MSU Club Unified Sports travels to Wisconsin for NIRSA basketball championship
Contact: Mary Pollitz
STARKVILLE, Miss.—The excitement of March Madness continues this month as Mississippi State’s Unified Club Sports basketball team, comprised of MSU students and Special Olympics athletes, travels to Wisconsin next week [April 9-14] for the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association National Championship. It’s the first appearance for MSU Unified basketball on the national stage.
The Bulldogs will compete against various teams from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, Purdue University, University of Oregon, University of Toledo, University of Louisville and University of Iowa. The MSU Unified flag football team has competed in NIRSA regional championships in years past.
MSU’s Special Olympics College Program, also known as Unified, is a club sport program that focuses on people with intellectual disabilities and opens the door for these individuals to come together to compete with other athletes. Led by student club co-presidents Trace Cockrell, a junior industrial engineering major from Saltillo, and Erin Wigginton, a junior special education major from Saltillo, the program offers eight different sports and activities for athletes to compete in each year.
“Each week, our athletes give everything they have in practice to prepare for this moment,” Cockrell said. “The great times and memories they will gain from this tournament will truly reward all of their hard work. MSU’s Unified Club gives these athletes an opportunity to travel and compete against schools across the country, and it’s an incredible experience for them.”
Wigginton added this national competition gives these Unified athletes a well-rounded experience beyond a simple basketball game.
“It’s more than just a competition, it’s a life-changing experience for every athlete and partner able to go,” she said. “Our athletes get to showcase their skills on a national stage, form lifelong friendships and most of all inspire our partners and the rest of the world by demonstrating the power of perseverance and inclusion.”
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.