Mississippi State Secures Huge Return From Star Freshman

Madison Francis is returning to Mississippi State after a standout freshman season leading the nation in blocks.

Mississippi State's Madison Francis (40) and Ole Miss guard Denim DeShields (22) battle for the ball during a women's college basketball game between Ole Miss and Mississippi State at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion in Oxford, Miss. on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. | Bruce Newman/Special to the Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What was looking like a promising season for Mississippi State women’s basketball ended in a disappointing first-round SEC Tournament game.

That meant the Bulldogs wouldn’t get a spot in the NCAA Tournament and they declined an invitation to the WBIT. So, the offseason has already begun in Starkville with the first priority keeping the players that offered the bright spots from entering the transfer portal.

The biggest of those bright spots was Madison Francis, who led the nation in blocks for most of the season. On Monday, Mississippi State announced the talented freshman would be back in Starkville next season.

She’s baaaaack!#HailState || @Madison28185042 pic.twitter.com/n6igQ8tg8L

— Mississippi State Women's Basketball (@HailStateWBK) March 30, 2026

That’s huge news for Mississippi State, who saw several talented players from its 2024-25 roster leave in the transfer portal. One of them is still playing in the NCAA Tournament, too.

Coach Sam Purcell wants to return the Bulldogs to their status as one of the best teams in the nation, like it was less than 10 years ago, and an exodus of your best player each year won’t achieve that.

Francis was easily the best player for Mississippi State this season. She came to Starkville as a highly-decorated high school recruit. Now, she’s becoming a highly-decorated freshman.

She is the only underclassman who made the SEC all-defensive list and is the first freshman to be named on there since 2020 and the first Bulldog freshman to do so since 2009.

The numbers explain why she belonged there, with 2.8 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. She finished the season with 88 blocks, including four in the finale against Florida.

She blocked at least one shot in 29 games, which led the country, and she had 17 games with three or more blocks. That was the most in the SEC and second-most nationally.

She averaged 13.2 points and 7.4 rebounds and ranked second among SEC freshmen in both categories. In conference play, she scored in single digits only three times, and one of those came at Texas when she left early with an injury.

She had some big moments along the way, too. She put up 22 points and 13 rebounds when Tennessee came to the Hump in January. Her career high is 30 points against Alcorn State, and she’s already had a seven-block game against Charlotte. She also had six in the upset win over Kentucky.

Mississippi State forward Madison Francis talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

None of this is surprising to Purcell who showed his faith in Francis early on by bringing her to SEC Media Days in October. Only the elite true freshman get to go on that trip.

And it looks like she’ll make the trip again as a Bulldog.

Mississippi State Women’s Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker

Outgoing

• Awa Fane, 5-8, G, Jr.