Hall of Fame & Football
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Mississippi State department of athletics announced Tuesday its 2007 inductees to the MSU Sports Hall of Fame. This year’s recipients are former football standout Sam Nichols Jr., former women’s tennis player Debbie Swindoll and former baseball standout Curt Monroe.
The trio will be honored during pre-game ceremonies prior to the MSU-Tennessee contest, Oct. 13.
A letterman from 1973-76, Nichols was an All-SEC selection three consecutive seasons. The Gulfport, Miss., native was on State’s 1974 team that finished the year 9-3, which included a victory over North Carolina in the Sun Bowl.
For the past 30 years, Nichols has served in the United States Army. Now a Colonel, Nichols has earned many decorations including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal.
A native of Winona, Miss., former Lady Bulldog tennis player Debbie Dotson Swindoll was the first female full scholarship tennis athlete at MSU, lettering from 1979-82. While at State, Swindoll was a member of the Mississippi Women’s Collegiate All-State Team and was the only Lady Bulldog ever selected for the AIAW Championships.
Since departing MSU, Swindoll has worked as a tennis professional and has been very active as a volunteer with the United States Tennis Association. Among many honors, Swindoll was named the 2002 Mississippi Tennis Professional of the Year by the United States Professional Tennis Association.
Curt Monroe lettered in baseball at MSU in 1952 and ‘53. A starting pitcher for the Maroons, Monroe compiled a 4-2 record with a 2.84 ERA during the 1952 season. His greatest success came during the ‘53 season when State won the SEC Western Division title. Monroe went 6-1 with a 3.20 ERA in SEC play that year.
After leaving Starkville, Monroe served in the United States Army for two years before returning to Mississippi to coach baseball.
On the practice field Tuesday, head football coach Sylvester Croom continued to lament mistakes made by his receiving corps.
"We have too many penalties being made by the wide receivers," Croom said. "Some of the guys who are making the mistakes shouldn’t be. They’ve been here the longest."
MSU practiced just once Tuesday, but did hit the weight room in the afternoon.