State Farm to sponsor MSSU/Pitt State trophy series

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The athletic departments at both Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State, in conjunction with your local State Farm agents, are happy to announce the trophy series between the two schools will be known as the State Farm Trophy Series.

Since starting the series in 2009, the Lions and Gorillas have been keeping points of all head-to-head competition between the two schools with the winner taking home a trophy each year. Missouri Southern won the first three years' trophies with Pittsburg State taking the last two.

"State Farm and our local State Farm Agents are proud to be the title sponsor of the MSSU/Pitt State Trophy Series," said Jared Pyatt, Agency Leader with State Farm. "This is a special opportunity for our agency force in SW Missouri and SE Kansas to express our support of the Universities and student-athletes alike. We are looking forward to the partnership and a great year of competition."

The two schools play each other in 12 sports: football, volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's track and field (indoor and outdoor), baseball and softball. The winner of the majority of regular season games, or the winner of the conference track and field and cross country meets, wins points toward the series.

"We are excited that State Farm and our regional State Farm agents have embraced this opportunity to sponsor the Trophy Series between Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern," said Pitt State Athletics Director Jim Johnson. "We look forward to another exciting year of competition between the Gorillas and the Lions in all of our sports."

Volleyball will get things kicked off this evening with a match against the Gorillas at 7 pm in Pittsburg. The two football teams will play in Joplin on November 1 with the MIAA Cross Country Championships taking place in Bolivar on November 8. Other sports will compete throughout the year.

"It's awesome that we can partner with such a great organization like State Farm to keep this trophy series going," said Director of Athletics at MSSU Jared Bruggeman. "We have had some intense matchups over the long history of our two programs, but to put a trophy behind it makes each matchup that much more exciting."