STARKVILLE — 2023 was a memorable year for Mississippi State soccer.
The Bulldogs made it to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season after having appeared only once in program history before 2022. They reached the Sweet 16 before exiting with a 1-0 defeat to No. 2-seeded Stanford.
MSU finished the season ranked No. 18 in the final United Soccer Coaches poll, the program’s first-ever ranked finish.
Head coach James Armstrong has built a strong team, and with so many returning players and strong additions there is a lot of hype about where the team can go next. The chemistry was on full display in the team’s two preseason exhibition matches, a 3-1 win at Kennesaw State and a 5-0 win at home against UL Monroe.
“That was a great starting point,” Armstrong said. “The positive energy around the group, not just on the field but in the team room and locker room, dinners, and things like that has been amazing. They’ve done a good job of communicating with one another. A ton of belief amongst the staff and most importantly the players with the talent that we have.”
MSU had a strong offseason in the spring, traveling to England for a series of friendlies against professionals and building chemistry between the incoming class and the existing squad. That time appears to have paid off, and the deep connection between players has grown stronger.
“I think chemistry is a big part of what we do,” captain Macey Hodge said. “Honestly, knowing them off the field as much as I do on the field has contributed to a lot of the success that we’re having and we’re going to continue to have. Groups past that I’ve been a part of were good but not great, and I think the difference comes down to everybody knowing each other as people, not just teammates.”
Up next is Baylor, who come to Starkville for a Thursday night matchup. When the two sides kick off at 6:30 p.m. it will be the start of a final season in Starkville for several players, including Hodge and fellow captains Maddy Anderson, Ilana Izquierdo and Aitana Martinez-Montoya. They’ve all played a part in building the Bulldogs into likely the strongest side Starkville has seen.
The four were emotional while reflecting on their time in Starkville ahead of the new year, reinforcing their head coach’s remarks about the strong bond between the players.
“What makes teams go from good to great is that chemistry, and being able to be like, ‘I will die for you on the field,’” Anderson said. “Not in a literal way, but like, ‘I will do everything I can to make sure I put my team in the best spot because I love them and want them to succeed.’”
“We trust each other, we believe in each other,” Martinez-Montoya added. “We know it also comes from a good place. It’s not the same just having your teammate telling you as having your friend tell you because they want what’s best for you.”
The 2024 season brings another opportunity for the Bulldogs to impress, but the reality now is the team commands greater respect than any MSU team before them. They are ranked 18th once again in the US Coaches Poll and this week were ranked at 15th in the TopDrawerSoccer Preseason Poll, the highest preseason ranking in program history.
The team is a target now, but the players came back strong. The groundwork is there to make 2024 another special year, and the talent is there to potentially reach even greater heights in the Southeastern Conference and beyond.
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