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Beth Cunningham

Clif’s Notes for April 5, 2022

Welcome our new Lady Bears coach to Springfield.

April 5, 2022 by Clif Smart

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I am excited to introduce you to Beth Cunningham, our new Lady Bears basketball coach.

Coach Cunningham has an impressive 20-year collegiate coaching resume. Most recently she was an assistant coach at Duke University.

Before that, she was the associate head coach at Notre Dame during one of the best winning stretches in NCAA history that included:

  • A 244-19 record.
  • Seven 30-win seasons in a row.
  • Six conference titles.
  • Five NCAA Final Four appearances.
  • And the 2018 National Championship.

She also had a successful run as head coach at VCU (where she is the all-time leader in women’s coaching wins) and as a player at Notre Dame. There, she led the program to its first NCAA Women’s Final Four appearance her senior year and departed as the all-time leading scorer in Fighting Irish women’s basketball history.

Coach Cunningham knows how to win. She was our number one choice for this job, and I am very pleased that she agreed to lead our program.

I hope you will join me in welcoming Coach Cunningham, her husband Dan, and their four children to the Missouri State community.

Exciting events on campus

We have several great events on campus this week.

Shaun Tomson will speak at this year’s public affair convocation at 3:30 p.m. this Wednesday in the PSU Theater.

Tomson, author of “The Code” — this year’s Common Reader, will share his life experiences in and out of the surfing world. He will offer how the simple message — I Will — can be a model to face life’s challenges and help you achieve your goals.

I hope you will plan to attend. No ticket is required, and the event is free and open to the public.

Read more about Tomson

That evening, at 6:30 p.m., we will host a book reading, signing and reception with award-winning, internationally bestselling author Laura McHugh at the C Minor Recital Hall in Ellis Hall.

McHugh’s novels have won numerous national and international awards. They have also been translated into multiple languages and optioned for film. McHugh lives in Columbia, Missouri, with her family.

Early on Wednesday, at 9 a.m., we will dedicate the Darr Agriculture Academy, the agricultural sciences SPS magnet school that will be located on our campus at the Darr Ag Center.

The building will serve approximately 150 elementary students at SPS and provide a meaningful partnership between MSU and SPS.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

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About Clif Smart

Clifton "Clif" M. Smart III has served as the 11th president of Missouri State University since June 27, 2011. Smart is known throughout campus and the state of Missouri for his collaborative leadership and strong relationships with students, faculty and staff. During his tenure, the university has continually set new enrollment records, added degree programs and constructed or extensively renovated more than a dozen major campus facilities.

Before his presidency, Smart served as the Missouri State University’s general counsel.

  • Clif’s Notes for June 28, 2022 - June 28, 2022
  • Clif’s Notes for June 21, 2022 - June 21, 2022
  • Clif’s Notes for June 14, 2022 - June 14, 2022
  • Clif’s Notes for June 7, 2022 - June 7, 2022
  • Clif’s Notes for May 24, 2022 - May 24, 2022
  • Clif’s Notes for May 17, 2022 - May 17, 2022
  • Clif’s Notes for May 10, 2022 - May 10, 2022
  • Clif’s Notes for May 3, 2022 - May 3, 2022
  • Clif’s Notes for April 26, 2022 - April 26, 2022
  • Clif’s Notes for April 19, 2022 - April 19, 2022

Filed Under: Clif's Notes, Smart Tagged With: agriculture, athletics, public affairs

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