Good morning! One former Diamond Dawg is still raking it in the International League after becoming the league’s batting champ during his season finale.

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

🏆️ Anderson earns SEC weekly award
🏀 Bulldog basketball accepts challengers for the SEC/ACC Challenge
🐶 And much, much more!

🎙️ DEAR OL’ STATE

Dear Ol’ State: Lebby Talks Taking On No. 1. Mississippi State football is getting set to take on the top team in the land as the Bulldogs square off against No. 1 Texas this coming Saturday night. On the latest Dear Ol' State podcast, Joel Coleman and Logan Lowery briefly look ahead at the weekend and bring you head coach Jeff Lebby's thoughts courtesy of his weekly press conference.

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 That Makes Five. Bulldog goalkeeper Maddy Anderson has been named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for the fifth time in her career following a dominant week in which she recorded two more shutouts to add to her stellar Bulldog career. Anderson's exceptional performances in goal have helped the Bulldogs remain one of the top defensive teams in the country and secure a six-point opening week in the SEC. She has collected seven solo shutouts this season (eight combined) and now ranks second in the NCAA for shutouts this year.

📈 See where the Bulldogs rank in the latest poll
📚️ Read about why it means more for Bulldog soccer

🔼 First Timer. For the first time in her career, Bulldog volleyball’s McKenna Yates was named the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Yates, a freshman from Ocala, Florida, averaged five digs per set in a pair of victories against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, which ranked second in the SEC last week. She picked up 35 digs in the two contests, including a career-high 19 in the second match, which led State during the week. On the season, she averages 3.45 digs per set, the most of any Bulldog.

🗣️ "I am so proud of Kenna. She is a feisty defender who plays super hard and has stepped up into a big role for us. She is working hard, day in and day out, and her effort has not gone unnoticed." - Julie Darty Dennis, head coach

🔼 Coastal Competition. ESPN released the network schedule for the previously announced 2024 SEC/ACC Women's Basketball Challenge matchups on Monday with Mississippi State slated to face Georgia Tech inside McCamish Pavilion on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 6:15 p.m. Mississippi State and Georgia Tech will tip off for the sixth series meeting overall and second under Head Coach Sam Purcell. Mississippi State recently defeated Georgia Tech, 84-47, in the 2024 Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament First Round last season inside Humphrey Coliseum on March 21, 2024, and leads the all-time series 5-1 including a 2-0 record in Atlanta.

📚️ Read more about the SEC/ACC Challenge

🔼 Challenge Accepted. Bulldog men’s basketball will face off in their own SEC/ACC Challenge matchup against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, December 4th at 8:15 p.m. It will be the third-ever meeting between the two schools. The Bulldogs won the inaugural matchup in Pittsburgh during the 2000-01 season, 66-61, but Pitt edged the Bulldogs 60-59 in a back-and-forth First Four game at the NCAA Tournament in 2023. State will enter the 2024-25 season fresh off consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Chris Jans, who signed a new contract on May 20 through the 2027-28 season, has led the Bulldogs to 21 wins in both of his seasons.

🔼 Open Season. Bulldog softball will begin the 2025 softball season on Feb. 7-9 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida, and has now learned its first five opponents: Texas Tech, Penn State, Bethune-Cookman, Duke and Nebraska. This year marks State's first return to the NFCA Leadoff Classic since the Bulldogs won the tournament in 2020 in Samantha Ricketts' first season at the helm. The Bulldogs went 4-0 with two shutouts that year.

📆 See the full schedule for the NFCA Leadoff Classic

🤔 BULLDOG TRIVIA

Access Denied. Today’s trivia question…how many shutouts has goalkeeper Maddy Anderson earned in her time with the Bulldogs?

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!

📆 THE WEEK AHEAD

Tuesday, September 24
🎾 Women’s Tennis @ ITA All-American Championships in Cary, NC

Wednesday, September 25
🎾 Women’s Tennis @ ITA All-American Championships in Cary, NC

Thursday, September 24
🎾 Women’s Tennis @ ITA All-American Championships in Cary, NC
⚽️ Soccer vs. South Carolina @ 6 p.m. in Columbia, SC | Watch | Live Stats

🐶 Click here to see the full Mississippi State Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: 32!

Following Sunday’s shutout win, Anderson improved her career total to 32 shutouts. Anderson is also second in the NCAA in shutout percentage (.889) and fourth in save percentage (.917) so far this season.

🐶 Have a great Tuesday, y'all!