BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After the first week of her collegiate career, Alivia Buxton has been named the Southeastern Conference freshman of the week, the league announced Monday.
Buxton led the charge at FIU on Sunday, netting a team-leading two goals off her only two shots of the match. The Fredericktown, Missouri, native’s first goal as a Bulldog came in the 21st minute, finding the back of the net after an errant FIU pass inside their own box. Her second of the day was recorded in the 60th minute, converting off a cross that was sent in from the left side of the box.
“We are incredibly proud of Alivia and her performances so far,” head coach James Armstrong said. “She is a natural competitor who has shown the mental toughness to step into her role straight away. The two goals she scored on Sunday (against FIU) epitomized that. We are looking forward to watching her continued growth throughout the season.”
The freshman leads the team in both shot percentage and shots on goal percentage, sitting comfortably at 1.000 in both categories. In her first two collegiate starts, Buxton has started both road matches and logged 144 out of 180 possible minutes.
Buxton’s recognition marks the fifth time in five years that a Bulldog has been chosen as the league’s freshman of the week. MSU had earned just three freshman of the week honors prior to the 2018 season.
Mississippi State has seen at least one player earn weekly honors from the SEC in eight straight seasons and has picked up a pair of honors in five of the last six years.
Buxton and the Bulldogs get set to open their home season Thursday against Lipscomb (1-1-0) in what will be the first of four straight matches held in Starkville. Kickoff against the Bisons is set for 6:30 p.m., and the match will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus.
Rogers named to Manning Award watch list
With less than two weeks until the start of the 2022 campaign, Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers has been named to the watch list for the Manning Award, which annually recognizes the top quarterback in the country.
The list includes 30 of the top quarterbacks in the nation heading into the 2022 season. The winner will again be selected by a voting panel, which includes national media and each of the Mannings, after the bowls. The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ bowl performances in its balloting.
In 2021, Rogers led the SEC in passing yards per game (364.5) and finished third in the FBS in total passing yards (4,739) in what was a record-breaking sophomore season for the signal caller. His 4,739 passing yards were the third most in SEC single-season history, while he ranked second in the SEC and seventh in the nation in passing touchdowns (36).
Rogers broke 25 records during his sophomore season one year after rewriting nearly every passing mark in MSU history as a freshman in 2020. Last season, Rogers broke Dak Prescott’s records for single-season total offense, passing yards and passing touchdowns that Prescott set as a fourth-year junior and fifth-year senior. Rogers finished the 2021 regular season with a streak of 10 straight 300-plus yard passing games. Rogers enters the upcoming campaign as MSU’s all-time leader in career completion percentage.
This year’s watch list includes players from all 10 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences. The SEC leads the way with six selections, while the ACC and Big Ten have five each. Finalists will be selected prior to the postseason and the winner will be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.
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