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THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
M CLUB


What Is The M Club
Membership Requirements
Induction Process
History, Benefits And Officer Structure
What Is A Letter Award
What Is A Participation Award


What Is The Ole Miss M Club

The Ole Miss M Club is an honorary organization composed of those men and women who have earned a varsity letter in an NCAA sanctioned sport sponsored by The University of Mississippi and have participated in a formal induction ceremony. Current sports for men include cross country, baseball, basketball, football, golf, tennis, and track & field (indoor & outdoor). Sports sponsored for women are cross country, basketball, golf, tennis, rifle, soccer, softball, track & field (indoor & outdoor), and volleyball. Membership requirements are listed below.


The Purpose Of The M Club

The purposes of the M Club are to:

  • honor student-athletes in all sports who have lettered;
  • encourage and develop school spirit and loyalty;
  • assist in recruiting future student-athletes ; and
  • prepare members for M Club Alumni Association Leadership and Service.

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Membership Requirements

Initial Membership Requirements

A student/athlete must have earned a varsity letter in one of the NCAA varsity sports sponsored by the University and participate in an induction ceremony.


Managers/Trainers/Video

Student managers, trainers, and video students are eligible for membership after completing three years of service and earn a varsity letter under the conditions established by the Athletic Director.


First Time Senior Letter Winners

Athletes who letter for the first time during their senior year in a fall sport will be inducted during the spring. Seniors who letter for the first time in a spring sport will be inducted that spring provided their coach confirms a letter will be earned by the conclusion of the semester. Otherwise, they may be inducted the next fall.

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Induction Process

Frequency

Inductions will be conducted two times per year (early fall for spring letter winners and late spring for fall and winter letter winners).


Selection

The annual letter award list from each head coach will be used to determine who is eligible for induction. Those who meet the eligibility requirements for membership will be extended a formal written invitation to attend the induction ceremony. A candidate will be given 3 opportunities to attend an induction ceremony. After the third opportunity the candidate will no longer be eligible for membership in the student M Club or any of the benefits associated thereof.


Hazing Prohibited

All forms of hazing are strictly prohibited. This includes physical, verbal, mental, psychological, or acts of servitude. Hazing is also punishable under the UM Student Code and Mississippi State Law. Members violating this provision will be referred to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action and permanently expelled from the M Club and forfeiture of all present and future rights and privileges.

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History

The M Club is one of the oldest, tradition-rich, and diverse organizations on the Ole Miss campus. The M Club has a long legacy of leadership and athletic accomplishment. References of a letterman's organization are found in the Ole Miss Annuals as far back as 1901. The original name was "Wearers of the M." In the 1930's the student letterman's organization became known by its present name, "The M Club." Originally the M Club was composed of only male student-athletes since there were no women's teams. In the early 1970's with the emergence of women's teams, a Lady Rebel M Club was founded which functioned separately from the M Club. In 1995-96 the two M Club's were combined into one organization. The M Club elects officers annually and is governed by a constitution and bylaws which are on file with the Dean of Students Office, making the M Club an official campus organization. During its history on campus M Club members have received many prestigious leadership, academic, and athletic honors to include: All-American, All-SEC, Academic All-American, SEC Academic Honor Roll, Rhodes Scholar, NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships, SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, National Football Foundation & Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete, Taylor Medal, Who's Who in American Colleges & Universities, Entergy-NCAA Scholarship-Athlete, and many other honors. Many of these awards have resulted in scholarship money being donated to the general scholarship fund of the University.


Benefits

Benefits of membership are both tangible and abstract, immediate and long term. Some of the benefits associated with M Club membership include:

  • the honor and prestige associated with being a member of an exclusive and tradition-rich organization;
  • the privilege of nominating, electing, and escorting the Homecoming Court each fall;
  • valuable networking opportunities with successful M Club Alumni;
  • social and service opportunities; and
  • opportunities for J.W. Davidson M Club Scholarships (for the children of M Club members to attend Ole Miss).

Awards

In addition to the benefits listed above, the following awards are exclusive for M Club members:

  • a framed membership certificate, card, and decal presented at the induction ceremony;
  • a photograph of the inductee and his/her coach taken during the induction ceremony; and
  • a beautiful M Club ring will be presented to the members who meet the following qualifications:
      a.) earn a minimum of two varsity letters;
      b.) participate on the team each year until they have exhausted all eligibility; and
      c.) receive a degree from Ole Miss within six years from initial enrollment in a college.

Note: Members not meeting these requirements are eligible to wear the M Club ring and may purchase it at their own expense. The Department of Athletics will assist in ordering. Members who either:

  • graduate and leave school prior to completing all years of eligibility; or
  • become injured and can no longer participate (i.e., medical exemption) will be awarded the M Club ring provided they meet all other requirements.

Officers

Presiding officers shall consist of a President, First Vice-President, and Second Vice-President.

  • The duties of the President shall be to preside over all the Club meetings.

  • The duties of the First Vice-President shall be to preside in the absence of the President and other such duties as delegated by the President. The First Vice-President shall be a member of a team whose traditional season is not the same as that of the President.

  • The duties of the Second Vice-President shall be to preside in the absence of the President and First Vice-President and other such duties as delegated by the President.

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THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI STUDENT-ATHLETE LETTER AWARDS

Letter awards are separate from M Club awards. A student-athlete is eligible to receive letter awards without being inducted into the M Club. However, only letter award recipients are eligible for M Club induction and membership.


Definition

The Athletic Department issues letter awards for each year the athlete has earned a varsity letter by satisfying the minimum participation standards in an NCAA sport sponsored by the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Each head coach annually notifies the Athletic Director which student-athletes have satisfied the minimum participation requirements and are being recommended for a letter award. A letter award is represented by an "M" monogram attached to a garment or framed. Such awards must count against annual student-athlete limits under NCAA 16.1.4.1. Letter awards ("M") will be presented in the following order:

  • first award - nylon jacket (red letter on blue jacket)
  • second award - wool and leather jacket (blue letter on red jacket)
  • third award - plaque - framed "M" (blue letter on red mat with engraving)
  • fourth award - wool blanket (blue letter & name /sport on red blanket)

A varsity letter award is intended to recognize those student-athletes who have reached a minimum standard of participation in an intercollegiate sport. This standard should:

  • represent meaningful accomplishments;
  • have a participation component common to all sports;
  • recognize the unique nature of each sport; and
  • allow coaches flexibility to establish specific standards for their sport.

The minimum standard for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is outlined below. Coaches may establish additional requirements in their sport if they wish.


Standards

A student-athlete must have been certified eligible on the official squad list, participated in practice sessions for the entire season, and:

  • represented the University in a minimum of one contest against outside competition; or
  • a member of the team for four seasons; or
  • a senior transfer who has been a member of the team for a minimum of two seasons; or
  • a senior who received a medical exemption during one of the four seasons as a team member.

Students who have served as managers, trainers, or video camera staff may be awarded a varsity letter upon the recommendation of their full-time department supervisor after having completed three years of service.


Limits

NCAA bylaws limit a student-athlete to a maximum of four years of eligibility within a five-year period. The maximum number of years in which a student-athlete can earn a letter in a sport is limited to the number of years of eligibility at the University. Furthermore, each student-athlete will be limited to receiving a maximum of four "M" monograms (i.e., two jackets, one plaque, and one blanket) regardless of the number of varsity sports in which they participate. For official record purposes, a multiple sport student-athlete will be recognized for all letters earned in all sports, but will only receive a maximum of four "M" monograms. Student support staff will be limited to a maximum of two letter awards. All letter awards count against the student-athletes annual award limit under NCAA 16.1.4.1 ($300 for seniors, $150 all others).

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Participation Awards

Definition

A participation award is an award given to a student-athlete for having participated in a sport for the season. Such awards can be given to every team member and are not limited to letter winners. This award is limited to uniform apparel (i.e., warm-ups, jersey, etc.) which is not intended to be used the following season but does have some monetary value or it may include an award for post season bowl or championship participation. It does not include equipment.


Standard

A student must have been a part of the team (student-athlete or student support staff) the entire year.


Limit

A student may receive a participation award for each season in which he/she participated as a student-athlete or student-support staff member (maximum of five seasons). This award does not count against the student's annual award limits under NCAA 16.1.4.1 and does not require that the student earned a "letter."

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