Here are the Springfield area sports storylines we think will dominate headlines in 2024

We're putting 2023 behind us and looking ahead to the storylines that are sure to be a major part of our sports coverage in 2024.

Here's a look at what we'll be keeping our eyes on in the new year:

Missouri State's presidential search could have major implications for athletics

The athletics department isn't typically the most important thing you think would come up in a university presidential search, but whoever Missouri State chooses to replace the retiring Clif Smart may have a major impact on Bears programs moving forward.

Smart has been a hands-on president in athletics and hasn't been one to bite his tongue on what he envisions for the future of the school. He sees the school playing FBS-level football someday, although the landscape of college football seemingly changes every day. He's also been involved in coaching searches and other aspects that not every college president may be involved in until decisions are needed to be signed off on.

More: As Missouri State seeks new leader, provost John Jasinski builds on 'record of success'

A new president may present a different vision. Football, men's basketball and conference affiliation will be among the topics of conversations with presidential candidates until the new one is announced by March. The search committee is supposed to complete semi-finalist interviews by the end of January before finalists make their way to campus in February.

There could be major decisions that need to be made by new leadership by the time the 2024-25 athletics calendar comes around. How (or if) a new president reshapes the athletics department may turn into the biggest story of the year.

Dana Ford, Missouri State men's basketball's performance will be under a microscope

The presidential search and the future of Dana Ford as Missouri State's head men's basketball coach could go hand in hand. Ford is in his sixth season as the Bears' head coach with one year remaining on his contract. How the 2023-24 season ends up could decide his future.

The Bears had some success in nonconference play but some disappointing performances as well. Not many would doubt the talent the Bears have on the team but the Missouri Valley Conference has some really good teams this year in Drake and Indiana State, and MSU doesn't appear to be near their level yet.

January and February are going to be very telling for how March is going to go. The Bears are capable of having a fun season in the Valley but we've said the same thing in recent years.

More: The hype around Missouri State hoops is gone. A road win could help in bringing it back.

The Class 6, District 5 boys basketball race will be a ton of fun

The area's Class 6 boys district has always been among the best in the state but it may be as strong as it's ever been heading into 2024.

Kickapoo, Central, Nixa, Republic, Ozark and Glendale are among the best teams in southwest Missouri and the state, and they're all included in this district. There are going to be a few great basketball teams in this grouping, along with Joplin and Neosho, who aren't even going to make it out of the opening round.

Keith Guttin will coach Missouri State baseball for one last season

Legendary Missouri State baseball coach Keith Guttin will retire after his 42nd season in charge of the Bears this season. He is currently college baseball's second-winningest active head coach.

The 2024 season will mark the end for one of the most beloved coaches in Missouri State University and southwest Missouri history. He currently sits 12th all-time in career victories at 1,373 and he's been a member of the MSU baseball program as a player, assistant or head coach for 46 of the program's 60 years.

Guttin has a promising team to send him out the right way. The Bears' lineup features many big bats and a versatile pitching staff that should be improved from 2023.

More: 40 years of Keith Guttin — untold tales of the legendary Missouri State baseball coach

Zack Stewart is destined to be a big-time MLB draft prospect

Former Lebanon star Zack Stewart is coming off a season in which he was named the Missouri Valley Conference's Freshman of the Year. He was expected to win the award going into the year and he exceeded his incredibly high expectations.

Stewart now enters his sophomore year. Because of when his birthday lands, he will be eligible for the upcoming MLB draft and he is expected to be a coveted prospect.

Stewart has the size and power that makes him attractive to big-league clubs. He possesses the best bat Missouri State has seen since perhaps Jake Burger when he was selected in the first round of the 2017 draft.

More: What makes Missouri State baseball's Zack Stewart 'rare' in the eyes of Keith Guttin

Trevon Brazile should have a chance to be selected in NBA draft

Speaking of draft picks, Trevon Brazile, a former state champion at Kickapoo, could hear his name called in the upcoming NBA draft as he continues to be a standout for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Brazile was a raw talent learning to play in his growing body when he was on one of the great teams to come through the area, but he's figuring it out now. He's a highlight waiting to happen and an elite athlete who could get called up to the pros sooner rather than later.

The Springfield area will be loaded with state-contending baseball teams

High school baseball in the Ozarks is getting better each year. This year should be no different.

The area is loaded with highly-regarded college prospects along with teams that are capable of making runs to state championships. Ash Grove returns quite a bit from an undefeated championship-winning team from a year ago. There's little doubt that top-tier programs like Nixa, Catholic, Logan-Rogersville, Glendale, Republic and a few others are going to find themselves in that mix as well.

Jackson Cantwell's recruitment should heat up during his junior year

It might not be the year Cantwell decides to commit to a school but the hype around his recruitment should pick up as he becomes an upperclassman. This is one of the top offensive linemen in the 2025 class and every school is going to want him anchoring their line at some point.

Cantwell's visits will be something that is monitored nationally. It will be fascinating to see how much he'll wait during his recruitment for the capability to talk to college track and field coaches when they're still prohibited from talking to him.

Big Cedar Lodge could open a new golf course

Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris has a new golf course being built at Big Cedar Lodge adjacent to the Tiger Woods-designed Payne's Valley course. We've been told that Woods is unlikely to have involvement in the new course.

Woods or no Woods, any golf courses Bass Pro have built have turned into gold. No timetable for the new course's completion has been shared but when it's ready to go, you know Morris is going to want to make a spectacle out of it.

More: Bass Pro constructing new golf course at Tiger Woods-designed Payne's Valley

Conference realignment will reshape the high school sports landscape come 2024-25

High school sports come the next academic year are going to look a lot different after the conference realignment wave that rocked southwest Missouri in recent months. The shift included the death of a longtime conference, the creation of another and the further strengthening of a league that was already considered the area's best.

Come football season, we should have high-level matchups every Friday night. Come basketball season, there will be showcase games every other time teams take the court. The new look to the Central Ozark Conference should enhance rivalries at the biggest schools while the Ozark Mountain Conference should create more competitive games between some schools that have struggled to take down some of the top dogs.

It appears to be an exciting time in Ozarks athletics when fans are going to get the games they want more frequently.

More: Central Ozark Conference adds Lebanon, Waynesville, Central, Parkview

Marionville will have a shot at repeating as state champions

The Comets' 20-year wait for another state football championship might not require as much patience for the next one. Marionville has a legitimate shot at winning state titles for at least the next two seasons after an undefeated run for a Class 1 championship this past year.

Running back and linebacker Cash Pomeroy is one of the more impressive sophomores we've seen at any level over the past few years. Bryer Guerin will return as a standout quarterback and defensive back for his final two seasons. Only 10 players were listed as seniors from this past season and there will be a lot of elite experience returning.

More: How Marionville football secured a state championship that was 20 years in the making

Ryan Beard will look to take the next step with Missouri State football in his second year as head coach

Beard and the Bears are going to have higher expectations heading into the 2024 season after finishing 4-7 this past season.

The Bears were young and showed some signs of growth late last season. They return the majority of their team heading into next year including starting quarterback Jacob Clark as he returns from shoulder surgery, and standout wide receiver Raylen Sharpe, who has a shot at breaking most of MSU's career receiving marks. Improvement will be needed defensively and the Bears will continue to address that in recruiting in the months ahead.

A jump back into contending for an FCS Playoff spot might be needed after a two-year hiatus.

More: Here are the players Missouri State football added during 2023 early signing day

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at @WyattWheeler_NL. He's also the host of the weekly "Wyatt's World Podcast" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other podcasting platforms

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield area sports storylines to watch in 2024