Polk's new contract
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 7:39 pm
July 2, 2006
State, Polk to talk new contract soon
The Clarion-Ledger
STARKVILLE — The four-year contract of Mississippi State baseball coach Ron Polk expired June 30, but Polk will be back.
"There is nothing unusual about not having an agreement signed," MSU athletic director Larry Templeton said. "We've been here before. He'll be the baseball coach next season, it's just that he and I haven't sat down to talk."
Polk's most recent four-year contract paid him $190,000, plus profits from baseball camps.
He recently concluded his 32nd season as a collegiate head coach, the 26th at Mississippi State. He's led teams to five Southeastern Conference titles and seven College World Series appearances.
Yet the 2006 season was a tumultuous one. His team started with an 18-0 record and a No. 1 national ranking by Baseball America, then stumbled out of qualifying for the SEC tournament. The year ended in the finals of the Clemson Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
With Polk's contract expiring, and his "no comment" to midseason questions about his future, there was speculation about him stepping down. But after the season and some soul-searching with his players, he decided to return.
Templeton, who is the chairman of the NCAA Baseball Selection Committee, spent nearly two weeks in Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series. He plans to meet with Polk this week.
Templeton would not say how many years the new agreement will be, nor if it will include a raise.
"That's part of our discussion," he said.
# The Mississippi State athletic department said goodbye to two long-time staff members this week. Samye Johnson, the associate AD for women's sports, and Wesley Reed, the associate AD for athletic development, have retired.
Johnson, who began her career as a volleyball coach, concluded her 34 years as an administrator. Reed was an assistant football coach from 1970 to 1996, then became involved with fund-raising.
- Ian R. Rapoport
State, Polk to talk new contract soon
The Clarion-Ledger
STARKVILLE — The four-year contract of Mississippi State baseball coach Ron Polk expired June 30, but Polk will be back.
"There is nothing unusual about not having an agreement signed," MSU athletic director Larry Templeton said. "We've been here before. He'll be the baseball coach next season, it's just that he and I haven't sat down to talk."
Polk's most recent four-year contract paid him $190,000, plus profits from baseball camps.
He recently concluded his 32nd season as a collegiate head coach, the 26th at Mississippi State. He's led teams to five Southeastern Conference titles and seven College World Series appearances.
Yet the 2006 season was a tumultuous one. His team started with an 18-0 record and a No. 1 national ranking by Baseball America, then stumbled out of qualifying for the SEC tournament. The year ended in the finals of the Clemson Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
With Polk's contract expiring, and his "no comment" to midseason questions about his future, there was speculation about him stepping down. But after the season and some soul-searching with his players, he decided to return.
Templeton, who is the chairman of the NCAA Baseball Selection Committee, spent nearly two weeks in Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series. He plans to meet with Polk this week.
Templeton would not say how many years the new agreement will be, nor if it will include a raise.
"That's part of our discussion," he said.
# The Mississippi State athletic department said goodbye to two long-time staff members this week. Samye Johnson, the associate AD for women's sports, and Wesley Reed, the associate AD for athletic development, have retired.
Johnson, who began her career as a volleyball coach, concluded her 34 years as an administrator. Reed was an assistant football coach from 1970 to 1996, then became involved with fund-raising.
- Ian R. Rapoport