Bulldog Bits
Football
Following a breakout sophomore campaign, Bulldog signal caller Nick Fitzgerald has been chosen to the 2017 Maxwell Award watch list, the organization announced Monday.
Since 1937, the Maxwell Award has been given annually to “America's College Player of the Year,” Fitzgerald becomes the first Bulldog named to the watch list since Dak Prescott in 2015.
Fitzgerald led a full-scale assault on the Mississippi State record book in 2016, snapping a total of nine Bulldog records. The junior also set two SEC records while leading the conference in total offense at 3,798. His eight 100-yard rushing performances last season were the most by a quarterback in SEC history, and he also broke the SEC record for a signal caller with an average of 7.1 yards per rush.
Fitzgerald was twice named Southeastern Conference Co Offensive Player of the Week during the year, and capped his stellar sophomore season earning Most Valuable Player honors in the St. Petersburg Bowl. Through just one season as the Bulldogs' full-time starter, Fitzgerald already stands fifth in school history with 43 total touchdowns in his career.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell award will be announced October 30, while the three finalists will be unveiled November 20. The winner will be announced at the Home depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 7.
In other football related news, Starkville native and Mississippi State University wide receiver Gabe Myles was announced as a nominee for the 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®.
Since 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team has been one of the most coveted community service awards in college football, bringing together select student-athletes from all divisions of play to honor their dedication to volunteerism and enriching the lives of others.
The players nominated are uniting the college football community and showing what's possible when you put all hands in and give back. Myles gives back in many ways, including helping Mississippi State University students collect items and bottled water to ship to residents affected by the devastating floods in 2016 that hit south Louisiana and Mississippi, participating in Read Across America annually and the Henderson Walk to School Day, and volunteering for the Christmas Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign.
Track and Field
Three Bulldog national champions have earned the right to compete for World Championships after elite performances in their respective national competitions.
Eight-time All-American Erica Bougard punched her ticket after placing second in the USA Track & Field national championship heptathlon. Bougard owns both the outdoor heptathlon and indoor pentathlon Mississippi State records, and became the first Bulldog multi to ever win an NCAA crown when she took first in the indoor pentathlon in 2013.
The 2016 1500-meter NCAA Champion and 2016 Olympian Marta Freitas also earned a spot representing her native country of Portugal, owning the best 1500-meter time this season. Freitas is also a three-time Southeastern Conference champion and one of just two cross country All-Americans in program history.
The 2014 800-meter NCAA champion Brandon McBride won his fourth Canadian national title in the 800 meters to earn a spot in London. McBride also competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, making it all the way to the semifinal round with a time of 1:45.99.
The three Bulldog legends will be joined by current signee Anderson Peters, who threw a then personal best 83.36 meters in the javelin at the Grenada national championships to earn a spot in the World Championships competition.
The 2017 IAAF World Championships will be held Aug. 4-13 in London, United Kingdom. The competition will take place in the 2012 Olympic Stadium located in Stratford, London.
“Marta, Erica and Brandon are three of the most successful athletes to ever come through our program,” MSU coach Steve Dudley said. “I am so happy to see each of them continuing their careers and making it to one of the biggest stages our sport has to offer. I am also really excited about the future of our program. Anderson Peters is an elite athlete, and is proving that by qualifying for the World Championships before he ever even competes in his first collegiate meet. I am so happy for all of them, and cannot wait to root them on in London.”