Six Bulldogs Collect Preseason Recognition

STARKVILLE – Six Mississippi State soccer players have earned preseason honors ahead of the Bulldogs' season opener against UT Martin on Thursday night.

In addition to the six players tabbed to the SEC Preseason Watch List, Ally Perry and Adia Symmonds earned national recognition from TopDrawerSoccer.

Ally Perry

Perry's preseason honors are numerous. She was named a Midfielder to Watch by United Soccer Coaches last week, one of five SEC players on this year's list. She was a First Team selection at midfielder in TopDrawerSoccer's Preseason Best XI and is ranked as the No. 10 player in the country by the outlet.

Perry earned First Team All-SEC honors last season after leading the Bulldogs in goals (10), points (24), shots (96) and shots on goal (41). Perry ranked 10th in the SEC in goals per game (0.45), total goals and points last year and tied the school record with five game-winning goals, which ranked No. 17 nationally. She recorded at least one point in 50 percent of State's matches in 2024.

Adia Symmonds

Symmonds was named to TopDrawerSoccer's Freshman Team Preseason Best XI as a midfielder. She was also placed on the SEC Watch List. The newcomer has previously trained with English side Arsenal's U-21 squad and enrolled early for the spring semester in Starkville. She played at Sunlake High School in Florida where she tallied 45 goals and 37 assists in three seasons. This summer, she was called up to the U.S. Soccer Women's College ID Camp, and in 2022, she was tabbed to the U.S. Soccer Olympic Development Program National Training Camp.

Zoe Main

Main, a Second Team All-SEC selection last season, found herself on the league's Preseason Watch List. She ranked third on the team in goals in 2024 and fourth in points. Three of her goals were game-winners and two came in the NCAA Tournament. Main was among the player pool for the provisional roster for the U.S. U-23 Women's National Team squad that played friendlies in Germany this summer.

Hannah Jibril

Jibril, an incoming junior from NC State, was tabbed one to watch in her first season in the SEC. The former forward has moved to the back line where she is expected to be a key piece for State. Jibril played in 14 matches for the Wolfpack last fall, notching a goal against VCU. That was her second career collegiate goal after she also found the net against Syracuse in 2023. She was a USL W League champion in 2024 with the NC Courage U23 where she tallied seven goals in 14 matches. Two of those goals were key in the Courage's 2024 championship run. Jibril scored in a 3-0 conference final victory and tied the USL W championship match, 1-1, before the Courage went on to a 3-2 victory.

Alivia Buxton

Buxton returns for her fourth year in Starkville as one of the most-veteran players on the squad. Only Main and Perry have played in more matches at MSU among active players, and only Perry has played more minutes. The junior missed her sophomore season with an injury in 2023 and played in 12 matches before a season-ending injury as a redshirt sophomore last fall. Despite the shortened campaign, she still scored and added an assist and averaged 53 minutes per game when she was on the field.

Laila Murillo

Murillo is a freshman from Dallas, Texas, who introduced herself to the Bulldog faithful with a goal in the team's first exhibition match against Mercer two weeks ago. She averaged 1.0 goals and 0.8 assists per game in her senior season, which saw her win her third state title with Ursuline Academy. Murillo was named District Newcomer of the Year in 2024 after missing her freshman and sophomore seasons with an injury. She played club soccer with Sting Black ECNL and earned individual honors, being named Second Team All-Conference in the 2020-2021 season.

For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on X, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSOC."

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