JACKSON, Miss. – It was another successful and exciting year for all 18 Millsaps College Department of Athletics programs in 2023-24. Here is a look back at the top athletic moment from each team in chronological order as well as some additional highlights for each.

Women's Soccer – Majors Open 2023 Season in Emphatic Fashion 

• Sept. 1 | Graduate Mary Ranager connected on two headers to lift the Majors over Huntingdon, 3-0 in the season opener. Sophomore Alexa Dubrow put the match out of reach in the 65th minute and classmate Emily Lozano earned the shutout with five saves. 

Other Women's Soccer Major Notables 

• Sept. 17 & 26: Hard-Fought Road Draws | Millsaps battled to a scoreless tie at Centenary in mid-September courtesy of four Lozano saves and later tied Huntingdon, 1-1 on the road with a freshman Alex Bremond tally in the 72nd minute. 
   
• All-SAA | Sophomore Ally Hearn (Honorable Mention), Graduate Mary Ranager (Honorable Mention)
   

Men's Soccer – Stegeman and Dowdy Propel Majors Past Tougaloo

• Sept. 26 | Seniors Connor Stegeman and Jacks Dowdy linked up twice as goal scorer and passer, helping the Majors dispatch Tougaloo, 2-0. Stegeman's first tally arose with two seconds remaining in the first half before putting the match away with his second in the 69th minute. Sophomore keeper Michael Hamauei pushed aside all five shots he faced for his second collegiate shutout.

Other Men's Soccer Major Notables 

• Sept. 7 & Oct. 24: Late-Match Heroics | Junior Kade Folse tallied the thrilling, game-tying marker with 18 seconds to play at ETBU in early September. Hamauei stopped an incredible 15 of 17 shots on target in the contest. Graduate Nicolas Nieto also found the back of the net in the 86th minute to pull the Majors even at MUW in the regular-season finale. 
   
• All-SAA | Senior Jacks Dowdy (Honorable Mention), Sophomore Michael Hamauei (Honorable Mention), Graduate Nicolas Nieto (Honorable Mention)

Volleyball – Claws Back from 2-0 Deficit to Overcome BSC 

• Oct. 4 | The Majors found the resolve and fought back from a 2-0 match deficit, downing Birmingham-Southern in five sets. Junior Zoe Elder (34 assists, 14 digs) and senior Brenna Macaluso (12 kills, 13 digs) recorded double-doubles in the exciting comeback. It was the last-ever meeting between the two programs on the volleyball court. 

Other Volleyball Major Notables 

• Sept. 15 & 16: Our House | The Majors dominated three matches while hosting the Millsaps Invitational. Millsaps swept Belhaven University and Huntingdon College before dispatching the University of Dallas in four sets.
   
• Sept-Oct: Double Trouble | Millsaps defeated Belhaven University, the University of Dallas and Oglethorpe University not once, but twice during the 2023 campaign.
   
• All-SAA | Brenna Macaluso (Second Team), Senior Margaret Richardson (Second Team), Junior Anna Capezzera (Honorable Mention) 
   
• SAA Offensive Athlete of the Week | Junior Anna Capezzera (Sept. 5)
   
• SAA Defensive Athlete of the Week | Senior Margaret Richardson (Oct. 2, Nov. 6)
   

Women's Cross Country – Finishing Season on Right Foot 

• Oct. 28 | Millsaps set three personal bests at the 2023 SAA Cross Country Championships. Junior Tyler Hamby, junior Abby Henry and freshman Elle Powers bettered their top times, while juniors Sarah Strickland (25th) and Fran Edwards (40th) paced the Majors. 

 Other Women's Cross Country Major Notables

• Nov. 11: South Region Preview | After finishing 25th at the SAA meet, Strickland competed in her second consecutive South Region race and it was her third time qualifying overall. Millsaps will host the 2024 NCAA Division III South Region Championships in Clinton on Nov. 16, 2024.
   

Men's Cross Country – Freshman Leads the Way

• Nov. 11 | Freshman Greer Hernandez became the first All-Region finisher in Millsaps men's cross country history by placing 34th at the 2023 NCAA Division III South Region Championships in Mount Berry, Ga. He also posted the fastest eight-kilometer time in program history (26 minutes, 9.75 seconds). The Broussard, La., product qualified for the meet after placing 24th at the SAA Cross Country Championship two weeks prior.  

 Other Men's Cross Country Major Notables 

• Oct. 28: Peaking at the Right Time | Millsaps men's cross country posted four personal bests at the SAA Cross Country Championship and finished fifth as a team.
   
• NCAA Division III Cross Country All-Region | Freshman Greer Hernandez 
   

Football – Ethan Klapatch Named AFCA Coaches' Second Team All-American

• Dec. 11 | Junior punter Ethan Klapatch made the 2023 American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches' All-American Team, garnering Second Team Specialist status. Klapatch became the first Major to earn All-American recognition since 2019. He also was the first punter to be named to the D3football.com Team of the Week four times in a calendar year.

Other Football Major Notables

• Sept. 30: Road Warriors | The Majors battled back to down Birmingham-Southern, 14-8 in Alabama. Junior Connor Ladner hauled in a pair of touchdown catches and the Millsaps defense held strong with three interceptions. 
   
• All-SAA | Junior Ethan Klapatch (First Team Defense), Senior Temias Mason (Second Team Offense), Freshman Jeremiah Hall (Honorable Mention), Sophomore Braylon Wills (Honorable Mention) 
   
• D3football.com All-Region 3 Third Team Defense | Junior Ethan Klapatch 
   
• D3football.com Team of the Week | Junior Ethan Klapatch (Sept. 26, Oct. 3 & 31, Nov. 7) 
   
• SAA Special Teams Athlete of the Week | Junior Ethan Klapatch (Sept. 25, Oct. 30) 
   
• William V. Campbell Trophy Semifinalist | Senior Conner Rucker 
   
• Juan Joseph Memorial Award Recipient | Senior D.B. Bennett
   

Men's Basketball – Best Conference Start in 16 Years 

• Jan. 14 | Millsaps opened its SAA schedule with a 4-2 record by besting Birmingham-Southern, Sewanee, Centre and Hendrix. A quartet of Majors reached double figures in scoring as the Majors bested the Warriors, 71-62 on the road. It established the best start in conference play since the 2007-08 season. 

 Other Men's Basketball Major Notables 

• Jan. 5: Majors Bounce Defending SAA Champions | Freshman Cameron Lumar netted a double-double (14 points, 13 rebounds) and sophomore Dakota Gasca chipped in a game-high 20 points as the Majors bested Sewanee, the defending SAA Tournament champions, 83-71 inside the Hangar Dome. 
   
• All-SAA | Freshman Cameron Lumar (Honorable Mention)
   

Men's Swimming and Diving – Program Continues to Raise the Bar 

• Feb. 7-10 | The records continued to fall for Millsaps men's swimming and diving in the fifth season of the program's existence. The 4x800-yard freestyle relay squad of sophomores Brian Ridner, Jackson Van Meter, Ben Anderson and Andrew Meadows and freshman distance swimmer Payton Jones (1650-yard freestyle) set records at the conference meet. Anderson also made the All-SAA Second Team in the 100-yard freestyle. Additionally, the Majors established four other school records at the Delta State Thanksgiving Invitational in November. 

Other Men's Swimming and Diving Major Notables 

• Oct. 28 & Jan. 10: Winning Ways | Millsaps downed Centenary College on two occasions during the regular season, twice. First at home (121-90) in Flowood, Miss. on Oct. 28 and on the road (122-95) in Shreveport, La. on Jan. 10. 
   
• All-SAA | Sophomore Ben Anderson (Second Team 100-Yard Freestyle)
   
• SAA Men's Swimming Athlete of the Week | Sophomore Ben Anderson (Oct. 17, Nov. 8 & 22)
   

Women's Swimming and Diving – Record-Point Total at SAA Championship 

• Feb. 7-10 | It was a tremendous finish to the season for the Majors as the team tallied the most points ever at the conference meet with 218.5. The Millsaps women's swimming and diving program placed sixth as a squad, tying a team best which competed in its fifth SAA Championship. A total of five school records also fell at the meet, including the 200- and 800- yard freestyle relays, 200- and 400-yard medley relays and 100-yard backstroke.

Other Women's Swimming and Diving Major Notables 

• Oct. 28: Thrilling Two-Point Victory over Centenary | It came down to the 14th and final event of the meet, but the 400-yard freestyle relay secured a head-to-head win pushing Millsaps past Centenary, 119-117. 
   
• Nov. 17-19: Mid-Season Form | The Majors made a big splash at the Delta State Thanksgiving Invitational by establishing nine school records right before the Holiday Break. 
   
• SAA Women's Swimming Athlete of the Week | Junior Kat Burns (Oct. 17)
   

Baseball – The Unhittable Mr. Wood 

• Feb. 23 | Millsaps baseball graduate pitcher Wil Wood tossed a career-high 16 strikeouts and no-hit Westminster in the opening weeks of the season. He remarkably only faced 22 batters in the seven-inning triumph, marking the first Millsaps no-hitter since 2014. Wood would eventually be named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Div. III Pitcher of the Month after striking out 34 of 64 batters faced, while only walking four batters against seven hits in 18.0 IP throughout February. 

 Other Baseball Major Notables 

• March 24: Hall of Famer Secures 850th Career Victory | Millsaps head baseball coach Jim Page, a 2023 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Inductee, recorded his 850th career victory when the Majors downed Sewanee, 8-5. Page's 851 wins currently ranks ninth among active NCAA Division III baseball coaches. 
   
• NCBWA Div. III Pitcher of the Month | Graduate Wil Wood (Feb. 28)
   
• All-SAA | Junior Nick Tarantino (Second Team Starting Pitcher), Graduate Wil Wood (Second Team Starting Pitcher), Junior Evan Scott (Honorable Mention)
   
• D3baseball.com Baseball Team of the Week | Graduate Wil Wood (Feb. 28)
   
• SAA Baseball Player of the Week | Junior Bradley Pelle (Feb. 12)
   
• SAA Baseball Pitcher of the Week | Junior Bradley Pelle (Feb. 12 & 26)
   

Women's Basketball – SAA Championship Crowns 

• Feb. 25 | The Hangar Dome was packed with 350 boisterous fans as the Millsaps women's basketball team claimed its first-ever SAA Tournament Title. Junior Haley Franklin netted 35 points to help propel the Majors to a 68-63 triumph over Centre College. Millsaps also hosted the Second Round and Championship game of the SAA Women's Basketball Tournament after claiming the SAA regular-season crown. 

 Other Women's Basketball Major Notables 

• Feb. 24: Leader in the Boardroom | Sophomore Elyse Warren broke the single-game program record with a jaw-dropping 24 rebounds in the SAA Second Round. She also tallied a program-high 313 boards for the season and 10.8 rebounds per game. Warren was a double-double machine tallying 13, while averaging 11.1 points per contest. 
   
• Feb. 25: Frankly the Best | Franklin eclipsed 1,000-career points and bettered her own single-season school scoring record, finishing with 526 points. She also netted the most single-season field goals made (187), field goals attempted (404) and free throws attempted (221) for a Major. 
   
• Feb. 25: Getting Those Dubs | Millsaps achieved several winning accolades in 2023-24. The Majors secured the most wins in program history (24) and home-court victories (16-0). It was the first unblemished home schedule since 2013-14. Lastly, Millsaps posted the most conference wins (12-2) since 2018-19.
   
• March 1: Returning to the Dance | Winning the SAA Tournament advanced the Majors to their third NCAA Division III Tournament and first since 1995-96. There were no conference tournaments during the 1995 and 1996 NCAA appearances. The 2024 return to the 'Big Dance' saw the Majors face No. 1 and eventual national champion NYU in the NCAA First Round. 
   
• WBCA Honorable Mention All-American | Junior Haley Franklin 
   
• All-Region 6 First Team | Junior Haley Franklin 
   
• Region 6 Coach of the Year | Justin LeBlanc 
   
• SAA Women's Basketball Tournament MVP | Junior Haley Franklin 
   
• SAA Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team | Junior Haley Franklin, Sophomore Elyse Warren 
   
• SAA Coach of the Year | Justin LeBlanc 
   
• SAA Women's Basketball Player of the Year | Junior Haley Franklin
   
• All-SAA | Junior Haley Franklin (First Team), Sophomore Elyse Warren (Second Team), Freshman Garin Freeman (Honorable Mention) 
   
• D3hoops.com Women's Basketball Team of the Week | Junior Haley Franklin (Dec. 19) 
   
• SAA Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week | Sophomore Elyse Warren (Dec. 4, Jan. 29); Junior Haley Franklin (Jan. 8, Feb. 12)
   

Women's Track and Field – No Record is Safe 

• March 2 & April 26 | The Millsaps women's track and field squad totaled two school records during the outdoor campaign and equaled the men's team with eight top-five competitors in the school record books. The 4x100-meter relay mark fell with a time of 50.01 seconds and the triple jump distance was cleared by sophomore Eleanor Scott. 

Other Women's Track and Field Major Notables 

• April 26: Ready for Takeoff | Scott leapt 11.48 meters in the long jump at the SAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship, placing third to earn All-SAA Honorable Mention status. Her Millsaps record ranked eighth in the NCAA Division III's South Region and 50th nationally.
   
• All-SAA Honorable Mention | Sophomore Eleanor Scott (Triple Jump)
   

Softball – Perry Owns the Basepaths 

• March 17: Base Thief | Senior Molli Perry collected her 100th career stolen base at Rhodes. Perry amassed 107 by season's end, shattering the previous Millsaps career total of 74. Her 42 stolen bases as a sophomore set an SAA single-season record. 

 Other Softball Major Notables 

• March 29: Extra-Inning Walk-Off | Millsaps softball bested Centre in a doubleheader and did so in thrilling fashion, securing a 5-4, extra-inning victory in Game 2. Freshman Allana Vasquez doubled home senior Haylie Hoffpauir in the ninth for the walk-off win.
   
• April 6: Freshman Flashes Brilliance | Vasquez had another day to remember a week later at Sewanee. She doubled, homered twice and tied a school record of seven RBIs, which matched the program record set in 2008. 
   
• All-SAA | Freshman Allana Vasquez (First Team Designated Player), Senior Molli Perry (Second Team Outfielder), Senior Katie Norris (Honorable Mention)
   
• SAA Softball All-Tournament Team | Freshman Kadence Cannon 
   
• SAA Softball Pitcher of the Week | Freshman Allana Vasquez (Feb. 12, April 1), Senior Abigail Smith (April 8) 
   
• SAA Softball Player of the Week | Junior Alli Nolen (Feb. 12) 
   
• Molly Tyner Boland Award Recipient | Senior Molli Perry
   

Women's Tennis – Advancing to the SAA Tournament with Ease 

• April 20 | The Millsaps women's tennis program took down Oglethorpe, 5-1 to clinch spot in the SAA Women's Tennis Championship and secured the No. 5 seed for the tournament. The 2024 season marked the first time only the top six conference teams advanced to the postseason.

 Other Women's Tennis Major Notables 

• April 14: Senior Day Thriller | After jumping ahead 2-1 through doubles, the Majors used singles victories by graduate Camille Fremaux, senior Madison Williams and junior Mary Dabadie to stop Hendrix, 5-4 on Senior Day.
   
• All-SAA Singles | Graduate Camille Fremaux (First Team) / Senior Madison Williams (Second Team) 
   
• All-SAA Doubles | Graduate Camille Fremaux (Second Team) / Senior Madison Williams (Second Team)
   
• SAA Women's Tennis Doubles Athletes of the Week | Graduate Camille Fremaux / Senior Madison Williams (April 16 & 23)
   

Men's Tennis – Continued SAA Recognition

• April 25 | Junior Carson Chassaignac and sophomore Sam Tuli impressed as members of the SAA Men's Tennis Doubles Athletes of the Week in March and a month later were selected All-SAA Doubles by league coaches. Chassaignac was also tabbed to the All-SAA Singles Team. 

 Other Men's Tennis Major Notables 

• March 3: Great Scot | The Majors secured a convincing 7-2 victory, hosting the Maryville College Scots in early March. Millsaps swept through doubles before senior Jakub Bobinski, sophomore Anderson Dulaney, Tuli and junior Sam Willard claimed singles dubs. 
   
• All-SAA Singles | Junior Carson Chassaignac (Second Team) 
   
• All-SAA Doubles | Junior Carson Chassaignac (Second Team) / Sophomore Sam Tuli (Second Team) 
   
• SAA Men's Tennis Doubles Athletes of the Week | Junior Carson Chassaignac / Sophomore Sam Tuli (March 26)
   

Men's Track and Field – Conference Meets Are Where We Shine 

• April 26-27 | The Millsaps men's track and field program set four school records and tallied five All-SAA honorees at the conference meet. Additionally, the Majors registered their third fastest 4x400-meter relay on record, while freshman Greer Hernandez became the third-fastest runner in the 5000 meters in program history (16 minutes, 4.68 seconds). 

 Other Men's Track and Field Major Notables 

• Feb. 10: Hey Bulldog | Senior Patrick Elliott bettered the 10-year program record in the indoor 3000 meters. His time at Samford's Bulldog Invitational was a sizzling 9 minutes, 7.62 seconds. 
   
• March-April: Record Breakers | Men's track and field amassed four school records and had eight top-five competitors in the school record books by outdoor season's end. Junior Dez'Tavien Frank claimed two records (22.19 seconds, 200 meters; 48.99 seconds, 400 meters), Elliott electrified all season in the 3000-meter steeplechase (9:34.09) and freshman Jermiah Hall leapt to glory in the triple jump (13.72 meters). 
   
• USTFCCCA All-Region | Senior Patrick Elliott (3000-Meter Steeplechase) 
   
• All-SAA Honorable Mention | Senior Patrick Elliott (3000-Meter Steeplechase), Junior Dez' Tavien Frank (4x100-Meter Relay), Freshman Jeremiah Hall (Triple Jump & 4x100-Meter Relay), Freshman Ian McAlpine (4x100-Meter Relay), Graduate Bryan Sullivan (4x100-Meter Relay) 
   
• SAA Men's Field Athlete of the Week | Freshman Jeremiah Hall (March 26)
   

Women's Golf – Junior Golfer Tees Up Unparalleled Success 

• April 26-28 | Junior Annie Piggott finished third to become the highest placer at a conference championship in Millsaps women's golf program history. Her plus-7, three-round score was the lowest since 1992 records were kept in the SAA and SCAC eras by a Major. 

 Other Women's Golf Major Notables 

• Sept.-March: Historic 4-Time Golfer of the Week | Piggott's success stretched throughout the fall and spring calendars as she was named the SAA Women's Golf Athlete of the Week on four occasions. She became the first golfer in conference history to collect four weekly honors in a season. The Lindsay, Ontario, native also won at the Hal Sutton Invitational on March 18, the first Millsaps female golfer to top a tournament since 2013.
   
• All-SAA | Junior Annie Piggott (First Team)
   
• SAA Women's Golf Athlete of the Week | Junior Annie Piggott (Sept. 21, Oct. 5, March 11 & 25) 
   
• 2024 Space City Classic All-Tournament Team | Junior Annie Piggott
   

Men's Golf – Lowest Conference Round Ever 

• April 28 | Excelling at the SAA Men's Golf Championship, the Majors shot a 290 in the third round, which was the lowest ever carded at a conference championship for the team. Freshman Preston Severs (-4), freshman Juan Moral (+1), graduate Krtin Udith (+2) and graduate Price Bryan (+3) combined for the stellar close of the championship. 

Other Men's Golf Major Notables 

• April 26-28: Preston Severs' Exceptional Freshman Campaign | Severs carded an Even par (74-74-68), shooting one stroke behind the winner at the SAA Men's Golf Championship. His third-place showing was the best by a Major at the league championship since 1993. Even par was also the lowest score for Millsaps since 1992 records were kept in the SAA and SCAC.
   
• All-SAA | Freshman Preston Severs (First Team) 
   
• SAA Men's Golf Athlete of the Week | Freshman Preston Severs (Apr. 15 & 22) 

 
 
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