Missouri Southern Lions

Athletic teams representing Missouri Southern State University

Missouri Southern Lions

University| Missouri Southern State University
Conference| The MIAA
NCAA| Division II
Athletic director| Rob Mallory
Location| Joplin, Missouri
Varsity teams| 12
Football stadium| Fred G. Hughes Stadium
Basketball arena| Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Baseball stadium| Warren Turner Field
Mascot| Roary the Lion
Nickname| Lions
Fight song| Southern Fight Song
Colors| Green and gold[1]

Website| mssulions.com

The Missouri Southern Lions are composed of 12 teams representing Missouri Southern State University in intercollegiate athletics. The Lions compete in the NCAA Division II and are members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.

## Sports sponsored

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Men's sports  | Women's sports

|

Baseball | Basketball
Basketball | Cross country
Cross country | Soccer
Football | Softball
Golf | Track and field†
Track and field† | Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

### Baseball

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MIAA logo in Missouri Southern's colors

Missouri Southern has had 14 Major League Baseball draft selections since the draft began in 1965.[2] Additionally, Logan VanWey, who signed with the Houston Astros as an undrafted free agent in 2022, made his major league debut with the Astros in 2025.

Year  | Player  | Round  | Team

|
|
|

1981 | Randy Braun | 12  | Astros
1984 | Michael Gildehaus | 20  | Padres
1990 | Daniel Rogers | 8  | Tigers
1991 | Timothy Casper | 55  | Giants
1991 | Ken Grundt | 53  | Giants
1991 | Timothy Luther | 12  | Giants
1992 | David Fisher | 29  | Phillies
1995 | Scott Wright | 41  | Reds
1995 | Bryce Darnell | 40  | Cardinals
1996 | Bryce Darnell | 58  | Diamondbacks
2005 | Jeffrey Taylor | 24  | Nationals
2009 | Justin Beal | 28  | Phillies
2010 | Joseph Lincoln | 34  | Dodgers
2014  | Logan Moon  | 6  | Royals
2017 | Max Hogan | 32  | Orioles

### Football

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Main article: Missouri Southern Lions football

## National championships

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### Team

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Sport  | Association  | Division  | Year  | Opponent/Runner-up  | Score/Points

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|
|
|
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Softball (1)  | NCAA | Division II | 1992 | Cal State Hayward | 1–0

## Mascot

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As of 2012 the Mascot's official name has become Roary the Lion. He made his debut at the October 6, 2012, Homecoming game against the South Dakota Mines. He is a staple at all home sporting events, as well as throughout the community of Joplin.

## Facilities

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* Warren Turner Field (opened in 2015) is named after long-time MSSU baseball coach Warren Turner. The year 2015 marked the first time the MSSU Baseball Program played on campus in more than 40 years. The first game played on the field was February 14, 2015, against Upper Iowa University. A formal dedication of the field occurred on April 18, 2015.[3]
* Fred G. Hughes Stadium (opened in 1975) is named after former Joplin Globe publisher and Missouri Southern board of regents member (1965–1981) Fred G. Hughes (1913–1994).[4] Due to a large financial donation by the Robert W. Plaster Foundation, the stadium is expected to be renamed in his honor in the near future, though the plaza at the entrance to the stadium may be named after Hughes. The stadium's artificial turf was replaced in 2003.[5]
* Leggett & Platt Athletic Center (opened in 1999) is named for Leggett & Platt, a major manufacturing firm located in Carthage, Missouri. Leggett & Platt was a major donor for the construction of this facility. The facility seats more than 3,200 for basketball and other indoor sports. It also includes an indoor track and field facility.[6]
* Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium (opened in 1968) is named after Robert Ellis Young (1919–1995). Young had represented the area in the Missouri House of Representatives. The 1,700-seat gymnasium was home to the university's basketball teams from 1968 until 1999, when they moved to the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. The school's volleyball team currently uses the facility. The university's swimming pool is also located in this building.[7]

## Fight song

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Southern Fight Song is the official fight song for Missouri Southern State University.[8] The MSSU Fight Song lyrics were selected during a contest conducted in late 2012 and early 2013. Until the winner was announced at the Lions vs. Central Oklahoma Bronchos basketball game Thursday, February 21, 2013 in Leggett & Platt Athletic Center, only the musical score existed.[8]

## Athletics tragedies

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* On September 27, 2005 head football coach John Ware experienced a severe heart attack while working in his campus office. Coaching staff administered CPR at the scene but Ware was pronounced dead on arrival at a Joplin hospital a short time later. Ware was in his second year as the Lions' head coach.[9]
* In the early morning on Friday, December 2, 2011, two Missouri Southern football players were killed in an automobile accident that injured two other students. Michael McCrimmons and Diondre Johnson, both 19-year-old freshmen from Springfield, Missouri died in the crash; the vehicle ran off the road on Interstate 44 about two miles east of Sarcoxie, Missouri. A vigil was being planned for the students, according to President Bruce W. Speck.[10][11]
* On the night of November 1, 2013, Missouri Southern football offensive line coach Derek Moore was shot outside a Joplin theater and later died at an area hospital. Moore was in his first year on the Missouri Southern coaching staff after spending the previous three seasons at Western Illinois University. Due to the shooting death school officials cancelled Homecoming activities.[12]

## References

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1. ^ Missouri Southern State University Official Brand Guidelines (PDF). June 1, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
2. ^ "MLB Amateur Draft Picks who came from "Missouri Southern State University (Joplin, MO)"". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
3. ^ "Facilities".
4. ^ "Fred G. Hughes Stadium". mssulions.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015.
5. ^ "Fred G. Hughes Stadium - Joplin MO - College Football Stadiums on Waymarking.com". waymarking.com.
6. ^ "The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center". mssulions.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2014.
7. ^ "Missouri Southern". mssulions.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2014.
8. ^ a b "Fight Song". mssu.edu. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013.
9. ^ "Missouri Southern football coach dies". The Joplin Independent via website. September 27, 2005. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
10. ^ "Michael McCrimmons, Diondre Johnson Dead: Crash Kills 2 Missouri Southern Football Players". The Huffington Post.
11. ^ "Sports Illustrated article on 2 football players killed in automobile accident in 2011". Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
12. ^ "MSSU assistant football coach killed in shooting". Associated Press via KTVO-TV website. November 2, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2013.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Missouri Southern State University athletics.

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Missouri Southern State University

Academics|

* School of Arts & Sciences
* Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration
* School of Education
* School of Health Sciences

Athletics|

* Overview: Missouri Southern Lions (Conference)

| Teams|

* Football

|

Facilities|

* Fred G. Hughes Stadium
* Joe Becker Stadium

Student life|

* The Chart

Established: 1937 – Students: 5,721 (Fall 2015)

* v
* t
* e

Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association

Full members|

* Arkansas–Fort Smith Lions
* Central Missouri Mules & Jennies
* Central Oklahoma Bronchos
* Emporia State Hornets
* Fort Hays State Tigers
* Missouri Southern Lions
* Missouri Western Griffons
* Nebraska–Kearney Lopers
* Newman Jets
* Northeastern State RiverHawks
* Northwest Missouri Bearcats
* Pittsburg State Gorillas
* Rogers State Hillcats
* Washburn Ichabods

Associate members|

* Augustana Vikings1
* Harding Bisons1
* Ouachita Baptist Tigers1
* Southeastern Oklahoma Savage Storm1
* Southern Arkansas Muleriders1
* Ouachita Baptist Tigers2

* 1men's tennies
* 2men's wrestling

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