Five Bulldogs For Life

STARKVILLE – The contributions of five seniors were honored prior to Mississippi State's 1-0 victory against ULM at the MSU Soccer Field on Sunday afternoon.

As these talented student-athletes embark on their next journey in life, their dedication on the pitch in the Maroon and White will be cherished forever. Taylor Thames, Macey Hodge, Megan Day, Taylor James and Kennedy White have all help build a foundation that will continue to serve the program for years to come.

"[They're] unbelievable characters on and off the field [and] left the jersey in a better place," said head coach James Armstrong. "I don't want to get emotional [but] I can't say enough about those [seniors] and what they've done for this program, this team and for us as a coaching staff personally. They're irreplaceable."

Sunday's match concluded the non-conference portion of the schedule and the seniors will still have the remainder of the SEC slate and beyond to continue cementing their Bulldog legacies.

"We're gonna miss all five of them," Armstrong said. "We're excited to see what they're going to do in the future. It's one of those things in the job. You're proud of them, but you're sad to see them go. You feel like you're just getting the best version of them. But all five have been unbelievable and we're proud to call them Bulldogs."

Taylor Thames

The San Gabriel, California native has played a tremendous role as a member of State's talented goalkeeper unit. Thames began her collegiate career at Cal State Northridge where she made 16 appearances and earned six victories, including three shutouts.

She boasts 95 saves and a 2.2 goals-against average during her tenure on the pitch. Thames set career-highs with eight appearances, eight starts and 60 saves in 2022 at CSUN. As a 2023 graduate with a bachelor's degree in sociology, Thames was also nominated for the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

Macey Hodge

State's talented midfielder from Douglasville, Georgia has contributed a great amount for the Bulldogs during her four years in Starkville. Hodge was named to the SEC Preseason Watch List for the second consecutive season to kick off the 2023 campaign.

She has played 59 career matches for the Bulldogs and has a current streak of 58 straight starts. Hodge is a captain for the second season in a row and continues to display her leadership on and off the pitch.

Following the victorious senior day outing, Hodge talked about what being a Bulldog has meant for her.

"For me personally, it's meant everything," Hodge said. "It's amazing being a part of the program [and] seeing what the program did for me personally and just watching my teammates alongside me grow during the process. Whether they've been here all four years or just some of the grad transfers that have come in, I've seen the immediate impact that it's had on them, so it's been everything."

Megan Day

The La Mirada, California native is no stranger to racking up accolades. She was named the 2022 Big West Defensive Player of the Year during her time at Cal State Fullerton and was also nominated to the All-Big West First Team.

Last season, Day posted 1,743 minutes of play and helped Cal State Fullerton secure seven shutouts. She earned three All-Big West selections and has appeared in 61 games, including 55 starts.

Taylor James

James has played an important role in the depth of the Bulldogs roster. Since arriving in Starkville as a freshman in 2020, she has showcased her skills on and off the field.

The midfielder from Spring, Texas was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in the fall semester of 2020. James is a member of multiple extracurricular societies including the National Honor Society, Science National Honors Society, Spanish National Honors Society and Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society.

Kennedy White

Before coming to MSU, White made her presence felt as one of the best athletes in the MAC. She earned MAC Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-MAC honors for her efforts while with Bowling Green in 2022. White started in all 19 matches and led the Falcons with 12 goals and 26 points.

MSU's accomplished forward from Canton, Michigan has appeared in seven of the eight matches and has scored one goal with three shots on goal for the Bulldogs so far this season.

Mississippi State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Megan Day

Macey Hodge

Taylor James

Taylor Thames

Kennedy White

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