Good morning! After an incredible season, Bulldog soccer closed out the season as a consensus top-10 squad.

What else did we throw into today’s Bulldog Brew?

🏀 Two Bulldog basketball recaps
🏈 From State to Sundays
🐶 And much, much more!

🎙️ DEAR OL’ STATE

Dear Ol’ State: Storytime with Former State Third Baseman Jarrod Parks. On the latest episode of Dear Ol' State, Joel Coleman and Logan Lowery catch up with former MSU third baseman Jarrod Parks for a wide-ranging, highly entertaining conversation.

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Made A Statement. Bulldog men’s basketball cruised to an 83-59 triumph over Central Michigan. After a 21-3 run in the first half, the Dawgs were in complete control, and the Chippewas never really recovered. Claudell Harris. Jr. led the team with 19 points while Michael Nwoko finished the game with 18 points, adding seven rebounds and a block.

🔼 Another Won. Bulldog women’s basketball picked up their third consecutive win as the team secured the victory over the ULM Warhawks 78-70. Jerkaila Jordan led the scoring for the Bulldogs, finishing with 23 points, which marked the fifth consecutive game she has put up 20+ points and the sixth time this season. Madina Okot picked up her fifth double-double of the season after picking up 15 points and 14 rebounds.

🔼 From State to Sundays. The former Dawgs on the defensive side of the ball made their presence known during Week 15 of NFL action.

🏈 Jeffery Simmons had the second-best run defense grade among interior defenders in the NFL during Week 15 at 87.8 according to Pro Football Focus, the sixth highest by any defender in the league.

🏈 Chris Jones helped the Chiefs to their 13th win of the season and was credited for the top pressure grade for Kansas City in Week 15 at 78.4 and the No. 2 run defensive grade at 75.0.

🏈 Rookies Jaden Crumedy and Nathaniel Watson had their best pro performances to date during Week 15. Crumedy made a career-high four tackles for Carolina while Watson matched his career-best with three solo stops on special teams for Cleveland.

🔼 Badge of Honor. For most students, graduation is a culmination – an ending. Some may even see it as a new beginning. But it's not nearly as often considered a homecoming. That's what made Friday afternoon especially sweet for MaKayla Waldner-Jennings, who returned to her alma mater nearly five years after she played her final match for the Mississippi State soccer program. But amidst the backdrop of an ever-evolving campus – new faces, new buildings, new programs – it was the things that stayed the same that stood out the most.

📚️ Read about what stood out to Waldner-Jennings in her return to Starkville

On October 5, 1991, sixteen-year-old Robbie Sullivan suffered a life-changing accident while bow hunting alone on family land. After dislocating his shoulder on an old ten-foot deer stand, Robbie passed out from the pain and fell to the ground, crushing his spine around the T-6 vertebrae and leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Reflecting on the incident, Robbie emphasizes the importance of safe hunting practices, advocating for measures like never hunting alone, wearing a safety harness, using hunter’s orange, and ensuring stands are secure. He regrets not using a safety harness that day, which could have prevented the fall. Despite his injury, Robbie continues to hunt with organizations like Hope Outdoors, which assists individuals with disabilities in enjoying outdoor activities and credits his family for their unwavering support in helping him rebuild his life. “Just keep living, that’s all you can do,” states Robbie.

Now the Chief Financial Officer and Sports Coordinator for the Metro Area Community Empowerment (MACE), Robbie leads programs that promote physical fitness and recreational opportunities for individuals with spinal cord injuries through wheelchair sports. MACE, a grant recipient of the Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund facilitated by the Office of Special Disabilities Programs under The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS), helps people overcome physical limitations and embrace new opportunities in sports, careers, and social life. Robbie encourages others with similar life-altering injuries to seek support, stay active, and remain hopeful. MDRS has also provided Robbie with vehicle modifications to maintain his independence, enabling him to continue his many extracurricular activities. “I know a lot of people think, especially after they get hurt, that it’s the end of their world. It’s not. If you try to get in touch with anybody, get in touch with MDRS. They have connections with organizations whether it’s jobs, sports, or hunting related. They can connect you with others who have lived through life-altering events and would love to talk with you,” Robbie adds. To learn more about MDRS services, visit www.mdrs.ms.gov or call 1-800-443-1000.

🤔 BULLDOG TRIVIA

Moving Up The Ladder. Today’s trivia question…following tonight’s performance, where does Jerkaila Jordan rank among Bulldog women’s basketball’s career points leaders?

Think you got it? Scroll to the bottom of the Bulldog Brew to see if you know your stuff!

🤝 SHARE THE BREW

Do you know a friend or family member who is a Bulldog fan? Simply forward them this email and they can sign up to receive the brew by clicking the link below to subscribe. The Bulldog Brew is sent every weekday and is completely free!

📆 CLOSING OUT 2024

Friday, December 20
🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Maryland Eastern Shore @ 11 a.m. in Princess Anne, MD | Listen

Saturday, December 21
🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Memphis @ 11:30 a.m. in Memphis, TN | Tickets | CBS | Listen

Sunday, December 29
🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. South Carolina State @ 2 p.m. in Starkville, MS | Tickets 

Monday, December 30
🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Bethune-Cookman @ 8 p.m. in Starkville, MS | Tickets | SECN

🐶 Click here to see the full Mississippi State Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: 8th!

Jordan now sits 8th all-time in career points with 1,544 points in the Maroon and White.

🐶 Have a great Wednesday, y'all!