Browsing: Sports

High school softball took center stage this week (May 12-May 15) in Hattiesburg at the Southern Miss Softball Complex on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. The action started at high noon on Tuesday, May 12, when Mississippi’s top 14 high school teams began battling for the 2026 State Softball Championship title. 

Pine Belt boxers brought amateur and professional fights to The Center at Forrest County this month during Cinco de Mayo Box Night, a community-focused event that highlighted local fighters, youth mentorship and efforts to strengthen Mississippi’s boxing culture.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, has sparked immense interest, with more American sports fans becoming interested in soccer. And while Mississippi doesn’t have a professional soccer team, the Magnolia State does have several teams advancing to higher levels of play and making a name for our state.

High school baseball season is quickly drawing to a close here in Mississippi. In fact, regular season games are finished for all high school teams, and the playoff bracket is moving along to its culmination of the 2026 state championships games in each of the seven divisions of Mississippi’s high school teams. 

When Lewis Sims became Pascagoula High School’s head football coach in 2011, I didn’t know that much about him. I knew that he had been an outstanding safety as a player at Moss Point High School, and then had gone on to play at the United States Naval Academy. I knew that he had gone into football coaching himself, most recently at Moss Point, his alma mater and Pascagoula’s biggest rival.

Some of Mississippi’s finest high school basketball athletes made history this past week at The Big House in Jackson, Mississippi, and they had fun while doing so. 

As spring settles along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, golfers will soon gather at Whispering Pines Golf Club with more than birdies and bragging rights in mind. This year’s Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County Golf Tournament marks a special milestone — 30 years of swinging for a cause, raising critical funds to support programs that help local youth grow, learn and thrive.

MOSS POINT—To advance to the Mississippi State Games, special Olympians must first qualify at the Track and Field events held at Jerry Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, a place where athletes become shining stars.

The 2026 winners of C Spire’s prestigious Miss Basketball and Mr. Basketball were officially announced on Wednesday, February 18, by the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) and the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC). Representing the seven MHSAA classifications, these 14 elite Mississippi high school athletes were recognized for distinct excellence in the sport of basketball.

Students in The University of Southern Mississippi’s Sport Management program will compete in the National Collegiate Sport Sales Competition (NCSSC) face-to-face event Feb. 24–25, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.

It has been a long, hard nine-month wait, but Mississippi’s high school baseball season 2026 is finally here. 

For the sixth consecutive fall semester, The University of Southern Mississippi’s Sport Management program partnered with the New Orleans Pelicans on the team’s Collegiate Sales Project—an experiential learning initiative that immerses students in the professional sport sales industry.

GULFPORT — What began as a father’s mission to create a place where his daughter could feel included has grown into a thriving nonprofit serving hundreds of individuals with special needs on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 

I remember the first photo I saw of Markel Bell standing next to my husband, Les George, during his time coaching at Holmes Community College. At 6-foot-9 and approximately 345 pounds, Markel’s size immediately stood out.

Students throughout Mississippi (somewhat reluctantly, for the most part) headed back to school this week, but before we know it, the 2025-2026 school year will officially come rushing to an end in just a few short months.

The “Greatest Show on Dirt” returns to Hattiesburg Feb. 6 and 7 for the 40th Annual Southern Miss Coca-Cola Classic Rodeo. The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Campus Recreation will host the event at The Center at Forrest County. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m.