Freshman Feature: Kylie Taylor
October 22, 2020 | Softball, HailStateBEAT
STARKVILLE – With an afternoon off from softball practice, Kylie Taylor hopped in her car and started driving. She didn't quite know where she was headed, but that didn't matter. She'd know it when she found it.
"I've always lived out in the country, not really around the big city," Taylor said. "That's just what I like, I guess. There's a lot of places back home that I can ride around and go see big pieces of land. There are a few farms around there where it's just very pretty to me."
So Taylor drove. She drove until she found a patch of open land away from town where she could sit back and enjoy the expanse. Typically, when she finds her spot, she'll pass through a few times before heading home, but occasionally she has to stop.
"There was a spot the other day and I was like, 'Wow this is gorgeous,'" she said. "I pulled over to take a picture, but the pictures don't do it any justice."
The George County, Mississippi, native is adjusting to the college experience as she's now midway through her first semester at Mississippi State. She likes math and wants to go into electrical engineering. It's a family business. Her father works in the powerline industry.
Taylor said she's loving this new stage of her life. She feels at home in Starkville, which has made things easier, and the mix of classes and practice have helped her settle in.
"I feel like I strive better whenever I have a set schedule," she said. "Even though it's a bit busy, I feel like I do better under those circumstances because I like to be on time and have stuff planned out. It's good for me just because it's a routine."
Another thing that has helped has been feeling like she's simply joining a family. One she's waited quite a while to be a part of.
The freshman pitcher was the first member of State's 2021 class to join the team for virtual meetings this summer. She'd been committed to the Bulldogs since the spring of her freshman year after flipping from another SEC program.
"I wanted to be here because I love this state," she said. "It's where I was born and raised, and it's an honor to be able to play for and represent Mississippi."
Taylor grew up in a very close family. They would spend hours fishing or hanging out on a sandbar. She has an older sister and a younger brother, both of whom are athletes.
One of Taylor's earliest sports memories is of watching her sister play softball. Kaytelin was a pitcher and wore No. 55. Taylor, of course, wanted to be just like her, so she claimed the same number and started imitating her in the circle.
"I would mess around while she was practicing and try to learn what she was doing and copy her," Taylor said. "She didn't actually teach me, but she's the reason I got into softball."
Pretty soon, it will be Taylor's turn to be copied, she hopes. Kaytelin is set to have a baby boy in the spring, making her an aunt.
"I can't wait to be the most fun aunt," Taylor said. "The best part, I think, will be being able to take him out and have a blast and then when he's bouncing off the walls and all wound up I can just bring him back home to his mama. I'm just really excited that we're going to have a baby around."
And once he's grown a little bit, she'll probably take him out to a field and teach him to throw the ball.
"They're most likely going to want him to play football, but there will definitely be some baseball coming in," she said. "Maybe not right away so he can enjoy being a baby, but he's definitely going to be a sports man."
!["[Ricketts] is the coach, and she cares about her players. But she also cares about our well-being and wants to know us as people outside of ball. I guess that's my favorite thing about her because she honestly cares about us as people."](/common/controls/image_handler.aspx?thumb_id=0&image_path=/images/2020/10/22/Kylie_Taylor_Quote_2.jpg)
"I've always lived out in the country, not really around the big city," Taylor said. "That's just what I like, I guess. There's a lot of places back home that I can ride around and go see big pieces of land. There are a few farms around there where it's just very pretty to me."
So Taylor drove. She drove until she found a patch of open land away from town where she could sit back and enjoy the expanse. Typically, when she finds her spot, she'll pass through a few times before heading home, but occasionally she has to stop.
"There was a spot the other day and I was like, 'Wow this is gorgeous,'" she said. "I pulled over to take a picture, but the pictures don't do it any justice."
The George County, Mississippi, native is adjusting to the college experience as she's now midway through her first semester at Mississippi State. She likes math and wants to go into electrical engineering. It's a family business. Her father works in the powerline industry.
Taylor said she's loving this new stage of her life. She feels at home in Starkville, which has made things easier, and the mix of classes and practice have helped her settle in.
"I feel like I strive better whenever I have a set schedule," she said. "Even though it's a bit busy, I feel like I do better under those circumstances because I like to be on time and have stuff planned out. It's good for me just because it's a routine."
Another thing that has helped has been feeling like she's simply joining a family. One she's waited quite a while to be a part of.
The freshman pitcher was the first member of State's 2021 class to join the team for virtual meetings this summer. She'd been committed to the Bulldogs since the spring of her freshman year after flipping from another SEC program.
"I wanted to be here because I love this state," she said. "It's where I was born and raised, and it's an honor to be able to play for and represent Mississippi."
Taylor grew up in a very close family. They would spend hours fishing or hanging out on a sandbar. She has an older sister and a younger brother, both of whom are athletes.
One of Taylor's earliest sports memories is of watching her sister play softball. Kaytelin was a pitcher and wore No. 55. Taylor, of course, wanted to be just like her, so she claimed the same number and started imitating her in the circle.
"I would mess around while she was practicing and try to learn what she was doing and copy her," Taylor said. "She didn't actually teach me, but she's the reason I got into softball."
Pretty soon, it will be Taylor's turn to be copied, she hopes. Kaytelin is set to have a baby boy in the spring, making her an aunt.
"I can't wait to be the most fun aunt," Taylor said. "The best part, I think, will be being able to take him out and have a blast and then when he's bouncing off the walls and all wound up I can just bring him back home to his mama. I'm just really excited that we're going to have a baby around."
And once he's grown a little bit, she'll probably take him out to a field and teach him to throw the ball.
"They're most likely going to want him to play football, but there will definitely be some baseball coming in," she said. "Maybe not right away so he can enjoy being a baby, but he's definitely going to be a sports man."
MEN'S BASKETBALL | Amier Ali & Ja'Borri McGhee Postgame Press Conference vs. New Orleans - 11/24/25
Monday, November 24
MEN'S BASKETBALL | Chris Jans Postgame Press Conference vs. New Orleans - 11/24/25
Monday, November 24
FOOTBALL | Nic Mitchell Game Week vs. Ole Miss
Sunday, November 23
FOOTBALL | Brenen Thompson Game Week vs. Ole Miss
Sunday, November 23