Latest news with #ZacSelmon
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Could Oklahoma hire Mississippi State's Zac Selmon as athletic director? Here's what it would take
This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy. STARKVILLE — Oklahoma needs a new athletic director, and it could impact Mississippi State. Joe Castiglione announced his planned retirement as the Sooners AD on July 8 at a news conference. The plan is for him to remain in the role until a new AD is hired, then Castiglione would be emeritus athletic director until June 30, 2028. Advertisement Mississippi State athletic director Zac Selmon was quickly mentioned in media reports as a candidate to replace Castiglione because of his ties to OU. How realistic is it that Selmon could depart for Oklahoma? Here's what that could look like. How Zac Selmon is connected to Oklahoma Selmon was hired as the Mississippi State athletic director in January 2023 after spending a long time at Oklahoma. He worked there from 2015-23 under Castiglione, serving various roles as an associate athletic director. Selmon played football at Wake Forest, but got his master's degree at Oklahoma in 2010 and was a graduate assistant in the athletic department. His father, Dewey Selmon, and uncle Lee Roy Selmon both played football at Oklahoma before playing in the NFL. Zac Selmon's contract buyout at Mississippi State Selmon signed a contract extension in February that ties him as the MSU athletic director through Jan. 31, 2029. His salary is $1.25 million this year, and would increase by $25,000 annually each time MSU renewed the contract. Advertisement The buyout is 75% of his remaining salary if he goes to an SEC school. Oklahoma joined the SEC in 2024. A termination date of Aug. 1 would put his buyout just over $3.2 million. What Oklahoma said about AD candidates Oklahoma president Joseph Harroz Jr. said on July 8 that the school wants to hire "Joe 2.0." Castiglione has been the Oklahoma AD since 1998 and is the longest-tenured current AD in major college sports. "The athletic director we are looking for next is someone that can identify the landscape and act," Harroz said. "I think a lot of people could have identified it and had identified it before Oklahoma and Texas made their move (to the SEC). But Joe identified it, and said, 'We got to move,' and then that took place. So, when we look at the attributes that we need for the next athletic director, it's someone that has both the vision, an understanding of the landscape and the ability to act." Advertisement Randall Stephenson, the former AT&T chairman and CEO, is leading the search for Oklahoma. He's been an executive adviser to Harroz and Castiglione since December. Harroz said a search committee will be announced soon, with Castiglione as an adviser. What Zac Selmon has accomplished as Mississippi State athletic director Selmon inherited a challenging situation at MSU, being hired one month after the death of football coach Mike Leach. The football program has struggled in the two seasons since then. It went 5-7 in 2023 with coach Zach Arnett — hired before Selmon — and 2-10 in 2024 in coach Jeff Lebby's first season, hired by Selmon from Oklahoma. The men's basketball team has made the NCAA tournament three consecutive years and the women's basketball team has in two of the past three seasons. The baseball program has made two consecutive NCAA regionals, despite firing coach Chris Lemonis in April. Selmon hired Virginia's Brian O'Connor as the new coach, giving O'Connor a contract that pays him as one of the top coaches in college baseball. Softball, tennis and soccer have had recent success, too. Advertisement MORE: Inside Brian O'Connor's first month as Mississippi State baseball coach: Ace Reese and more Mississippi State announced eight seven-figure donations in the 2024 fiscal year — a school record. That included an $8 million donation in September, the second largest in MSU athletics history, to form the State Excellence Fund. LED lights are being installed at the football stadium for the 2025 season. A 10-year master facilities plan was unveiled in January. In May, a $60 million project to build a football indoor practice facility was announced. Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@ and follow him on X @sklarsam_. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Could Oklahoma hire Mississippi State's Zac Selmon as athletic director?
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mississippi State Baseball Makes Major Announcement as Season Ends
Mississippi State Baseball Makes Major Announcement as Season Ends originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The run is over. And just like that, Mississippi State's 2025 campaign ends not with a bang, but with a new manager. Advertisement Hail State managed to round up some late-season magic, knocking off Northeastern and snapping the Huskies' jaw-dropping 27-game win streak in their opening regional game. But the dream fizzled fast, as two straight losses to regional host Florida State brought the curtain down on a rollercoaster season. The Seminoles didn't just win—they bulldozed their way through, reasserting their dominance. But even as the final out came, the next chapter was already taking shape. Mississippi State didn't wait long to signal a new beginning. Athletic Director Zac Selmon turned to X (formerly Twitter) to tease the coming news. But this wasn't your typical press release. Selmon posted a short clip of maroon smoke rising from a grill in the Left Field Lounge. For the uninitiated, it was a clever riff on Vatican tradition, where white smoke signals the election of a new Pope. The timing wasn't lost on anyone, especially with the recent announcement of Pope Leo XIV just weeks prior. In Starkville, the smoke meant one thing that a new head coach was coming. Brian O'Connor will be taking over in Starkville. Advertisement The longtime Virginia skipper is one of the most respected names in college baseball. During his 21 seasons in Charlottesville, O'Connor turned the Cavaliers into a national power—winning a College World Series title in 2015, making seven trips to Omaha, and stacking up a career 885–370–2 record. He's a five-time conference coach of the year with two ACC championships under his belt. His teams won 60% of their conference games. This isn't just a good hire. It's a power move. And make no mistake about it, Mississippi State needed one. 'We have not consistently met the standard of success that our university, fans, and student-athletes deserve,' Selmon said in a statement. 'A change in leadership is what's best for the future of Mississippi State Baseball.' Related: Why Mississippi State Baseball should be a highly prestigious position There's talent in Starkville—that much was clear during the late-season push under interim coach Justin Parker, who guided the Bulldogs to wins in nine of their final ten regular-season games. They went 1–3 in postseason play, but the spark was real. Advertisement Now, O'Connor steps into the teeth of the SEC—undeniably the most competitive conference in college baseball. It's a gauntlet, even for a seasoned veteran. But this is Mississippi State. The expectations are sky-high, the fans are locked in, and the smoke has cleared. It's time to see what comes next. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MSU Athletics receives $1.5 million gift
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WJTV) – Mississippi State Athletics has received a $1.5 million gift from a family of long-time MSU Athletics supporters who reside in Starkville. 'We are deeply grateful to this generous family for their direct support of Mississippi State Athletics,' Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. 'This gift will create a lasting impact on our sports programs and provide vital resources for our student-athletes. This family exemplifies relentless work ethic and their passion for Mississippi State is insurmountable. Their belief in our vision and dedication to our success is truly inspiring, and we are thankful for their partnership in our pursuit to build the brightest future possible for Bulldog Athletics.' Mississippi State unveils dates for 2025 Spring Game, Super Bulldog Weekend This investment will support MSU's State Excellence Fund, which advances efforts to elevate the department and its programs. 'As a family with strong connections to Mississippi State, we've seen firsthand the impact Bulldog Athletics has on its athletes, students and the community,' the family said. 'This gift to the State Excellence Fund reflects our full support for the vision for our future. In a rapidly evolving landscape of college sports, we want to help Mississippi State compete on a national level consistently. Supporting the department's initiatives is essential for the continued success of our student-athletes and the future growth of the program.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
