Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
We Are Family: State’s Sisters Share Perspective
March 19, 2021 | Softball
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State University prides itself on being a family. And for the Bulldogs, when they say family, they really mean family.
Two pairs of sisters on the MSU softball team add to the quite literal meaning of family in Starkville. With their differences in age, each pair of sisters has a unique experience while attending and playing together at MSU.
Fans may recognize Mia and Montana Davidson, who have played softball in Starkville for four years now. However, 2021 also brought the Florian sisters, Allison and Phoebe, to campus. Allison is a graduate student, and Phoebe is a sophomore.
For the Florians, it was an unexpected blessing to share the field since there is a four-year age gap.
"I honestly never thought that I was going to play with my sister in college because of that age difference," Phoebe said. "We have a different sense of style and preferences of schools that we like, but we both really loved it here at State."
On the other hand, Montana and Mia have always played softball together and are just 17 months apart. They always planned to go to college together, and Mississippi State provided that opportunity. When it came to deciding on a school, the two had no doubt from the moment they arrived on campus.
"I know from the beginning, we knew we were going to come together, but we didn't think it would be all the way to Mississippi," Montana said. "Then we were just like 'Yeah, this is home.'"
Not only have the two pairs of sisters been grateful for their literal family bond, they feel as though they have more of a family on the field in Starkville that includes every girl on the team. The softball game itself is only part of what makes their team a family.
"You know, I see [Phoebe] everyday," Allison said. "When I went to college, we started missing each other more than we thought we would. It's fun having her out there everyday. It's someone I can go home to and still talk ball but also talk life with."
With two sets of sisters on the team, the team's identity as a whole creates a new perspective of the idea of family. All four sisters stressed their chemistry extends to the whole team, even outside of practice.
"Having [Montana] is a plus, but we've all grown in chemistry together and we know each other inside and out," Mia said. "Not all teams have great chemistry. We all respect each other for who we are. We're all different in our own way and come from different backgrounds, and just getting to learn from each other like a big, huge, diverse family is so nice."
Being a team here at MSU means being a part of one big family. You can find a team anywhere, but at MSU you can find a home.
"Your blood relatives, obviously, are your family, but outside of your blood family, there's an actual family here at State because we all have that special connection with everyone," Phoebe said. "You don't get that very often. It's really special, and I am so happy to be here."
Two pairs of sisters on the MSU softball team add to the quite literal meaning of family in Starkville. With their differences in age, each pair of sisters has a unique experience while attending and playing together at MSU.
Fans may recognize Mia and Montana Davidson, who have played softball in Starkville for four years now. However, 2021 also brought the Florian sisters, Allison and Phoebe, to campus. Allison is a graduate student, and Phoebe is a sophomore.
For the Florians, it was an unexpected blessing to share the field since there is a four-year age gap.
"I honestly never thought that I was going to play with my sister in college because of that age difference," Phoebe said. "We have a different sense of style and preferences of schools that we like, but we both really loved it here at State."
On the other hand, Montana and Mia have always played softball together and are just 17 months apart. They always planned to go to college together, and Mississippi State provided that opportunity. When it came to deciding on a school, the two had no doubt from the moment they arrived on campus.
"I know from the beginning, we knew we were going to come together, but we didn't think it would be all the way to Mississippi," Montana said. "Then we were just like 'Yeah, this is home.'"
Not only have the two pairs of sisters been grateful for their literal family bond, they feel as though they have more of a family on the field in Starkville that includes every girl on the team. The softball game itself is only part of what makes their team a family.
"You know, I see [Phoebe] everyday," Allison said. "When I went to college, we started missing each other more than we thought we would. It's fun having her out there everyday. It's someone I can go home to and still talk ball but also talk life with."
With two sets of sisters on the team, the team's identity as a whole creates a new perspective of the idea of family. All four sisters stressed their chemistry extends to the whole team, even outside of practice.
"Having [Montana] is a plus, but we've all grown in chemistry together and we know each other inside and out," Mia said. "Not all teams have great chemistry. We all respect each other for who we are. We're all different in our own way and come from different backgrounds, and just getting to learn from each other like a big, huge, diverse family is so nice."
Being a team here at MSU means being a part of one big family. You can find a team anywhere, but at MSU you can find a home.
"Your blood relatives, obviously, are your family, but outside of your blood family, there's an actual family here at State because we all have that special connection with everyone," Phoebe said. "You don't get that very often. It's really special, and I am so happy to be here."
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