Neither Mississippi State University first-year softball coach Vann Stuedeman nor University of Mississippi first-year softball coach Windy Thees was born in the state of Mississippi.
However, each coach will learn some of the Magnolia State’s rituals this weekend when they will go head-to-head for the first time when their teams will play a three-game Southeastern Conference series at the Ole Miss Softball Complex. Game times are 6 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Fox Sports Net South will televise Sunday’s game regionally.
“I don’t know that much about the rivalry,” Thees said. “The players do. They have brought up the fact we are playing Mississippi State every day in practice. I don’t want them obsessed with that. However, if it is something they could use as motivation to play well in a big series, I am all for it.”
With four weekends left in the regular season, MSU (22-19, 5-14 SEC) and Ole Miss (16-21, 3-11) will try to secure a spot in the eight-team SEC tournament. If the tournament began today, MSU would be the eighth seed, while Ole Miss would fall short at 10th. With a Ratings Percentage Index of 33, the Bulldogs also are fighting to keep hopes alive to receive a bid to the NCAA tournament. The RPI is one factor the NCAA tournament selection committee uses to select at-large teams to the tournament.
For Stuedeman, her squad’s standing is far more important than playing a school 95 miles away.
“We have talked all year about not riding our emotions,” Stuedeman said. “As a coaching staff, it is our job to keep everybody focused. We are a playing an SEC road series, and that demands our full attention. Our philosophy always involves stressing we are playing the game and not an opponent. You can’t be wrapped up in the other.”
The Bulldogs have won four of the past five regular-season series against the Rebels. The teams also met previously in a non-conference game in Madison or Ridgeland. The last Ole Miss coaching staff discontinued that game after the 2009 season, even though its program had won four of the five Central Mississippi meetings.
“I am excited about my first trip to Oxford as head coach of the Bulldogs,” Stuedeman said. “I am looking forward to Bulldog Nation showing me what these games mean to them. I hope to see a lot of Maroon in Oxford. It is supposed to be a great weekend weather wise. This should be some great college softball.”
Last weekend, MSU won its second SEC road series of the year by taking two of three games at the University of Arkansas. Ole Miss dropped all three games in its weekend series at No. 3 University of Florida.
Ole Miss has lost 12 of its last 15 games, including 11 of its last 12 in conference play.
“It has been a learning and growing process as we get to know each other, players and coaches” said Thees, who was hired from the University of Memphis. “Each weekend, we are playing some of the best softball teams the world has to offer. It is a tough way to learn. However, I like the way the kids have responded. We are leaning how to play as a team and learning how to communicate.
“Even though we have back slided some the last couple of weeks, we are stressing the importance of playing all seven innings, playing all 21 outs. I think the pressures and stresses of the season have gotten to this team of late.”
Ole Miss has only played 14 home games so far this season, so the Rebels are happy to be at home. On the other hand, MSU is 8-4 in true road games this season. Only 14 Division I teams have more road victories this season.
“Playing on the road is a tough challenge,” Stuedeman said. “It really takes a mentally tough group of players. We try to simplify things. No matter who you are playing or where you are playing, a ball is still a ball, a throw is still a throw, a catch is still a catch. Our league has some of the best fans in the world.
“We tell our players those fans are there encouraging you, not discouraging you. If someone is chanting something, we change it around in our minds to something positive. Our mental outlook has been very good on the road. We hope that carries over into the weekend ahead.”
Stuedeman and Thees have known each other for several years and claim a friendship. Both share a lot of common philosophies. Both are big at “living in the moment.” Both also understand the daunting task that lies ahead. Each is trying to build a national contender in a state, where high school fast-pitch softball is still the new kid on the block.
At the college level, state schools William Carey University and Belhaven University have been regulars in the NAIA national championship tournament. The University of Southern Mississippi has slipped the past decade after making the state’s only two Women’s College World Series appearances in 1999 and 2000.
MSU has made eight NCAA tournament appearances, with the last coming in 2009. Southern Miss has made four NCAA tournament appearances, with the last coming in 2004. Ole Miss has never made postseason play, and has only two winning seasons in program history.
“When you are rebuilding something, you can’t look at the big picture,” Thees said. “You get overwhelmed real quick if you do that. You have to worry about being great in the moment. Even if you lose a game, you look back at moments where you were good.
“The challenge then is to put more of the moments together.”
Stuedeman came to Starkville last season after 11 seasons as pitching coach at the University of Alabama. An Alabama native, Stuedeman hesitates to refer to her former employer by name. MSU football coach Dan Mullen doesn’t refer to Ole Miss by name, instead calling it “The School Up North.”
The softball Bulldogs prefer to take a businesslike approach to the latest chapter in their biggest rivalry.
“The rivalry transcends all sports,” Stuedeman said. “There will be an edge in the stadium this weekend. However, we want to keep it between the lines. I want the players excited because it is a chance to play another game, not because it is Ole Miss. You then take that excitement and take that edge and channel it into something good for your team.”
Thees built Memphis’ softball program from scratch. She won 184 games in six seasons, including a school-record 36 last season, when Memphis made the NCAA tournament for the first time in 2001.
For the Arizona native, playing the rival is the next opponent on the schedule. At least, that is the mind-set as game day approaches.
“We have played four straight ranked opponents in conference play,” Thees said. “Then you finally get home and get an unranked opponent. That opponent turns out to be your rival.
“But that is what you signed up for when you play in this league. Every weekend is like that. We will be ready to play.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.