As a charter member of the Southeastern Conference, Mississippi State boasts a storied tradition in athletics, both on the field and in the classroom. Mississippi State University's sixteen athletic teams are known as the Bulldogs, which was adopted in 1961. Previous nicknames included the Aggies and the Maroons. Since 1935, the official mascot for Mississippi State has been a live English Bulldog named Bully. The school is noted for a pervasive baseball fan culture,[13] with Dudy Noble Field holding 17 of the top 25 all-time NCAA attendance records and the school's Left Field Lounge being described as an epicenter of college baseball!
