Mississippi State landed an important piece of its 2025-26 roster Wednesday evening when Quincy Ballard, a center most recently at Wichita State, joined the Bulldogs in the transfer portal.
Ballard will be 24 by the time next season starts, and he grew up in Syracuse, New York, before starting his college career at Florida State. His first season at Wichita State in 2022-23 was cut short by a back injury, but he started every game for the Shockers over the last two years. Last year, he set the program records for field goal percentage and dunks, and he averaged 10 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
The 6-foot, 11-inch Ballard is the second portal addition for head coach Chris Jans, joining guard Ja’Borri McGhee from Alabama-Birmingham. His commitment is timely considering MSU lost its best post player, KeShawn Murphy, to the portal earlier Wednesday. Centers Michael Nwoko and Jeremy Foumena have also departed, so for now the Bulldogs’ frontcourt is just Ballard, Gai Chol and incoming freshmen Tee Bartlett and Jamarion Davis-Fleming.
Jans added six players in the transfer portal last offseason, and he will likely need to at least equal that haul this time around. If star guard Josh Hubbard decides to go pro, MSU will lose its top seven scorers from its end-of-season rotation, with only Shawn Jones Jr. returning.
Purcell down to three returners after Montague enters portal
Second-string center Quanirah Montague put her name in the transfer portal Thursday, leaving the Bulldogs with just two returning rotation players on the 2025-26 roster in Destiney McPhaul — who announced Thursday that she will be returning to Starkville — and Chandler Prater. The Bulldogs also have center Rocío Jiménez, who has not seen any action yet due to injuries.
Montague is from Atlantic City, New Jersey, and made 66 appearances, all off the bench, in her two years at MSU. She averaged 4.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game this past season as a sophomore, highlighted by a 17-point outburst against Jacksonville and a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double in a double overtime win at Vanderbilt.
Starters Denim DeShields, Debreasha Powe and Madina Okot have already entered the portal, as have freshmen Shakirah Edwards, Anaisha Carriere and Tahj-Monet Bloom.
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