‘We have the best fans anywhere’: Mississippi State celebrates National Championship with parade

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WLOX) - Starkville really earned the name ‘Starkvegas’ as Mississippi State fans basked in the glory of their first national championship Friday.

The 2021 National Champion baseball team was celebrated with a parade, and ended with a celebration at the Dudy Noble Field. While in the Dude, many people gave speeches, including MSU President Mark Keenum, who said Mississippi State has the ‘best fans anywhere.

Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill recognized the team’s championship and proclaimed June 30 as Diamond Dog Day in Starkville and gave Head Coach Chris Lemonis the key to the city. He then gave a speech embracing all the fans, and players.

“I’ll just start with this, we got ours,” said Lemonis. “This (trophy) belongs to everybody in Bulldog Nation.”

He said everyone keeps asking him if the win has ‘hit’ him yet and surprisingly he said it ‘hit’ him as they raised him on top of the fire truck.

Fans packed the house as they rang their cow bells, clapped their hands and and chanted for the Bulldogs who brought back the national trophy.

In the tie-breaking third game of the College World Series Championship, Mississippi State beat Vanderbilt 9-0 Wednesday night. After the win, with cowbell in hand, State’s Head Coach Chris Lemonis said it meant the world to everyone who wears maroon and white.

“It’s awesome. It is awesome. For all these kids, all the players who played here before us, and for these fans, it’s unbelievable,” he said. “I kept telling the guys our dream was to win it in the end. It means everything to all of us. Our fans, our administration, our players, it’s just a huge night for Mississippi State.”

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