With home court advantage, Mississippi College triumphed at the Dixie Division competition Oct. 31. Coming during a busy Homecoming Weekend on the MC campus, MC President Lee Royce and his wife, Rhoda, MC International Programs Director Jim Brackenridge plus scores of alumni and local fans saw MC's team finish on top with Mississippi State University the runner-up and Alabama-Huntsville getting third.

Two newcomers from China and MC's two strongest players, Bill Cai and Zhicheng "Johnson'' Liang, have made a big difference this fall, and the team has improved quite a bit over last year, said Captain Ken Qiu. The architect of the team, Ken is now the school's third best player.
 
All three players made a big impact for the Mississippi College Choctaws team at the regional event at the Baptist Healthplex on the Clinton campus. Other veterans like Ou Lan and Jenny Wu, both of China, and Maria Montano of Venezuela, added punch to the MC attack at the tourney run by long-time NCTTA Dixie Division Director Herb Bennett of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
 
Other competitors at the tournament just hours before Halloween included teams from Southern Mississippi, Alabama, and West Florida. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary planned to bring its new seven-man team. But transportation problems kept the squad of future preachers, missionaries and educators away from their first ever NCTTA regional appearance.
 
The Spring Dixie Division Tournament hosted by Mississippi College should see the same teams bring their paddles and battle it out again. They play at the Baptist Healthplex just a few miles from the capital city of Jackson on Feb. 13, 2010.
 
What interesting things went down at your NCTTA competition?
Let us know at publicrelations@nctta.org