All friends and fans of Mississippi Delta Community College Trojan Athletics are invited to attend the 2nd Annual Trojan Black Tie Gala Fundraiser. The date will be Saturday, October 14th and the event will take place at the B.B. King Museum in Indianola, starting at 6 p.m. Tickets for the event are $100 per person and every dollar goes to support Trojan Athletics. This year’s keynote speaker will be MDCC and Delta State University alum, Christian Ostrander, the new head coach of the University of Southern Mississippi baseball team.
Ostrander’s playing career began on the mound at Moorhead as a Trojan then at DSU as a pitcher, then grad assistant coach before moving to the JUCO level at Jones County as head coach and then Arkansas State University, Louisiana Tech and USM as associate coach and pitching coach. But it was his time in the Delta that planted, nurtured and grew his talent to the next level and beyond.
“I know the place, know the program and know the people. I’ll always have a fond memory of my time there and shaping me for where I ended up.”
MDCC President Tyrone Jackson was impressed with the turnout of the inaugural gala and knows the bar is set high for the second.
“I told AD (Jason) Conner that last year’s event will be a tough act to follow. It was first class with all the pomp and circumstance affiliated with a gala,” Dr. Jackson said. “There was a silent auction, the speaker, Coach Polk, did a phenomenal job, the food was wonderful, and I give credit to AD Conner for leading those efforts.”
Dr. Jackson worked with Coach Ostrander when they were both together at DSU. He understands the importance of the event to help the athletic department.
“Ticket sales are in the works and it will be another first-class event. This will serve as a fundraiser opportunity for our athletic department,” Dr. Jackson said. “We have a number of needs in our athletic department. This will serve as an excellent opportunity to support our various needs. We are playing catch-up in our athletic department and I commend Jason for coming up with the idea.”
MDCC Athletic Director Jason Conner, who is planning the event, needs sponsors and partners for the Trojans who are behind the rest of the MACCC when it comes to facilities and equipment. But he knows there are plenty of alumni, friends and family who want to connect and reconnect with their favorite JUCO.
“We had a great time last year with former Mississippi State Head Baseball Coach Ron Polk and other Delta-area athletic legends,” Coach Conner said. “We are excited and we are looking to bring in another great crowd with Coach Ostrander and some more well-known names on the dais.”
AD Conner explained the main priority of the event is to raise much-needed funds for the Trojan Athletic Department.
“We compete in the SEC of the JUCO world and if you don’t have the facilities and equipment to help further the development and careers of the athletes, you lose out on a lot of potential athletes who could flourish right here. It’s a win-win situation at MDCC. As we partner with alumni, businesses, foundations and corporations, we all help raise the level of our facilities and help our athletes compete and get the needed classroom education that enhances their lives. Every donation and dollar is a much-needed investment into the Mississippi Delta where we all live, work and raise our families.”
The gala includes celebrities, heavy hors d'oeuvres, entertainment, open bar, an online auction starting October 1st and running through the end of the month, and a silent auction held at the event with much more. Tickets can be purchased online at mdcctrojans.com and click on the “Black-Tie” tab. Our Delta businesses wanting to help can also go to mdcctrojans.com and click on the “Donations” tab and choose the corporate level to support MDCC student-athletes.
For more information regarding the event or partnering and supporting MDCC athletics, contact Conner at (662) 402-1129 or email him at jconner@msdelta.edu.
