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Star freshman Madison Francis announces return to Mississippi State for year two

3rupauk8_400x400by: Robbie Faulk03/30/26RobbieFaulkOn3

One of the nation’s best freshmen women’s basketball players is back in maroon and white.

First-year phenom Madison Francis announced on Monday afternoon that she will be returning to Starkville for year two under Sam Purcell. The 6’2 forward from Lancaster, N.Y. just completed a season that saw her land on the Freshman All-SEC team and become one of five players in the conference named to the All-Defensive Team.

Francis lived up to her expectations and then some with the Bulldogs in 2025-26. After coming to Starkville as the No. 38 player in the class by ESPN, Francis looked the part of one of the best in the country in her class.

Through the first few games of the season, Francis came off the bench for Purcell, but it didn’t take long for the coach to figure out that she was ready for the spotlight. She would start in 27 of the 31 games that she played while averaging 13.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 1.5 steals and 1.3 assists a game.

Francis was a 46% shooter and made just 28% from 3-point range, but those numbers began to rise as the season started to go. Nine of her 16 3-pointers on the year came in the final 11 games of the season as she went from an 0-for-10 start from long range in SEC play to finishing 9-of-19 to close the year.

Where Francis was the best was on the defensive end and she proved to be elite during the season. Her 84 regular season blocks led the nation as she had at least a block in 28 of the 31 games this season and had six blocks four times which was most nationally. She also finished second among SEC freshmen in points and rebounds and was third in steals at 1.5. Her selection to the All-Defensive team marked the first time since 2020 that a freshman has made that list.

Francis had seven double-doubles as a freshman and scored 20 or more points four times with a career-high 30 points and also 10 rebounds against Alabama State. Now, she gets a chance to take an even bigger step forward next season as a sophomore under Purcell’s leadership as she joins another star post player in Favour Nwaedozi to announce a return to Starkville.

State finished the year 18-13 and missed postseason for the first time under Purcell. In the previous three seasons, the coach had won at least 20 games and been to two NCAA Tournaments with a trip to the WBIT.

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