MISSISSIPPIAN THE Daily
Thursday, February 6, 2025
DNA analysis confirms recovery of Jimmie ‘Jay’ Lee’s remains
CAMERON LARKIN JAYLYNN CONNER
News Editor & Assistant Editor
The Oxford Police Department confirmed Wednesday morning that the remains of Jimmie “Jay” Lee have been recovered more than two years since he was reported missing. The Mississippi State Crime Lab confirmed the identity through DNA analysis.
“On Saturday, February 1, 2025, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Oxford Police Department regarding human remains discovered in their jurisdiction,” Breck Jones, OPD public information officer, said in a press release.
“It is really sad knowing that there is someone out there that really hurt the family. Right now I hope they got closure.”
- Jennifer Velasquez junior biology major
“A joint investigation was launched between the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Oxford Police Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. The remains were sent to the Mississippi State Crime Lab for DNA testing.”
Lee — a prominent member of the Oxford LGBTQ+ community and 2022 University of Mississippi graduate — had been missing since Friday, July 8, 2022. In October, Lee was legally declared dead by Lafayette County Circuit Court Judge Grady Tollison.
“The Oxford Police Department made a commitment to finding Jay, no matter how long it took,” OPD Chief Jeff McCutchen said in the press release. “This case has remained an active investigation since July 8, 2022. We are grateful to the Lee family and Jay’s friends for their help and support throughout this process. We hope this confirmation brings them even a small measure of comfort.”
The remains were discovered by hunters in Carroll County in a wooded area at an illegal dumping site, according to FOX13 in Memphis. Carroll County is located an hour and half southwest of Oxford.
Though the search for Lee’s remains is complete, the investigation is ongoing, Jones said. OPD was unable to provide further details.
Justice for Jay Lee — a local group who has been advocat-
Students press their luck with illegal online gambling
MARY EVANS Assistant News Editor
AUniversity of Mississippi junior began sports betting when he was 16. What started as a $5 wager quickly became a habit.
“I had a buddy that had started getting into gambling, and he said it was fun. It literally started with one $5 bet on a sports game that we were going to, and it kind of took off from there,” he said.
Because sports betting is illegal in his home state, The Daily Mississippian granted the student anonymity.
Over the years, he has placed bets on college football, baseball and other sports, with his biggest win reaching $800 and his largest loss at $600. For him, gambling has been more about chasing a feeling than just money.
“The euphoria for winning is great. It’s compared to a drug, and it’s very similar to it. It just makes you hungry to bet more, but you have to be careful around that,” he said.
After struggling with gambling, the student said that — by balancing his academic and career responsibilities — he has now gained control over his habit.
Mobile sports betting is illegal in Mississippi outside of casino grounds. However, HB1302 — which would legalize mobile sports betting throughout the state — was passed by the Mississippi House of Repre -
sentatives last week and is now being considered by the Senate.
The legislation would require mobile betting platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings to partner with Mississippi casinos.
In anticipation of the legislation’s approval — and an uptick in the number of students engaging in online sports betting — individuals and organizations at the UM are raising awareness about the financial and mental impacts of gambling and advocating for campus resources to help students struggling with gambling.
Why students gamble
A 2023 study by the Journal of American College Health found that 25% of all Mississippi college students had gambled in the past year, though experts believe the real number is higher. Ronald J. Rychlak is a UM law professor and appointed member of the Mississippi Mobile-Online Sports Betting Task Force, which was created
UM organizations showcase community and excellence during Black History Month
TANISSA RINGO News Staff Writer
In honor of Black History Month, student organizations at the University of Mississippi will host events throughout February.
UM Black Student Union
The Black Student Union (BSU) will kick off Black History Month with its first general body meeting of the semester at 6 p.m. today in student union room 125.
BSU Vice President Ayanna Norman, a junior allied health studies major, said the organization is more than just a space for representation, it is a community.
“It’s a family, a foundation and a catalyst for the growth. Our executives and cabinet directors work hard to uphold our
Jimmie ‘Jay’ Lee
PHOTO COURTESY: OXFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. strolls during Union Unplugged on Feb. 29,
SOURCES: NCAA 2023 SURVEY
SPORTS BETTING
from page 1
by the Mississippi House to research online sports betting in anticipation of possible legalization. Rychlak’s role was to understand the impact on college campuses.
He explained that online apps have made the betting process easier for college students.
“You’re home on a Saturday afternoon, and you’re watching football all day long, drinking beer, making bets. You’re able to make bets on a phone the way you can’t otherwise because you can bet throughout the game,” Rychlak said.
Many students are exposed to gambling advertisements, Director of Wellness and Education at the William Magee Center Nicholas McAfee said.
“About three quarters of (high school and college students) had some targeted gambling or betting ads sent to them on social media,” McAfee said.
Artificial intelligence also plays a role in encouraging online betting habits, Daniel Durkin, an associate professor at UM and member of the faculty senate advisory board to the NCAA, said.
“AI targets problem gamblers and exploits them. … Say you’re down $1,000 and you get a notification —‘Hey, we noticed you’re down. How about betting on this threeteam parlay?’” Durkin said.
For students, however, the reason behind gambling’s popularity is simple — they believe it is social and fun.
A UM senior, who was also granted anonymity, has been sports betting since his senior year of high school.
BLACK HISTORY
MONTH
continued from page 1
constitutional mission of empowering members to grow socially, intellectually, politically and culturally, as stated in our organization’s constitution,” Norman said. “Those words alone aren’t enough to express how profound the impact BSU has had on me.”
The BSU will hold its 12th Annual BSU Gala from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Ole Miss Inn. This year’s theme — “A New Dawn: Cultural Revival” — will serve as a tribute to the diverse heritage of the Black community and feature live performances, awards and food.
Antwon Johnson and Vincent Sims, BSU special events directors, explained why the BSU executive board selected this year’s theme.
“The theme represents the revival of the Black excellence and experience shown by our predecessors,” the directors said in a joint statement. “We chose this theme to revisit each time we chose to continue the fight to represent our excellence in the most uplifting way.”
While he is an avid football fan, he typically bets on Korean baseball, Ultimate Fighting Champion and the National Basketball League.
“For sports that I don’t enjoy watching, (gambling) makes the sport a lot more fun to watch because I actually have something to win,” he said.
The senior uses platforms he has found through
Miss), and I watched my friend play slots on his computer for like six hours and lose like 400 bucks.”
He explained how he allocates his money while gambling.
“If I win big, I try to pull out the money right away because I don’t want to gamble again because I made the money,” he said. “If I start with like $5 and get up to
and dropping out of college — though this is often exacerbated by other mental health issues.
“Gambling, of course, is this reinforcing behavior. People can repetitively engage in gambling even though they don’t want to, even when it causes them harm,” McAfee said.
For the athletes who are being betted on, the stakes
“For sports that I don’t enjoy watching, (gambling) makes the sport a lot more fun to watch because I actually have something to win.”
-
anonymous UM senior
ing to the Clarion Ledger.
In anticipation of the HB1302 being enacted, many campus entities are advocating for resources that help students with gambling addiction.
Associated Student Body Vice President Jack Jones has concerns about gambling on campus.
“It’s already an issue, and it’s not even legal yet. … If it’s legalized, gambling addiction is one of those things you may not even realize you have,” Jones said.
While students receive education on alcohol and drug addiction, Jones says gambling awareness is severely lacking.
friends and TikTok advertisements. Many of these apps are offshore or have legal workarounds that make them accessible.
“We all follow each other on the apps and keep track of each other. It keeps me invested in the game,” he said. “I’ll bet with my fraternity brother sometimes, but I would say that’s not really a contingency. … It’s more with my high school friends.”
Gambling blues
While online betting offers social enjoyment, it has both monetary and mental costs.
The Ole Miss senior places around five or six online bets per week, which he believes is more frequent than most students, though he says he is more responsible than his friends.
“I have some friends at (Texas) A&M that spend like a couple thousand a month,” he said. “I stopped at my buddies’ for a night before I drove up (to Ole
BSU will collaborate with the Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement for a game night Feb. 26 in Suite F of the student union.
“Black Student Union isn’t just about the now,” Norman said. “It’s also about honoring our past and shaping a future where every student that we engage with leaves with more than what they came in with.”
UM Association of Black Journalists
The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) at UM aims to provide aspiring student journalists with professional development.
“It’s been a continuous fight to keep UM NABJ alive, so us being able to be apart of the refounding members mean that we have a reason and a strong responsibility to sustain it and do things that are efficient enough for the next chapters coming after us to be able to continue,”
Kayla Foster, president of the UM chapter of NABJ, said Foster, a second-year graduate student, said it is important for Black students to have their own space to thrive on campus.
“It means the world to me to be able to create and cultivate that space and also know that I can be a part of it and show that this is how successful we
$50, I might as well gamble the $50 because I’d only be losing $5. If I gamble $100 and make $200, then I want to pull out because I have more money at risk.”
When he loses, the senior said that gambling also takes a toll on him.
“I get pretty upset when I lose, especially if I lose big. I’ll stop gambling for a couple months and try to make some money or just not gamble if I don’t have money to spend,” he said.
For McAfee and Durkin, the mental effects are especially concerning. The National Council of Problem Gambling estimates that 6% of all college students have a serious gambling problem.
“We’re worried about the young student that gets into thousands of dollars in gambling debt and thinks there’s no way out and takes their life. When it’s just money, it’s fixable,” Durkin said.
McAfee has found a correlation between gambling
can be once we put our minds to it and actually take the risk of being the ones to start it up and start over,” Foster said.
The organization is set to celebrate Black History Month with weekly collaborations with Rebel Radio for a podcast series titled “Reflections of Us,” which aims to reflect on many aspects of Black history and life. The series will air at 8:30 a.m. every Friday, starting on Feb. 7.
The NABJ will also release a biweekly newsletter titled “In Full Color,” featuring articles about Black student organizations, entrepreneurship, political commentary and campus life, to connect with the Black community outside of the university.
UM NAACP
The UM chapter of the NAACP promotes community engagement and action for equality among minority students.
UM NAACP President Meghan Curry, a senior public health major, said the organization focuses on creating a safe space for Black students to talk about their shared experiences.
“I’m really glad that UM NAACP has become an organization where a lot of people can come together and congregate for a sense
extend beyond competition, with some facing threats from gamblers who lose money, according to McAfee.
“It’s different when people are putting tons of money on these folks who are just barely adults, and they’re getting messages from grown people essentially threatening their lives,” McAfee said.
Online betting may be legal soon
Thirty states have passed legislation that legalizes online sports betting as of January, according to the Legal Sports Report. Mississippi’s HB1302 would prohibit anyone below the age of 21 from taking bets. Bets can be placed anywhere within the state, provided platforms partner with existing brick-and-mortar casinos. A 12% tax would be placed on all mobile sports bets, which is projected to make millions in revenue for infrastructure projects in Mississippi, accord -
of cause — and that is the betterment of individuals, not only on our campus but across the nation,” Curry said. Curry said that highlighting key moments in Black history is important for the university.
“I think that history is always evolving, and Black history is history,” Curry said. “It’s very important to showcase how far we’ve come and how much further we have.”
The organization will celebrate NAACP Week Feb. 10-14.
One of its most popular events, Buy the Block pop-up shop event, provides small, Black-owned businesses the opportunity to sell and display their products. Products range from hair and art to food. The event will also include live performances from Black musicians 5:308:30 p.m. Feb. 10 in the Student Union Ballroom.
“I’m most looking forward to (Buy the Block). This is our fourth time hosting it. I thoroughly enjoy small businesses coming to Oxford to display their talents,” Curry said.
Black History Month Concert
The university will host its annual Black History Month concert, “If Love Fails, Try Nothing Else,” featuring guest artist Angela Brown, a twotime Grammy Award Winner.
“How many times have you ever been asked about your gambling behavior? Pretty much never, right? Almost no doctor, even a therapist, right? Like that’s not part of a standard questionnaire,” McAfee said.
The university’s chancellor, ASB and Durkin are working on a plan to create a space for a gambling clinician at the gambling center at the William Magee Center to help students struggling with gambling addiction. They recently went to Jackson to advocate for funding from legislators. This trip followed a meeting last year with the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics.
“When they came to talk to us, what they told us was that on many college campuses across the country, it’s become a public health emergency, that people are developing problems,” Durkin said.
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UM Music Professor George W.K. Dor said this year’s concert will “provide an opportunity for symbolic interaction that will remind us of the concert’s theme.”
The concert will showcase collaborative pianist Amanda Johnson, the Concert Singers, directed by Director of Choral Activities Don Trott and the Ole Miss African Dance and Drum Ensemble, directed by Dor.
“What students may gain depends on each individual student,” Dor said. “While the audience will experience sublime artistry, some music students may gain inspiration and motivation for their future career paths. Others will join us to celebrate the contributions of Black musicians to the world’s diverse rich music traditions.”
The Black History Month concert is free and will begin at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Ford Center.
Editor’s Note: Kayla Foster is the station manager of Rebel Radio. Larz Roberts, director of the Student Media Center, is the adviser for the NABJ.
continued from page 1
ing for Lee since his disappearance — released a statement in an Instagram post Wednesday afternoon.
“Thank you for supporting Jay Lee and His Family,” the post read. “Please continue to advocate for Jay Lee. There must be punishment for the crimes committed against him immediately.”
Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr. was arrested and charged with the capital murder of Lee on July 22, 2022. Herrington’s trial ended in a mistrial on Dec. 11, 2024, after the jury could not come to a consensus. Herrington is currently out on bond.
According to reporting by WLBT3, the jury was split 11-1 in favor of a guilty verdict. According to the report, an anonymous juror said the absence of a body was one of the factors that led to the hung jury.
Lee was last seen on video surveillance footage at 5:58 a.m. on July 8, 2022, leaving Campus Walk Apartments in Oxford.
The morning of Lee’s disappearance, Herrington and Lee had been messaging each other, and Herrington requested Lee to meet him at his apartment at Lafayette Place Apartments. Prosecutors argued in an August 2022 bond
hearing that Herrington and Lee had been in a casual relationship.
The Daily Mississippian was unable to reach Kevin Horan, Herrington’s defense attorney, and District Attorney Ben Creekmore for comment about Wednesday’s identification of the remains.
Following the mistrial, Creekmore indicated in a statement to The Daily Mississippian that the prosecution was pursuing a new trial date.
“We’re going to proceed forward with trying to get with the court to set a new trial date,” Creekmore said. “I just appreciate everybody’s hard work and ac-
commodation by the circuit clerk’s office and the Oxford Police Department and the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department — and my heart goes out to the Lee family.”
Upon hearing that Lee’s remains had been identified, several UM students felt a sense of closure.
“While it is very frustrating and an overall bad situation, I’m glad that there’s finally some closure in a sense,” Evan Haydenfeld, a sophomore Arabic major, said. “We somewhat know what happened and we know where he is.”
Jennifer Velasquez, a junior biology major, hopes that the development will provide a
Arts Fishing
CLAIRE REYNOLDS A&C Editor
Arts Fishing Club will take the Proud Larry’s stage on Friday, Feb. 14 — Valentine’s Day. Oxford marks the band’s fifth stop in a jam-packed tour lineup.
The name of the band comes from lead vocalist Christopher Kessenich’s grandfathers — both of whom are named Arthur. While Kessenich has a sentimental attachment to the name, it also encompasses the band’s journey in the music industry.
“Being a musician is a lot like fishing, where you are just going out on this adventure, and you’re casting into the unknown a little bit anytime you write a song,” Kessenich said. “More times than not, you reel back, you’re empty handed and you have to have the mentality that the reason you go out fishing is to do the process, not to land a big fish. … You’re just always casting for the next one, and hopefully one of these days you’ll catch a big old fish and write a big old hit.”
Kessenich discovered his musicaltalentsandpassionatayoungage.
“I always wanted to do music. As a kid growing up, it was always
sense of closure for Lee’s family.
“It is really sad knowing that there is someone out there that really hurt the family. Right now I hope they got closure,” Velasquez said.
River Johnson, a junior business administration major, echoed Velasquez’s sentiments.
“Sometimes it’s better to know than to not know, and I hope that just brings closure to the family and that they can move on and move past this,” Johnson said.
Freshman English major Kayt
Davis described how Lee’s death has affected the Oxford community.
“I feel like it’s really impactful on the community that something can happen so close to here because it feels like it’s never going to be you,” Davis said. “It’s nice to know that the family can get closure and that it might help the trial.”
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Club reels in a gig at Proud Larry’s
my dream job,” Kessenich said. “Slowly but surely, I kind of believed in myself a little bit more and then took the steps to put myself into places where music is a reality.”
Kessenich attended college in Nashville. Although he was not studying music, he spent all of his time trying to become a songwriter and guitarist.
After spending a year in Vienna playing a mix of covers and original songs as a street performer, he realized he could make a career out of his passion.
“I made a good amount of money,” Kessenich said. “Once I started getting paid to do it, I realized, ‘I know that I’m bad right now, and people are willing to throw me some money. I’m gonna really do this.’ So I started diving in straight up from there.”
While Kessenich was in Austria, he covered an array of artists ranging from folk like Bon Iver and Mumford and Sons to ska punk like Sublime.
In a review of Arts Fishing Club’s “Rothko Sky” album, Jared Eichmann of the Indy Review compared the band’s sound to the likes of Mt. Joy, Caamp and Wilderado, among others.
THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN EDITORIAL staff
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“I hear familiar artists in these songs such as Rayland Baxter, Jack Johnson and even some early John Mayer,” Eichmann said. “All of this complex songwriting really fits with the lyrical theme of this portion of the album.”
Kessenich elaborated on the various influences and sounds that can be found in his band’s music.
“I think that we’re pretty ’90s influenced, alternative rock influenced and a little bit more of that Bon Iver, indie influence as well,” Kessenich said. “I would say (for) most of our songs, everything else can be stripped back, and I can play them acoustically, and they’ll, for the most part, still completely work.”
Charlotte Price, a sophomore political science major from Naples, Fla., discovered Arts Fishing Club on Spotify. One of the band’s songs, “Tupelo Honey,” was featured on her Discover Weekly playlist.
“When I listened to ‘Tupelo Honey,’ I definitely was imagining myself just driving down the highways of Mississippi and just seeing the sunset and just really feeling the music. I could see myself listening to that over and over again. It was so peaceful,” Price
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said. “I definitely want to look into seeing them on Valentine’s Day.”
Arts Fishing Club is in the process of releasing an EP and an album. Their next release is a song called “Supernatural Groove,” which is set to come out Feb. 10.
Attendees of the Proud Larry’s concert can expect a broad range of both old and new songs in addition to the band’s improvisational approach to its stage performances.
“I’ve just always wanted to push
what we can do as a live show. I think for me it’s pretty important that we’re playing the instruments and that it feels very organic and in the moment,” Kessenich said. “We like to have it a bit more open, where it’s more of our emotions of that day and that night channeling through the song.”
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S. Gale denley student media center
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Chris Dunkley, Christopher Kessenich and Jody Lee
PHOTO COURTESY: ARTS FISHING CLUB
Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr. during trial testimony in the Lafayette County Courthouse on Dec. 4, 2024.
ANTONELLA RESCIGNO / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Jose Reyes holds up a sign during a Justice for Jay Lee protest on Dec. 12, 2022.
HG BIGGS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
‘Thacker Thursdays’ premieres spring season
JANE DUNN
A&C Staff Writer
The Thacker Mountain Radio Hour returns for its 2025 spring season at 6 p.m., today at the Powerhouse. After more than 27 years of being known for its distinctive blend of music, literature and Southern charm, the live show promises to continue its tradition of exceptional performances and captivating storytelling.
Thacker Mountain Radio Hour Host Jim Dees, originally from Greenville, Miss., described the most exciting aspect of launching a new season.
“Knowing that we still have an audience … we’re very gratified people still listen and still come to the live shows,” Dee said.
Tori North, a senior entrepreneurship major from Phoenix, Ariz., only recently discovered the radio show.
“I had never heard of Thacker Mountain until I was approached about it,” North said. “The general student population only seems to care about going out on a Friday night and what dress to wear for a date party, when there are so many cool cultural things around Oxford that everyone is missing.”
The season opener will feature a mix of poetry, country and blues with Memphis poet Maria Zoccola, country songwriter Amber Rae Dunn and Oxford-based
blues artist Edna Nicole.
Dees will host the season premiere with musical backing from Paul Tate and the Yalobushwhacker Big Band along with the Thacker Horns.
Zoccola is thrilled to share the stage with Amber Rae Dunn and Edna Nicole.
“Art is worthy and worthwhile no matter how it’s created or who sees it,” Zoccola said. “It’s the act of creation that sustains us as humans. Having the opportunity to perform live with Amber Rae Dunn, Edna Nicole, the Yalobushwhackers and the rest of the Thacker Mountain team is fantastic. It’s a true joy to share art together among a community of listeners — many of whom are artists themselves.”
Zoccola, who will read from her debut collection of poetry, “Helen of Troy, 1993,” said her work blends myth and character study.
“Part myth retelling, part character study, ‘Helen of Troy, 1993’ reimagines the Homeric Helen as a dissatisfied housewife in small-town Tennessee in the early ’90s,” Zoccola said.
Raised in Memphis, Zoccola has deep ties to the South and is particularly fond of Oxford.
“Oxford is one of my favorite places in the South. Every time I visit, I’m struck by the energy and sense of community that flows through the air,” Zoccola
said. “Oxford shows up in style for arts and culture, and I’m excited to feel that spark at Thacker. I was born and raised in Memphis, which I’ve always seen as the heart of the South’s unyielding tempest and where the narrative threads of our world converge.”
Zoccola is looking forward to being a part of Thacker Mountain Radio Hour.
“Thacker Mountain is so unique — it’s this joyful celebration of creativity that blends music, songwriting and author readings. On Feb. 6, I get to share the microphone with Amber Rae Dunn and Edna Nicole, who are masters of their craft. It’s a rare opportunity to share the stage with such incredible talent. It truly couldn’t happen anywhere but here,” Zoccola said.
This season, Thacker Mountain Radio Hour will embark on two road trips. The show will travel to Water Valley, Miss., for a performance at the old Hendricks Building and feature Memphis musician Marcella Simien and poet A.H. Jerriod Avant on Thursday, Feb. 13.
The show will visit the Wonderbird Spirits Distillery in Taylor, Miss., on Thursday, March 13, where former Big Star drummer Jody Stephens, author Sanjena Sathian and blues band Heartbreak Hill will perform.
“There’s something unex-
TikTok-famous Pants Store coming to Oxford
LYDIA WATERS
A&C Staff Writer
After attracting a lot of attention on social media, the Pants Store will arrive in Oxford later this semester. The store, contrary to its name, sells an array of products.
The Pants Store will occupy the building that formerly housed Rebel Bookstore on East Jackson Avenue. The retailer has six locations in Alabama, including stores around Auburn, Birmingham, Huntsville and Tuscaloosa. Oxford will become the first location outside Alabama.
“We hope we’ve had some social media that people will know we’re coming and excited that we’re coming, and we hope to get off with a good start this spring,” Michael Gee, grandson of Pants Store founder Taylor Gee, said.
Taylor Gee founded the Pants Store in 1950 in Leeds, Ala. Today, the store is run by his grandsons, Michael and John Gee, who are brothers. It initially was deemed the Pants Store because of its selection of high-quality pants, however, the range of products the store offers has since grown. Now patrons can find items ranging from sequined mini dresses to leather loafers.
“We’ve always been interested in Oxford because it’s a college town, and we’ve been so successful in Tuscaloosa and Auburn,” Michael Gee said. “My brother went to Ole Miss, and he loved Oxford, and we just thought it would be a great fit for what we do.”
The Pants Store has received
considerable recognition in social media outfit checks, specifically those featured on TikTok during sorority recruitment weeks, commonly known as rush. Posting outfit checks that detail where articles of clothing worn during recruitment were purchased has become incredibly popular across the country.
This social media phenomenon is often referred to as “rushtok,” and the University of Alabama’s sorority recruitment is one of the primary sources of these outfit videos in which the Alabama-based brand has been frequently mentioned.
Virginia Perret, a senior integrated marketing communications major from Kiln, Miss., is eager to see the Pants Store open in Oxford.
“I am really excited about the Pants Store coming to Oxford because from what I’ve heard, it’s a great one stop-shop for all things clothes and shoes,” Perret said. “I think it will be a great addition to our options for shopping for gameday clothes.”
The Pants Store carries popular brands such as Gold Hinge, HOKA, Dolce Vita and Southern Shirt.
“I think the Pants Store will give the community a new and fresh option to shop for all the events and occasions that life in Oxford has to offer,” Perret said.
Sarah Weems, a junior social studies education and history major from Ocean Springs, Miss., believes the Pants Store could positively impact the city as a whole.
“I have not heard much about the new Pants Store, but I am al-
pected every week,” Dees said. “(There are) two new bands every week and a cool author talking about their book for 15 minutes.”
ways excited for new places to shop,” Weems said. “New stores are always good for allowing people to expand their personal style and try new trends, so I think that it will be great for the people of Oxford. Fashion is such an important topic in Oxford, so I’m sure it will help boost the area both economically and socially.”
While the store has become popular on certain platforms for the role it plays in rush, Michael Gee emphasized that the Pants Store serves a broader demographic than future sorority members.
“It’s a family-oriented store,” Michael Gee said. “We sell men’s, women’s, children’s clothing and shoes, and we sell the hippest brands possible and for the best price possible.”
Michael Gee said the Pants Store focuses on family in both its products and its business model.
“It’s been a blessing to work with my brother every day,” Michael Gee said. “My brother and I got to work with my dad for a number of years, and that was a blessing to work with (him). It’s nice to be involved in the family business, and we consider so many of our employees family as well. We’ve grown a lot over the years, and we try and keep it a small business mentality and treat everybody like family.”
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Ole Miss softball loads up on recruits, looks to improve SEC play
RUSS EDDINS Assistant Sports Editor
After the Ole Miss softball team went 0-2 in the NCAA Tournament in 2024, they stocked up on talent in the offseason, adding eight transfers and eight incoming freshmen.
The Rebels were 31-27 in the 2024 season. They struggled in conference, going a lowly 7-17 in SEC play.
The Rebel’s 2025 season opens today versus Clemson at 10 a.m. in Boca Raton, Fla.
Because the Rebels’ home field was under construction last season, the team had to practice at various places around Oxford and preferred to play on the road.
“We were in multiple places and we could not practice on our field — we had no technology. We were at Oxford High School or mTrade Park,” Head coach Jamie Trachsel said in an interview with The Daily Mississippian. “We got on our field two days before we actually played a home game. … (There were) 400 fans at most in the outfield. They couldn’t see anything. They couldn’t hear anything. We did not prefer to play here.”
Now with a new stadium, fans should expect renewed energy and better play at home from the Rebels. Not only did the Lady Rebels get an upgraded home field, they also did very well in the
transfer portal and in recruiting high school players.
Their most notable addition is Aliyah Binford from Baylor. She is a senior who can pitch and play infield. Binford could fill the role of Aynslie Furbush, who is a graduate manager this season.
Binford was named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 watch list. In 2024, she made 47 starts, totaled 154 K’s, compiled 34 hits and had an average of .272.
“(Binford’s) an athlete — low ego, high output, just wants to be in there. … Her body of work speaks to that,” Trachsel said.
Ole Miss lost nine players between graduation and the transfer portal since last season, including Catelyn Riley, Grace Sparks, Makenna Kliethermes, Paige Smith, Delany Rummell and Jaila Lassiter.
Lassiter will be the most missed from the 2024 team this season, as the junior outfielder transferred to LSU.
The Rebels got a solid replacement in Taylor Strain from Baylor. Strain, a senior, has played in 144 games, tallying 46 RBIs and 22 extra base hits and hitting .279 in her college career.
The combination of Riley, Sparks and Kliethermes is going to be tough to replace, as the three pitchers compiled 26 wins and
243.2 innings last season.
“Pitching is life. If you don’t have pitching, it’s really hard to win,” Trachsel said. “But we have an elite pitching coach who holds lots of records for winning and knows nothing but winning in her entire career.”
Lilly Whitten may ease those losses. She is coming from Missouri and is entering her junior year. In 11 appearances last year, she pitched in 29.2 innings to the tune of a 1.18 ERA and went 5-0. Opponents batted .212 against her.
Alison Cooper — a senior transfer from Wichita State who tossed six shutout innings against No. 1 Oklahoma — will also have to step up. Head coach Trachsel expects her to have big contributions for the team.
MacKenzie Pickens is one of the most notable high school recruits this year. She is coming off a Georgia 7A State Championship. Over her four years at Buford High School, she set the career home run and RBI records.
In her sophomore year, she batted .449 with 53 RBIs. Ole Miss also acquired a solid two-way player in Persy Llamas. Not only will she provide a talented arm in the circle and a good bat at the plate, but she can also play well in the field. Llamas had a .990 fielding percentage as a sophomore.
Men’s hoops upsets No. 14 Kentucky
NATE DONOHUE Sports Staff Writer
The Ole Miss Men’s Basketball team beat AP No. 14 Kentucky 98-84 at home on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
UK entered the game hoping to bounce back after a 10-point loss to former Coach John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday. Despite this, the Wildcats have proven themselves as one of the better teams in the SEC, boasting wins against Florida, Tennessee and Mississippi State, as well as out-of-conference rival Louisville.
Last week, the Rebels narrowly defeated Texas at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion, then, on Saturday, lost a hard-fought game to AP No. 1 Auburn. Though the Rebs lost by double figures, they continued to battle until the very end, earning the AP No. 25 ranking this week.
This game, the Rebels — uncharacteristically — started fast. Forward Malik Dia made a pair of nice defensive plays, and the Rebs pushed the pace; forward Dre Davis scored five of the Rebs’ first seven points.
Five minutes into the game, down 15-7, UK Coach Mark Pope was forced to take a timeout. From there, the
Wildcats gained their footing a bit, aided by some nifty moves from standout guard Otega Oweh. Defensively, Ole Miss remained active, forcing multiple shot clock violations, contesting shots and playing with active hands.
Pope was forced to burn another timeout toward the middle of the half following a dunk by forward Jaemyn Brakefield that put the Rebs ahead 31-18. Threes by Wildcat guards Koby Brea and Jaxson Robinson kept UK in the game, but a balanced scoring effort from the Rebs, led by excellent three-point shooting from guard Matthew Murrell, stifled a comeback.
At halftime, the Rebel lead had widened to 54-31. This was the most points the Rebs have scored in a half all season; eight players scored for Ole Miss. Also significantly, every Wildcat that clocked minutes had a negative +/-, and every Rebel had a positive +/-.
The Rebels wasted no time in the second half, making their first six field goals. However, the Wildcats began to test the Rebel defense, with Oweh, Robinson and forward Amari Williams scoring easily on backdoor cuts. Slowly, the Wildcats began to creep back in. By the
12-minute mark, UK had cut the lead to 18. The Rebel defense became sloppy; they fouled three-point shooters two different times, one of which resulted in a fourpoint play for Robinson.
By the under-eight minute TV timeout, the Rebel lead had shrunk to 13, 78-65.
From there, guard Jaylen Murray kept the Rebels in control, hitting a few big baskets including a contested three-pointer late in the shot clock. Davis hit another one of his signature stepbacks from the low post; guard Sean Pedulla had a handful of strong drives and deft finishes at the rim.
By the last TV timeout, Ole Miss had maintained this lead, up 89-75. The Rebels closed out the game strong, defending well, breaking the press and hitting their free throws. They won 98-84. Murrell scored 24 points, and five Rebels finished in double figures.
Addison Duke celebrates after hitting the ball during a game against Western Kentucky on April 15, 2024.
ANTONELLA RESCIGNO / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Matthew Murrell prepares to shoot the ball during a game against Auburn in the Pavilion on Feb. 1, 2024.
‘It’s all love:’
Ole Miss Women’s Rugby gains traction
TEDDY KING Sports Editor
The Ole Miss Women’s Rugby team enters the spring season with promise ahead of their first official tournament at the end of February.
The Lady Rebels will play two times this season. On Feb. 22, they will travel to Starkville, Miss., for a round robin tournament with Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and Alabama. On April 12, Ole Miss is back on the road to Baton Rouge, La., to face LSU in the annual crawfish sevens tournament.
The women’s team has 15 members, enough to fill a sevens competition team. In 2022, the women’s team fielded five to six players.
Rugby can be played with two lineups based on team size. Teams can choose to play 15s, fielding 15 players at once, or sevens, fielding seven.
On Oct. 18, 2024, the team won its first official game against Mississippi State in Oxford, marking the team’s first sevens match since the club was founded in 2022.
Miriam King, a senior political science and philosophy double major, initially was a rugby team player but has transitioned to the role of head coach for the program.
King highlighted the strong connection between Ole Miss and other programs in the midst of expanding their roster.
“I’ve been rebuilding my four years at college, and last year we actually had enough girls to field a team, which is super exciting,”
King said. “I’m really proud of all the girls who just continuously showed up, even knowing that they have a really busy schedule, and they were doing something really hard, because they’re learning a whole new sport.”
One of the biggest chal -
lenges the club faced was spreading awareness.
“Rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. But when you think about it, you don’t necessarily think about there being a women’s team,” King said. “Especially at a school in the South where rugby isn’t huge, we had to draw attention to the fact that we actually have a club on campus. So we recruited, recruited and recruited, and I’m really proud of that.”
Alongside King is captain Mabrie Woods, a senior international studies and Arabic double major from Olive Branch, Miss. Woods helped start the program in 2022.
Woods was inspired to help field a women’s rugby team because of the sport’s uniqueness and its inclusivity for all players.
“I learned (about rugby) from an Instagram video, which is crazy. I learned nothing about (rugby) before that,” Woods said. “The thing that finally sold me on it was this interview with this girl talking about how she didn’t start rugby until college.”
At the team’s practice on Monday, Feb. 3, the club welcomed three new players who had never competed in the sport prior to attending practice.
Woods stressed that no prior experience is necessary to join the team.
“None of these new girls had ever played before, and I love that because it’s just really the willingness to learn new things because that’s hard to do once you get older,” Woods said. “I’m not worried about how it’s going to affect practice after today. We’ll pull them aside, show little things and then we’ll throw them in, and (they’ll be) fine.”
King highlighted the strong connection between Ole Miss and women’s rugby
The Ole Miss Women’s Rugby team practices at an intramural field on Feb. 3.
programs at other colleges.
“If we don’t have enough girls to field a team, sometimes (other teams) loan us some of theirs,” King said. “And there’s no sabotage. It’s all love. Everybody works their hardest to build camaraderie and push themselves to be the best they can be.”
CONTACT THE SPORTS DESK AT thedmsports@gmail.com
REESE JOHNSON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Super Bowl LIX pick ‘ems: Chiefs v. Eagles
Former Ole Miss and current Philadelphia wide receiver A.J. Brown celebrates making a touchdown during a game against South Carolina in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Nov. 3, 2018.
DM SPORTS DESK Sports Staff Writers
(Chiefs win 34-31)
(Cody Vaughn)
As Super Bowl LIX approaches, the Kansas City Chiefs have the opportunity to achieve what has never been done before. In the NFL’s 103 years of existence, no team has won three Lombardi trophies in a row.
For the Eagles to pull off an improbable win, establishing running back Saquon Barkley early is key.
Barkley has rushed for 100+ yards in all three postseason games and is over the mark in 14 of 19 games this year. However, the Chiefs have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 18 straight games.
The Eagles have to force the Chiefs to sell out on stopping the run, and quarterback Jalen Hurts will have to make plays.
For Kansas City, the recipe is clear: put the game in quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ hands. The Chiefs thrive in one score games, in fact they have won their last 17 dating back to 2023.
(Chiefs win 38-27)
(Luke Dunavant)
No team has ever won three consecutive Super Bowls. The Patriots came close but never quite got there. The Kansas City Chiefs look to do so in Super Bowl LIX in a rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Led by Chris Jones and Trent McDuffie, the defense for the Chiefs is outstanding, allowing 19.2 points per game. The x-factor for Kansas City will be how effective their wide receivers are. Xavier Worthy has come on late in his rookie season,
becoming a versatile weapon.
While the Chiefs’ defense will be focusing on Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley, the Eagles also have an outstanding receiving core led by former Ole Miss Rebel A.J. Brown. Brown had 1,079 receiving yards during the regular season and added 120 yards during the team’s playoff run. It is a true pick your poison with the Eagles offense.
The Chiefs will continue to be who everyone thinks they are and win games when their back is against the wall. Overall, the Chiefs just have too much experience.
(Eagles win 34-24)
(Wilson Engeriser)
The Chiefs’ three-peat, Saquon’s revenge tour, Patrick Mahomes chasing Tom Brady, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift — all of these storylines add up to make for one of the most important and fun games that we have seen in the past few years.
This Chiefs team has been unlike past years. The production for the offense has fallen off a bit, as Mahomes did not have a single 1,000yard receiver this season.
Meanwhile, the Eagles offense has Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts, Devonta Smith and A.J. Brown — not to mention an offensive line that has propelled Barkley into an almost superhuman rushing year with over 2,000 yards.
The Eagles defense will be the focal point of the game. This season, they have only allowed about 280 yards per game, good for first in the NFL and almost 30 yards less than second place.
It should shape out to be a great game, but the Eagles’ offense and defense should have the edge over the Chiefs, ensuring that the Chiefs will not complete their three-peat. Go Birds!
(Chiefs win 27-24)
(Delaney Smith)
The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are facing off in the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons. The Chiefs came out victorious in Super Bowl LVII and are looking for a threepeat, which has yet to be done in the history of the NFL.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been efficient for Philadelphia throwing for 505 yards in the postseason. However, Hurts has been sacked 11 times in the past three games, and All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones is set to face the Eagles on Sunday.
The Chiefs have had close games all season, and this one will be no different. The connection between Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce is a rarity in the league. Those two will come home from New Orleans with their third Super Bowl Championship in three years and their fourth in six years.
(Chiefs win 31-27)
(Ian Sparks)
In a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, the Chiefs are entering this championship looking for a three-peat and their fourth win in the last six seasons. There is no doubt that Kansas City will be the favorites for the matchup based on experience of playing in this game five times in six seasons.
The Eagles shellacked the Commanders in the NFC ti-
tle game, which surely will give them confidence heading into Sunday. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has had a solid year but nothing eye-popping. He is 20th in the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns. That being said, Kansas City will get the three-peat. There’s an inevitability that comes with the Chiefs and that feeling is not amiss this year. Each of the last two Super Bowls have been decided by three points so expect this one to be close.
(Eagles win 20-10)
(Tanner Shapiro)
Picking against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is usually never a good idea, but I believe that the Eagles compare really well to the Chiefs. Running-back Saquon Barkley has been on a mission this year with more than 16 touchdowns and 2,000 rushing yards for the season. Kansas City has a stellar defense led by a good group of backs, but the front seven have been off and on all year during the season. Kansas City allowed the Bills to run for more than 90 yards with a lesser quality running back than Barkley.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is good enough to win a championship, whether it is being a game manager or using his legs. The Eagles defense has enough star power to keep this game low scoring and make Mahomes as uncomfortable as possible.
CHRISTIAN JOHNSON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
KAT MOORMAN / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
RESULTS & BENEFITS
Conception begins at erection?
Consumerism: One nation, under debt
CHEQUOIA ADDERLEY thedmopinion@gmail.com
Consumerism is quite literally one of the things that makes the world go round. It is deeply woven into the fabric of American society, as the material-focused culture is seen throughout day-to-day life.
It’s that urge to spend money just because you have it. It’s why you think you need to upgrade your phone every time a new one drops. Or maybe it’s that $8 coffee every morning to treat yourself rather than making it at home.
But we both know it is not a need.
Many signs point to consumerism becoming detrimental to our values as people. But to what extent? Are we brainwashed into believing splurging is a part of our social identity?
Chequoia Adderley
“A Mississippi senator’s bold satirical bill exposes the hypocrisy of reproductive laws — by criminalizing male ejaculation.”
KADIN COLLIER
not to get your mother anything. It just brings light to the tension between tradition and materialism.
Opinion Staff Writer
Mississippi state Sen. Bradford Blackmon, a Democrat representing the 21st District, had big plans after taking office this year.
However, his constituents and the people of Mississippi could not have imagined his grandiose, showman tactics: authoring a bill whose contents diametrically opposed every fiber of his political values just to prove a point.
It has been said for years that we have been conditioned by the media to buy things we don’t truly need to gain satisfaction. With the boom of mass production and free-market capitalism, advertising created a desire for products once seen as luxuries. This idea of “buying more” framed consumption as key to success and happiness. Even during challenges like the Great Depression and World War II, prosperity was reshaped and reignited through the United States’ subsequent spending frenzy, reinventing the American Dream.
The Conception Begins at Erection Act, which he introduced in the Mississippi Legislature on Jan. 20, is for men a sexually dystopian encroachment on their physical liberty. For women, it’s far too relatable.
Over time, consumerism became a normalized part of life, with shopping evolving from a leisure activity into a necessity to signal status and identity. While purchases can bring momentary joy, they don’t provide lasting happiness. This creates a cycle of constantly pursuing new items for satisfaction, a concept known as the “hedonic treadmill.”
The one-of-a-kind legislation criminalizes ejaculation without the intent to impregnate, imposing fines ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.
Blackmon introduced the act to criticize the double standard with which the Legislature treats women. Of course, this scenario is not unique to the Magnolia State, but Mississippi has a particular history of infringing on bodily autonomy, given that Jackson is the proud birthplace of the fight to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The moment we slipped into this pattern, we became pawns in the economy. Consumerism fuels businesses, stimulates job creation and fosters innovation, raising living standards. However, it raises the question: at what cost to financial stability and responsible management?
Perhaps the most prominent, damaging aspect of consumerism growth is the burden it places on holidays. While consumerism is a year-round phenomenon, it is best illustrated between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
In a state where a Republican trifecta rules in state government, health care outcomes for women reflect it. Mississippi ranks last in reproductive outcomes, has the highest rate of maternal mortality, the highest number of uninsured pregnant women, inordinately high rates of preventable pregnancy-related deaths and even soaring syphilis infections.
After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, infant mortality rates rose by 7% across the country, and infant deaths due to congenital anomalies rose by 10%.
The undeniable scientific ver -
Opinion Policies:
We start off with Black Friday, which, if you didn’t know before, was not always a positive connotation of shopping but rather a label for a literal market crash. A day notorious for customers tearing up stores for discounts. Significant portions of their revenue are generated during this time, too.
From then until Christmas, the season’s consumerism is charged by a mix of tradition, societal pressures and advertising tactics that exploit the emotional aspects of holiday gift giving.
This isn’t me telling you to get rid of that Amazon cart and
For many people, the holiday season carries spiritual or personal significance, a time for reflection, gratitude and connection. These valid and significant reasons to celebrate are reduced to “spend, spend, spend” in our modern day. Shopping malls and online stores replace churches and community gatherings as holiday staples, and gift exchanges often take precedence over more meaningful forms of togetherness.
dict: Laws restricting reproductive health care kill not just women but children, too. That does not seem so “pro-life” to me.
Most likely, the Conception Begins at Erection Act will be dismissed by right-wing voices as proof that Democrats are wasting their time and by leftwing voices as a wasteful and somewhat risky “political stunt.”
The expectation to buy gifts for friends, family and coworkers can lead to financial stress, especially for those already struggling economically. Many Americans go into debt each holiday season, purchasing gifts they cannot afford.
When it comes down to it, Blackmon’s legislation only emphasizes an institutional truth: Our government, specifically rightwing politicians, treats women as objects — sexual scapegoats to bear their offspring and submit silently.
This phenomenon, known as holiday debt, has become a cycle in which people spend beyond their means due to cultural pressure, only to face the financial consequences in the new year.
Through an ostensibly doctrinal but actually un-Christlike patriarchal narrative that has plagued our country for too long, women continue to be dehumanized while traditionally masculine men are glorified.
To Blackmon: I commend your willingness to woman up, have a backbone and fight back against threats to bodily autonomy.
This pressure trickles down to those who are the least financially stable in our society — young people. The average college student likely lacks the means to fund holiday purchases for all of their friends and family, but still feels all the pressure to make it happen.
But society, as it tends to do, is pushing back against some of these century old trends.
To “pro-life” Mississippians: It is not too late to change your opinion. The real “pro-life” thing to do is look at the facts. Reproductive health care is not a luxury but a necessity. How can you claim to be the party of life when your policies kill women and children?
To women and children: Keep fighting. That is all.
Kadin Collier is a freshman Arabic and international studies major from Hattiesburg, Miss.
While consumerism remains a dominant force in American society, there are signs that attitudes may be shifting. Movements such as minimalism, anti-consumerism and sustainable living encourage people to resist the pressure to buy new items constantly and instead focus on experiences, relationships and sustainability.
Consumerism has its benefits, particularly for economic growth, but it also comes with significant drawbacks. Sustainability should be the chief concern of not only individual consumers, but the country as a whole and the businesses which operate here.
CONTACT THE OPINION DESK AT thedmopinion@gmail.com
Columns do not represent the views of The University of Mississippi or The Daily Mississippian. The Daily Mississippian welcomes letters to the editor, which should be emailed to thedmopinion@gmail.com. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. They may be edited for clarity, brevity and libel. Third-party letters and those with pseudonyms or no name will not be published. Letters are limited to one per individual per month. Letters should include contact information, including relationship to the university, if applicable.
Chequoia Adderley is a senior integrated marketing communications major from Pascagoula, Miss.
Kadin Collier