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October 10, 2023 | Softball
STARKVILLE – In recent years, Mississippi State's softball program has been expanding its reach, recruiting athletes from six new states under head coach Samantha Ricketts. While there have now been Bulldogs from 31 of the 50 U.S. states, the 2024 roster will include the highest number of native Mississippians since 2007.
There's Kat Wallace, the 10th Bulldog in her immediate family, and Aquana Brownlee, whose cousins made names for themselves on the State football and softball teams before her. There's Aspen Wesley, who won one of her six state titles in Nusz Park. And now there's Jadyn Burney and Megan Davidson, a pair of locals who always knew they wanted to wear the maroon and white.
"I grew up a huge State fan. I did not miss a game until I started playing travel ball every weekend," Davidson said. "When the opportunity was given I couldn't imagine going anywhere else. It quite literally is my home away from home. I love everything about this town, coaches, teammates. It's been where I wanted to go since I quite literally was born. There's pictures of me being born in a Mississippi State beanie."
For Burney, it was a matter of state pride. While she may have looked at other opportunities, she was committed to staying in her home state.
"I didn't really care to play for a school that wasn't in Mississippi," she said. "I wanted to stay close to home and keep the talent in Mississippi. We have these small tournaments in Gulfport, and girls don't think there are big coaches coming out to the Mississippi camps. I feel like if you're from Mississippi and you're good enough and can put on a show then why not play for a school that represents your state."
The two had very different recruiting journeys, but they both had the same goal in mind. Stay home and achieve their dreams.
Davidson went through the recruiting process and talked to multiple schools. She actually missed the first message from the State staff, but immediately reached back out to associate head coach Tyler Bratton. She told the staff she was ready to come visit again whenever they'd have her in town.
"I'm walking around at the football game on the visit, and I knew more people than Coach Ricketts knew there," Davidson said. "I know hometown people. I know people from Starkville. We're running into everybody I know. It's just my home away from home."
She committed the very next day.
Burney opted to take the junior college route out of high school. She felt she needed that to prepare herself both mentally and physically for Division I ball. She came to a camp at MSU and made her pitch to Ricketts.
"I just told her if you give me a chance I'll go from there," Burney said. "I had a few schools looking at me, but they weren't from Mississippi. I told her this is something I want to do. It's something I want to bring to the table even if that's just helping the team by pushing girls, but just give me a chance and I'll take it from there."
Burney had to wait for a bit until she got the call to come to Starkville. Even as other schools began reaching out, her dad knew she wasn't going to waver.
"He was like, 'If Mississippi State throws it, she's going to go with it.'" Burney added.
The first day in the locker room is often the moment of realization for those who have wanted to be a Bulldog for so long. Wallace and Wesley have both spoken about the moment they saw their jerseys hanging up for the first time. For Davidson, it was no different.
"I got choked up a little bit," she said. "It's just something you work so hard for so long, and there's times when you don't know if it's going to happen. You're just betting on you because it's all you can do. But to see your name with Madison, Mississippi, in the Mississippi State locker room is a great feeling."
When Burney announced she had committed, her local TV station immediately put the story on the nightly news. She saw how the girls around her, in her community and those taking the same path she has, responded to the news. She saw how it encouraged them that maybe the SEC wasn't as far away as they thought.
"You can't do anything but dream to play at school from the SEC being from Mississippi," Burney said. "A lot of the girls know how big it is. You get recognized for it."
Even when no one else may be looking, they'll still be living their dream.
"To be able to wear the jersey of the place you grew up wanting to go to, that you grew up cheering for and doing it in the best conference in the United States, and getting to wear your team, your home on your chest - there's something about it," Davidson said. "It just brings chills."
There's Kat Wallace, the 10th Bulldog in her immediate family, and Aquana Brownlee, whose cousins made names for themselves on the State football and softball teams before her. There's Aspen Wesley, who won one of her six state titles in Nusz Park. And now there's Jadyn Burney and Megan Davidson, a pair of locals who always knew they wanted to wear the maroon and white.
"I grew up a huge State fan. I did not miss a game until I started playing travel ball every weekend," Davidson said. "When the opportunity was given I couldn't imagine going anywhere else. It quite literally is my home away from home. I love everything about this town, coaches, teammates. It's been where I wanted to go since I quite literally was born. There's pictures of me being born in a Mississippi State beanie."
For Burney, it was a matter of state pride. While she may have looked at other opportunities, she was committed to staying in her home state.
"I didn't really care to play for a school that wasn't in Mississippi," she said. "I wanted to stay close to home and keep the talent in Mississippi. We have these small tournaments in Gulfport, and girls don't think there are big coaches coming out to the Mississippi camps. I feel like if you're from Mississippi and you're good enough and can put on a show then why not play for a school that represents your state."
The two had very different recruiting journeys, but they both had the same goal in mind. Stay home and achieve their dreams.
Davidson went through the recruiting process and talked to multiple schools. She actually missed the first message from the State staff, but immediately reached back out to associate head coach Tyler Bratton. She told the staff she was ready to come visit again whenever they'd have her in town.
"I'm walking around at the football game on the visit, and I knew more people than Coach Ricketts knew there," Davidson said. "I know hometown people. I know people from Starkville. We're running into everybody I know. It's just my home away from home."
She committed the very next day.
Burney opted to take the junior college route out of high school. She felt she needed that to prepare herself both mentally and physically for Division I ball. She came to a camp at MSU and made her pitch to Ricketts.
"I just told her if you give me a chance I'll go from there," Burney said. "I had a few schools looking at me, but they weren't from Mississippi. I told her this is something I want to do. It's something I want to bring to the table even if that's just helping the team by pushing girls, but just give me a chance and I'll take it from there."
Burney had to wait for a bit until she got the call to come to Starkville. Even as other schools began reaching out, her dad knew she wasn't going to waver.
"He was like, 'If Mississippi State throws it, she's going to go with it.'" Burney added.
The first day in the locker room is often the moment of realization for those who have wanted to be a Bulldog for so long. Wallace and Wesley have both spoken about the moment they saw their jerseys hanging up for the first time. For Davidson, it was no different.
"I got choked up a little bit," she said. "It's just something you work so hard for so long, and there's times when you don't know if it's going to happen. You're just betting on you because it's all you can do. But to see your name with Madison, Mississippi, in the Mississippi State locker room is a great feeling."
When Burney announced she had committed, her local TV station immediately put the story on the nightly news. She saw how the girls around her, in her community and those taking the same path she has, responded to the news. She saw how it encouraged them that maybe the SEC wasn't as far away as they thought.
"You can't do anything but dream to play at school from the SEC being from Mississippi," Burney said. "A lot of the girls know how big it is. You get recognized for it."
Even when no one else may be looking, they'll still be living their dream.
"To be able to wear the jersey of the place you grew up wanting to go to, that you grew up cheering for and doing it in the best conference in the United States, and getting to wear your team, your home on your chest - there's something about it," Davidson said. "It just brings chills."
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