Choctaw Sports Night celebrates MC student-athletes’ accomplishments in the classroom, on the field

Daniel Lang, director of economic development for the city of Flowood and a former first-team All-American Southwest Conference performer for the Mississippi College men’s soccer team, is the featured speaker for Choctaw Sports Night.

Each spring, members of Mississippi College’s athletic department – the student-athletes and coaches who represent the University in each of 17 varsity sports, team trainers and managers, cheerleaders, on-field personnel and leadership staff – gather for Choctaw Sports Night.

The exclusive banquet provides them an opportunity to enjoy fellowship, reflect on their hard work in the classroom and on the field of play, and celebrate their accomplishments.

MC alum Daniel Lang will keynote the fourth-annual event, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, April 14, in Anderson Hall in the B.C. Rogers Student Center. Lang currently serves as director of economic development for the city of Flowood. During his time at MC, he was a first-team All-American Southwest Conference performer for the Choctaws men’s soccer team in 2012; he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in business administration in 2015.

Sponsored by MC Athletics, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the M Club, the banquet emphasizes the importance of SAAC and what it embodies while recognizing the success of student-athletes and teams throughout their seasons, said MC Head Softball Coach Leigh Streetman, a SAAC sponsor who helped plan the event.

“It is also a time to recognize the success of student-athletes in the classroom while being excellent on the field or court,” said Streetman, a Birmingham, Alabama, native. “It is a night all athletes, coaches and support staff are together in the same room, reminiscing on what a fantastic year it has been for Choctaw Athletics.”

Breann Bell, a senior biology major from Lexington, Mississippi, who competes on the MC women’s track and cross country teams, said the theme of this year’s Choctaw Sports Night – “Under the Stars” – sets an aspirational tone for the banquet.

“The theme is fitting because we treat the banquet as a formal event, a time to dress up and take pictures with your teammates outside of your sports uniform,” said Bell, who serves as vice president of SAAC. “In essence, it combines the beauty of nature with the high-reaching ambition of athletes, making it an inspiring choice for a celebration of achievement.”

Choctaw Sports Night will include a “highlight reel” of all Choctaw athletic teams, Lang’s keynote address and a recognition of all team and individual award recipients.

SAAC President Braedon Methvin, a senior biology education major from Thibodaux, Louisiana, and a member of the MC men’s track and cross country squads, appreciates the camaraderie student-athletes share at the banquet.

“Too often, I believe student-athletes get comfortable in their own little corner of the world,” he said. “I look forward to having every team see each other’s achievements.

“I would like every Choctaw to experience pride for themselves, their neighbors and all that they’ve learned this year.”