courses — over strictly traditional, in-person only formats.
The COVID-19 Pandemic served as a major turning point in this shift. In March 2020, the university transitioned to remote learning in response to campus closures. While hybrid forms of learning resumed at the university in Fall 2020, full in-person learning resumed in Fall 2021.
Adjunct Instructional Assistant Professor of Integrated Marketing Communications Robin Street said the transition revealed the potential of online coursework.
“We were all forced to go online because the university essentially canceled all on-campus classes for public safety reasons. I think that was when many students and professors understood that teaching and learning are possible in an online format,” Street said.
“As someone who has been teaching online for nearly 20 years, I certainly have seen how the number of online courses has increased,” Barretta said.
Professors enjoy the format as well.
“Like the students, I enjoy the flexibility of the schedule. I’m someone who doesn’t mind working at night or on the weekends if it means that I can have a loose schedule during the weekdays, and I’ve never been a 9-to5 person,” Barretta said.
A 2022 Statista survey found that 47% of students in higher education believed online courses were equal to in-person courses, while 43% disagreed, saying they found them to be worse.
“Online learning can be a challenge for students who get busy and forget deadlines in a course they don’t physically attend. I think it’s important as an instructor to find ways to encourage regular participation,” Summer Hill-Vinson, a journalism professor, said.
Street said that students taking online classes have to focus on discipline.
KENZIE HALL News Contributor GRAPHIC: MADELYNN LIBERTO / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Data from UM’s Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness, and Planning (IREP) supports this potential. In the 2020-2021 academic year, more students enrolled in hybrid schedules that include a mix of online and in-person courses than traditional all in-person schedules.
“I prefer a schedule with a mixture of both because it makes my academic and social schedule more manageable and allows me to create my own schedule for the online courses,” Jennifer Nieberlein, a junior law studies major, said. Sociology and Anthropology Professor Scott Barretta, who teaches exclusively online, said that while his online classes have always been full, he has progres -
TREASURER
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Kipping determined that a presidential appointment, following what would happen in the event of a resignation, would be the next option,” Waldrop said. As a result, Giamportone
“In terms of success in an online class, a student has to be disciplined enough to watch or read the lectures and complete the assignments without the guidance of a scheduled class date and time,” Street said.
Not all students embrace hybrid or online learning formats. Sophomore professional sales major Charlie McClorey said he prefers the structure of in-person classes.
“I prefer in-person classes because it gives me better discipline to focus on what’s going on in class, and I would prefer an all-in-person schedule,” McClorey said.
However, registration challenges have limited his options. McClorey said late registration times have left him with only online op -
was then appointed by ASB President Jack Jones and former President Hannah Watts. His appointment was approved by Campus Senate on April 1, and he was inaugurated on April 2, along with the other executive officers.
Prior to this, Giamportone served as deputy comptroller for the Treasury Department.
“It is a privilege to be able
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tions for his required courses. According to the university’s website, registration windows are determined by several factors including priority status, classification, credit hours and completion of teacher evaluations.
“I am only in a couple of online classes because it was the only option that I had. I pay to go to school here, and if I knew that the outcome of coming here would be having no choice but to take some online classes, then I would have gone somewhere else,” McClorey said.
Other students have found a balance between formats that works for them. Senior multidisciplinary studies major Shannon Glancy
to serve alongside such a talented team of comptrollers as well as an incredible executive officer branch that is passionate about leaving a lasting, positive impact on our campus,” Giamportone said.
“Serving in this role offers the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to student life and support the continued growth and success of our reg-
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tailors her schedule to the difficulty of her courses.
“My schedule depends on the difficulty of my classes that semester,” Glancy said. “I prefer harder classes taken in person and easier classes taken online.”
Senior accounting major Talley Bryan said online courses allow her to focus better and learn at her own pace.
“I prefer online classes because I can get more done at home,” Bryan said, “I learn best by teaching myself in a way that isn’t rushed. When I’m not overwhelmed with tons of work and having to attend class on top of it, I think I learn the materials better.”
Though Bryan prefers online classes, she said lim -
istered student organizations.”
As treasurer, Giamportone aims to ensure that student organizations continue to receive essential funding and support while expanding outreach to new and emerging student groups.
“By providing these organizations with funding, we can help encourage greater student engagement and give
ited availability has kept her in a mixed format. Barretta also mentioned how online courses, or a combined course schedule, can be beneficial to people with different priorities and responsibilities.
“Students who have a lot going on in their lives, such as a full-time job, small children, an active sports training and traveling schedule, and older students who are returning to school enjoy the flexibility of not having their life revolve around being on campus,” Barretta said.
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students the opportunities to explore their passions while making the most of their time here,” Giamportone said.
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A&C Staff Writer
University of Mississippi student Christian Boudreaux, a senior biology major from Oxford, has been granted the prestigious Marshall Scholarship.
The scholarship offers students the opportunity to pursue up to two years of graduate study in the United Kingdom at an institution of their choosing, Assistant Director of the Office of National Scholarship Advisement Whitney Woods said. All expenses related to the masters program are covered, including tuition, travel and housing.
For Boudreaux, the scholarship allowed him freedom when choosing a program and university in which to pursue his master’s degree.
“The Marshall Scholarship offers such an unparalleled freedom of selection in postgraduate studies, and I chose my two master’s programs with that goal in mind,” Boudreaux said.
“I will be doing the marine systems and policies master’s with the idea of learning more about the policy and frameworks that govern marine ecosystem management practices as a means of trying to shape my research around conservation goals.”
Along with the marine systems and policies master’s degree, he will also be pursuing a masters in evolutionary genetics.
Woods explained why the Marshall Scholars pro-
Christian Boudreaux awarded prestigious Marshall Scholarship
gram is important to students across the country.
“Being a Marshall Scholar creates the opportunity to network with students and people from all walks of life that genuinely want to make the world we live in a better place through leadership, service, community and academic passions,” Woods said.
Prior to being awarded the Marshall Scholarship, Boudreaux was granted a number of notable awards. Boudreaux is a recipient of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship, the latter of which allowed him to work in a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration facility in San Diego, Calif.
Boudreaux was also named a Truman Scholar in 2024 and is a 2025 Ole Miss Hall of Fame inductee. Boudreaux is the founder of Aqua Culture, a student-run organization focused on promoting healthy aquatic environments. He also worked in Zanzibar during 2024 through the Zanzibar Coastal Ecology and Natural Resource Management.
During his freshman year, Boudreaux served as the president of Hill County Roots, which is a student organization dedicated to the preservation of Mississippi’s forests.
One thing that is increasingly evident in Boudreaux’s accomplishments is how deeply he cares about the environment
and about the mark he and others will leave on the world.
“Many people do not realize the extent to which the ocean is suffering the worst effects of climate change,” Boudreaux said in a UM press release. “Marine ecosystems are taking the brunt of climate change, and it is imperative that we work to protect and preserve them to prevent their collapse.”
Woods explained that Boudreaux excels in group settings and is passionate about his work in solving environmental issues.
“Christian is open to collaboration and learning from others who work in varying fields and combining their expertise with his to create effective solutions to pressing environmental issues,” Woods said. “These goals align perfectly with the Marshall Scholarship’s mission and goals.”
In the same UM press release, Vivian Ibrahim, the director of the Office of National Scholarship Advisement, spoke fondly about Christian and the work he has done in his time as a student and conservationist.
“Christian is a superstar,” Ibrahim said. “He really does care about the research, but he also cares about how we make science accessible and how we help the public really understand the work they’re doing.”
Bon Iver awakens with ‘SABLE fABLE’
ALANA BROWN-DAVIS
A&C Staff Writer
For nearly 20 years, Bon Iver has established themselves as a generational talent and a group dedicated to their art with a passion that never fades. Since their beginnings, Bon Iver has had a command over the limitless pathways that their artistry has taken. They know what they want their music to do, and they trust that the world will appreciate their unique storytelling methods.
Since their debut album, “For Emma, Forever Ago,” was released in 2007, Bon Iver has cultivated an era of indie folk music whose impact is pertinent in the current music scene. In this album, the group is effervescent, sparkling like an eonsold star reminding the universe how much light it has left. Lead singer Justin Vernon guides that light so that it reaches us, leaving us tethered to this gorgeous music that grounds us.
The group prepared listeners for the release of “SABLE fABLE” on April 11 by giving us snippets of the album with the release of the EP “SABLE” in the fall. Perhaps releasing the first portion of the album as an EP was a smart marketing decision, allowing the
group to manifest the full release more comfortably after a nearly six-year drought from their latest album, the 2019 release titled “I,I.”
“S P E Y S I D E” is the “SABLE, fABLE’” lead single. It is one that shapes the intimacy of what the project sets out to be with raw production that lets band lead Justin Vernon’s unique falsetto ring true. Vernon approaches this song as a songwriter grappling with guilt and hoping the people he has done wrong will somehow find his melodic message.
On their website, the band announced “SABLE, fABLE” as “Bon Iver’s next chapter: the epilogue.”
The transition from the ending of “Disc 1” into the clever beginning of “Disc 2” with “Short Story” is nothing short of perfect, acting as an overture to the exposition that Vernon animates throughout the remainder of the album.
Compared to Bon Iver’s earlier projects, “SABLE fABLE” contains more soulful shades than is usual for the group’s work. The band plays with gentle notes of R&B yet executes their craft in a way that does not sound like a jaded band trying to solve an identity crisis by mimicking the youth.
“I’ll Be There” is a warbly piece that displays tender sounds similar to “If Only I Could Wait,”
a duet between Vernon and Danielle Haim, who is one-third of alternative sister-group HAIM.
In “Everything is Peaceful Love,” listeners are told the story of someone who is not fearful of love, even though that love has the potential to end one day. Vernon shows that fateful day is not in the present moment and therefore unimportant, with lyrics, “And everything is peaceful love / And I know that we may go and change someday, I couldn’t rightly say, That’s for parting days.”
This album serves as a reminder of the timeless aspects of Bon Iver’s art and displays that the artists’ musical talents are not stagnant. Listeners have understood that Bon Iver is not the type of group to release new music every one or two years but the kind to surprise you with a masterpiece such as “SABLE, fABLE” that makes waiting for a gift even more special. Every album is a body of work that Bon Iver hopes will linger in the hearts of those who discover it. This is a group that has never abandoned their roots but instead grows upon them.
Christian Boudreaux
PHOTO COURTESY: CHRISTIAN BOUDREAUX
Rebel rewind: five moments from an unforgettable sports year
From Sweet 16s to goal post parades, a lot has happened in Ole Miss Athletics. A&C Editor Claire Reynolds and Sports Editor Teddy King joined forces to recap it all.
TEDDY KING CLAIRE REYNOLDS Sports and A&C Editors
With the 2024-25 school year nearing its end, Sports Editor Teddy King and Arts & Culture Editor Claire Reynolds present a list of the most culturally significant moments in Ole Miss sports from last year.
Rushing the field (twice) after the Georgia win
Ole Miss Football’s 28-10 upset over then-No. 2 Georgia on Nov. 9, 2024, is undeniably the year’s most remarkable sports achievement. The Bulldogs, back-to-back national champions in 2021 and 2022, came into Oxford with a historic pedigree — led by Kirby Smart, who once coached alongside Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin at Alabama. The Rebels had other plans.
Fans storming Hollingsworth Field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium after the last-minute win over LSU in 2023 was epic, but the victory over Georgia sparked something even greater. As the game clock ticked down, fans gathered along the sidelines, waiting to rush the field, and an official’s whistle stopping play with 16 seconds left triggered an early wave of celebration. After being ushered off the field to accommodate the game’s conclusion, Rebel fans regrouped and stormed the field again moments later — this time, officially ending the game — to celebrate one of the biggest wins in program history.
Squirrel(s) running on field
Speaking of rabid fans, Ole Miss football supporters were not the only ones to storm the field this football season. During an Ole Miss win against Oklahoma on Oct. 26, 2024, a Grove squirrel broke into the Vaught and ran from the 17yard line to the end zone. While the touchdown might not have added to Ole Miss’ winning score against the Sooners, the squirrel made strides for rodent representation in sports.
A mere two weeks after this spectacle resulted in a delay of game, a Grove squirrel once again found its way onto the field during the Georgia game, but this time the field-invader terrorized the players on the Bulldogs’ sideline. There is speculation that the squirrel responsible for this unsportsman-like conduct is the same small rodent that had the big
play in the previous game. Coincidentally, or not, the Rebels won both of these games.
It is still up for debate whether the squirrel was a last minute walk-on, or rather scurry-on, player. While the NCAA does not technically have any eligibility rules specifying the species Kiffin’s players must be, the ethics of having a squirrel player are a little bit hairy.
Marching the goalposts to the Square
Prior to the 2024 Georgia game, the last time the goal posts came down in the Vaught was a decade earlier when the Rebels upset Alabama 23-17. Following that game, one of the posts from one end zone was marched out of the Vaught and ended up at Ole Miss fan Buckner Corso’s house about a mile away from campus.
After the Georgia win, the goal posts from both end zones came down. After some fans initially tried to drop the posts from the top of the Vaught — and were promptly discouraged — they marched the yellow markers to the Square. One set of uprights wound up leaning against the Lafayette County Courthouse.
Getting to Sweet 16
Both Rebel basketball programs advanced to the Sweet 16 in their respective NCAA tournaments during the 2024–25 season. It marked the first time in school history that the men’s and women’s teams made Sweet 16 appearances in the same year.
Under head coach Chris Beard’s leadership in just his second season at Ole Miss, the men’s team recorded its second 20-win season in a row and earned its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2019.
During the regular season, the Rebels notched upsets over then-No. 4 Alabama, then-No. 14 Kentucky and then-No. 4 Tennessee and battled their way to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, solidifying their resurgence on the national stage.
Meanwhile, in her seventh season at the helm, head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin guided the women’s team to another deep postseason run, adding to the program’s growing legacy.
McPhee-McCuin led her team to a Sweet 16 appearance for the second time in three seasons. The Lady Rebels posted a 22-11 overall record and a 10-6 mark in SEC play, finishing fifth in the conference standings.
Madison Scott, the team’s fearless leader and a five-year veteran for the Lady Rebels,
was selected as the 14th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and will play for the Dallas Wings alongside UConn’s Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick.
Students camp out for the Auburn basketball game
While the Ole Miss vs. Auburn men’s basketball game ended in heartbreak for the Rebels, the fans’ excitement for the game perfectly showcased the culture that Ole Miss sports is famous for fostering.
The Rebels’ game against the then-No. 1 Tigers, which started at 1 p.m. on Feb. 1, drew 9,974 in total attendance in the Sandy and John Black Pavilion. According to a video posted by @ redcupolemiss on Instagram, some students camped outside the Pavilion starting at 9:45 p.m., or earlier, on Jan. 31, to secure student section seating.
In typical Ole Miss fashion, these determined basketball enthusiasts showed up in style. They set up tents rigged out with lawn chairs, PlayStations and ample snacks. There were even musicians performing to keep spirits high through the night.
We might have lost the game, but we proved that we will never lose the party.
CONTACT THE SPORTS DESK AT thedmsports@gmail.com
Students cheer as a squirrel runs into the end zone during a game against Oklahoma on Oct. 26, 2024.
ANTONELLA RESCIGNO / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Fans storm the field after the Ole Miss Football game against Georgia on Nov. 9, 2024.
TEDDY KING / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Jaemyn Brakefield greets members of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, who were waiting outside of the Pavilion as early as 8 p.m. the night before the Ole Miss vs. Auburn basketball game on Feb. 1.
PHOTO COURTESY: JACK TURRENTINE
Ole Miss Athletics opens waitlist for Founders Suites in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
RUSS EDDINS Assistant Sports Editor
The Ole Miss Athletic Department introduced plans to build 10 new luxury suites at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium that are set to open in time for the 2027 football season.
The Founders Suites will be on the west side of the stadium, above the current press box structure. The suites will cost $5 million each and require a $2.5 million upfront payment. Ole Miss will bill the other half before the 2027 football season. Suite owners also must pay a $130,000 annual suite contribution. A waitlist for the Founders Suites is available now.
The suites are part of an effort by Ole Miss Athletics to bring in more revenue prior to the pending settlement of House vs. NCAA this month.
House vs. NCAA is a pending court case that, once settled, will allow universities to pay student athletes up to $20.5 million per year. While universities are not required to pay athletes, many are making plans to do so in order to stay competitive in recruiting.
The Founders Suites, and their heavy price tag, could go a long way in helping the Athletics Department cover the new revenue sharing expenses.
“Obviously, the price tag is pretty high. And so we’re looking at this way to kind of solve two problems,” Keith Carter, vice chancellor for intercollegiate athletics, said in an interview with The Daily Mississippian. “We want to create more suites and have that opportunity for our fans and donors to step up. But also we’re looking for revenue streams to try to offset some of these new expenses and those types of things.”
Additionally, the new seating may solve an issue with a suite shortage in the stadium.
“We have a long waiting list for suites in the football stadium. We know that
Rendering of the new Founders Suites in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
our folks love those, and the Founder Suites are going to be 10 suites,” Carter said.
Each suite will contain 24 seats — 16 outdoor and eight indoor. Takers will also receive two football all-access passes, exclusive parking, “additional access to suite” and “limited customization options.”
Special accommodations include concierge services, dedicated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, naming opportunities and an exclusive Founders Suite elevator. Additionally, Founders Suite viewers will receive private catering, can bring in outside food and have access to a kitchen.
While the Founders Suites are set to open for the 2027 season, Ole Miss Athletics is still finalizing the plans.
“We’re in the middle of the planning stages, getting toward the end of that, actually, I think over the next few weeks,” Carter said. “We’re going to have the opportunity to maybe put some renderings out and start really showing
what these things are going to look like, which will allow us to really start to sell in full force. But more to come on that probably here in the next couple weeks to a month.”
According to the Mississippi Institute of Higher Learning, no demolition will need to take place on the existing west grandstand to accommodate the new suites. Ole Miss Athletics can add the suites with a single-story addition to the west side structure.
The project will add more than 18,000 square feet to the existing press box for the Founders Suites, bathrooms and support spaces. Construction will also include three new stair towers, two new elevators and upgrades to the existing three elevators.
Architectural and engineering fees will cost $1.5 million. The construction cost has not been finalized.
CONTACT THE SPORTS DESK AT thedmsports@gmail.com
the
so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 with no repeats.
PHOTO COURTESY: MISSISSIPPI BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING
Madison Scott selected by Dallas Wings as 14th overall pick in WNBA Draft
LUKE DUNAVANT Sports Staff Writer
The Dallas Wings drafted Madison Scott with the 14th overall pick in the WNBA Draft on April 14. Scott will join UConn star Paige Bueckers and NC State’s Aziaha James.
Scott was one of only 16 players invited to attend the draft, joining the likes of Bueckers and LSU’s Aneesah Morrow — signifying the league’s confidence in her being drafted.
Scott, a six-foot-two guard, led the way for Ole Miss this past season as captain. She averaged 11.8 points, 3.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game and was able to facilitate or score a game-winning bucket in many close game situations. This season
with the Lady Rebels, Scott hit a career 1,600 points as well as 1,000 rebounds.
Scott also played in 155 games in an Ole Miss uniform – passing Peggie Gillom-Anderson in this achievement.
The fit for Scott in Dallas will be intriguing, as the team will be very young with Bueckers being the clear star. Early on in her career, Scott may be a defensive threat and a spot up shooter, but as she gains confidence, the trio of her, Bueckers and James should be dangerous for years to come.
CONTACT THE SPORTS DESK AT thedmsports@gmail.com
Ole Miss Baseball and Softball hit the road to play in weekend series
CODY VAUGHN Sports Staff Writer
Ole Miss Baseball and Softball are both coming off home series losses, with baseball losing a rubber match to No. 5 Tennessee and softball falling to No. 8 Florida in two out of three games. Both teams are on the road this weekend for a three-game conference series. Baseball will travel to Columbia, S.C., to face the South Carolina Gamecocks, and softball will head to Athens, Ga., to face the No. 23 Georgia Bulldogs.
Baseball
No. 11 Ole Miss faces a South Carolina team struggling in SEC play.
The Gamecocks started strong with nine straight wins, and the team has notched victories over No. 18 Oklahoma and Mississippi State, but they currently hold a 20-17 season record and a 2-13 SEC mark. South Carolina has been swept in three of five conference series, most recently on the road against Texas A&M. Last weekend’s series saw South Carolina drop all three games. Game one went to extra innings, with Texas A&M securing an 8-7 win with a walk-off homer. Game two was a blowout, as the Aggies rolled to a 17-0 run-rule victory in just seven innings. In game three, the Gamecocks fell behind 12-3 after six innings, ultimately suffering another tough loss.
The Rebels most recently hosted Little Rock for a midweek matchup at Swayze Field but fell 7-3 to the Braves.
Ole Miss faced No. 4 Tennessee at home the previous weekend.
In game one, Tennessee
took an early lead, and despite a two-run homer from sophomore Austin Fawley, Ole Miss trailed 3-2 and could not close the gap.
The Rebels bounced back in game two, jumping out to a two-run lead in the first inning and never looking back. Solid bullpen work and clutch hitting with runners in scoring position helped Ole Miss secure an 8-5 win to even the series.
Game three was a backand-forth battle. Tennessee exploded for five runs in the sixth to take a 7-3 lead, but Ole Miss answered with three of their own. The Rebels briefly pulled ahead in the eighth, but a three-run ninth inning from Tennessee sealed a 10-8 loss and the series defeat for Ole Miss.
First pitch between the Gamecocks and the Rebels is set for 5:30 p.m. today and can be streamed on SEC Network+.
Softball
Georgia, the opponent for the No. 20-ranked Lady Rebels this weekend, boasts a season record of 27-15, including wins over No. 9 LSU, No. 2 Tennessee and No. 12 South Carolina. Georgia is a dominant home team with a record of 19-8 when playing in Athens.
The Lady Bulldogs took on Auburn last weekend, dropping two games against the conference foe. Georgia scored 10 runs in back-toback outings against Auburn including a 10-5 win in game two of the series.
Someone the Lady Rebels should watch for is junior outfielder Jadyn Godwin. So far this season, Godwin boasts a .362 batting average, .652 slugging average, 37 RBIs and
eight home runs. Last season, Godwin appeared in 58 games and started in 36 games.
Last weekend, the Lady Rebels hosted No. 7 Florida. Game one of the series came down to the wire due to late game heroics from Ole Miss senior Lair Beautae, however the Gators held on to win 8-7. Florida also took game two 14-3.
Ole Miss narrowly avoided the series sweep by securing a 8-6 win in game three, improving their record to 31-11 on the year.
Aliyah Binford delivered a grand slam with four RBIs and two runs to help propel the Rebels in game three. Brianna Lopez also notched a solid performance on the mound, striking out three Gators and earning her eighth win on the season.
First pitch between Georgia and Ole Miss is set for 5 p.m. today and can be streamed on SEC Network.
Madison Scott shoots over a Marquette player during the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 23, 2024.
MICHAEL CATERINA / AP PHOTO
Miali Guachino pitches during a game against Florida on April 12.
LEXI TITUS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Luke Hill celebrates after stealing home during a game against Tennessee on April 13.
DANIEL LAUBHAN / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
RESULTS & BENEFITS
Increased Calorie Burn
Detoxification
Lower Blood Pressure
Anti-Aging & Skin Rejuvenation
Improved Circulation
Weight Loss
