The past spring semester for Millsaps’ athletes may have been one of the wildest in the history of the college. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all spring and fall sports competed in the same semester. Training rooms, weight rooms, and practice fields were never empty. On rainy days, the HAC was more packed than pre-COVID times with different teams looking for anywhere to do some conditioning. Although not all teams had the results they were hoping for, the 2021 spring semester was the most jampacked season at Millsaps College.
The Women’s Basketball team was arguably the best team at Millsaps. With an overall 12-2 record, the team finished top 10 in the nation for Division-III, the first time in Millsaps history. Unfortunately, the Men’s Basketball team did not see as much success. Although they ended the season defeating Rhodes, the men wound up 2-8.
Baseball was able to play the most games out of any sport at Millsaps, a total of 34! They finished 10-24. It seemed like whenever things were turning around for the team, something would go wrong. Starting the season with a win, the team would lose the next three games. They broke their three-game losing streak with a win against Rhodes, but would go on to lose their next nine. The Majors went on a three-game win streak in early April, but would follow it with another three-game losing streak.
Softball’s season bounced around winning and losing streaks to come out even. Ending up 12-12, they head to Kentucky to take on Berry in the Southern Athletic Association Tournament. The Majors will have to work some magic as Berry is ranked a stout #14 in the NFCA Top-25. Hopefully, the Majors can pull off an awesome upset!
Football had the wonkiest season at Millsaps, only being able to play four games. The team started off 0-3, but was able to end the season on a high note upsetting Rhodes in the final game of the season.
Men’s Soccer was another team at Millsaps to have an off year. Ending the season 1-5, there was not much to be excited for from a team standpoint. From an individual standpoint, Jacks Dowdy was named to All-SAA Second Team for scoring three goals in his first season!
Having similar seasons, the Women’s Soccer team also finished with only one win, concluding the season 1-7. They were able to end the season with a win taking down Oglethorpe in an awesome overtime match. The team also had three players named SAA-Honorable Mention by the conference: Mattie Marks, Alyssa McCarron, and Mary Ranager.
Both Women’s and Men’s Swimming ended up 6th of 7th in the SAA Conference Championship. The program is still the newest at Millsaps and looks to improve in the coming years.
The Women’s Tennis team is having an incredible year. Although the team is 8-3, they are 6-0 in conference, with the closest in conference match being 7-2. The team has also been undefeated in conference doubles matches – hard to lose when you start every match up 3-0! The women still have the conference championship up ahead and are favored to win!
The Men’s Tennis team had pretty much the opposite results as the women. Starting the season hot at 4-0, the team would finish up losing their last 7 matches ending at 4-7. The team sadly did not make the conference championship tournament.
Volleyball didn’t have too hot of a year either, closing the season 4-8. On the brightside, four Majors, Emily Herring, Alyssa Jolly, Brenna Macaluso, and Mary Tebbe, were named SAA Honorable Mention.
Even though it was a down year for sports at Millsaps, besides women’s basketball and tennis, athletes may remember this season more vividly than any other. With short schedules, packed training facilities, 7 a.m. COVID testing, and other oddities, this past semester has surely been the strangest from an athlete’s perspective.