Mississippi College Choctaws
University	Mississippi College
Conference	American Southwest Conference
NCAA	Division III
Athletics director	Mike Jones
Location	Clinton, MS
Varsity teams	16
Football stadium	Robinson-Hale Stadium
Basketball arena	A. E. Wood Coliseum
Nickname	Choctaws
Fight song
Colors	Blue and Gold
Homepage	www.gochoctaws.com

The Mississippi College Choctaws are the athletic teams of Mississippi College. They participate in NCAA's Division III in the competitive 12-member American Southwest Conference under the mascot Choctaws and the school colors of blue and gold. Mississippi College competes in the NCAA in football, basketball (men's and women's), baseball, softball, tennis (men's & women's), golf (men's & women's), soccer (women's), volleyball, track and field (men's outdoor & women's indoor & outdoor), cross country running (men's & women's), equestrian (women's), and table tennis (men's & women's).

[edit] History

The philosophy of intercollegiate athletics at Mississippi College is much the same as the vision statement of Mississippi College. The vision statement reads: "Mississippi College seeks to be a university recognized for academic excellence and commitment to the cause of Christ.”

For years Mississippi College was a dominant force in NCAA Division II athletics. MC won the Division II National Championship in 1989, however, Mississippi College's football tournament participation, along with its NCAA Division II national football championship, were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions for recruiting violations.

The Board of Trustees of Mississippi College voted in March 1995 for the university to become a member of Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the fall of 1997.

Mississippi College currently sponsors 16 sports. Since their transition to Division III in 1997, the Choctaws have won 25 American Southwest Conference championships. In 2007, the College won conference championships in women's cross country and men's basketball. [1]

Mississippi College's biggest rivalry is with Millsaps College in nearby Jackson. After a more than 40 year hiatus, the two teams began meeting on the football field again in 2000. The rivalry is dubbed the Backyard Brawl.

[edit] Athletic facilities

In the summer of 2005 Mississippi College opened new athletic practice fields which support soccer and football. Plans include expansion in the near future which will add an extra practice field as well as two new intramural fields for student flag football, soccer, and general student use.

[edit] Choctaw nickname

In a letter dated February 17, 2006 [2], Mississippi College received word that the NCAA has removed its policy restrictions in the use of the name Choctaw for MC athletics.

Lee Royce, President of the college said, “We are pleased with the ruling from the NCAA giving their approval of our request to remove Mississippi College from the list of institutions subject to the policy’s restrictions. We are very appreciative of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ support of our use of the Choctaw name, and look forward to continuing our mutual relationship of respect and cooperation.”