Mississippi State University head baseball coach Pat McMahon was the featured speaker Thursday night at the alumni meeting of the Adams, Franklin and Wilkinson County Chapter of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association at the Ramada Inn Hilltop.

&uot;When we talk about Mississippi State baseball, we talk about family,&uot; said McMahon. &uot;It’s a tradition.&uot;

McMahon is entering his fourth season as head baseball coach of the Bulldogs, who went 41-20 last year, made it to the Super Regionals in Clemson, S.C., and finished ranked 15th in both the Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America polls in the 2000 season.

&uot;It was the first time we’ve ever played in a Super Regional,&uot; McMahon said.

&uot;I’ve got a lot of confidence in him (McMahon) and his coaching staff,&uot; MSU alumnus Walt Brown said. &uot;If there are any fans who deserve a national championship, it’s Mississippi State’s fans.&uot;

The 2000 season was the first since 1989 that Mississippi State’s baseball program broke a season-ticket record with 4,700, coach McMahon said.

McMahon also talked about the importance of recruiting in the fall.

&uot;Fall is a heavy time for recruiting,&uot; he said. &uot;We’re heavily involved with recruiting right now. We’ve signed 13 players to scholarships. We’re very excited about them.&uot;