Pauline "Polly" Branch (1994) - Hall of Fame

Pauline "Polly" Branch

Induction:
1994
Class:
1986

Polly Branch rewrote the record books during her time with Mississippi State women’s basketball from 1982-1987, lettering in four of those seasons.

Branch entered Starkville as a second-generation Bulldog basketball player, following her father, Elmo, who played for the men’s basketball team from 1951-1953. Polly wore number 23 during her career, just like Elmo did. Elmo was a 1995 inductee to the M-Club Hall of Fame, one year after his daughter.

Branch, at the time, became Mississippi State’s all-time leading scorer after surpassing Laura Quillian when she scored her 1,361st point with a 22-point performance in a victory against Kentucky. She concluded her career with 1,518 points, a mark that still stands within the top 15 today.

Branch averaged 13.7 points across her the four seasons and ranks seventh in program history with 3.5 assists per game (391 total). She holds the record for most assists in a game at 17, a mark she accomplished against Bryan on February 1, 1986.

Following her playing career, Branch would serve as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs from 1987-1989. She helped guide the Bulldogs to a 19-13 season on the 1987-88 season, which was then the most wins in a single season and was a record stood until the 1999-2000 season. That team went to the WNIT and became the second team in program history to earn a postseason bid.