Mississippi
Izquierdo, Pérez to represent Colombia as Mississippi State’s first soccer Olympians
![Izquierdo, Pérez to represent Colombia as Mississippi State’s first soccer Olympians Izquierdo, Pérez to represent Colombia as Mississippi State’s first soccer Olympians](https://cdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Soccer-Olympians-071124-copy.jpg)
At this time last year, Ilana Izquierdo was simply getting adjusted to her new environment, preparing for her first season at Mississippi State after playing for two years at Southern Miss.
Now, Izquierdo is getting ready to represent her home country on one of her sport’s biggest stages. Just five months after making her debut with the Colombian senior national team in the inaugural CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, the midfielder has made Colombia’s roster for the Olympic Games in Paris, where she will be joined by former Bulldogs goalkeeper Catalina Pérez.
“I’ve grown a lot in every single aspect, not just as a soccer player but personally,” Izquierdo said. “It’s been a lot of development, a lot of growth and improvement. Being at Mississippi State has been amazing. I’ve grown so much and I’ve learned so much. That’s basically the reason I can be here now.”
The 2021 Conference USA Freshman of the Year earned Second-Team All-Sun Belt honors a year later after Southern Miss switched conferences, and her game translated quite well to the Southeastern Conference — she started all 23 matches and set the program record for minutes played by a junior in a single season with 2,097.
Izquierdo scored the only two goals in an early-season win over Florida International, and converted a penalty kick for the lone goal in MSU’s Magnolia Cup win over rival Ole Miss. She then started every match for Colombia in the Women’s Gold Cup and is now one of 11 Bulldogs in school history to compete in the Olympics as an active student-athlete.
“When she was at Southern Miss, she played against a number of different SEC programs, and we weren’t the only ones who struggled to contain her when we were playing against her,” MSU head coach James Armstrong said. “We knew her qualities. They were clear for everybody to see. But the thing that impressed us the most was her professionalism when she came into the program. She literally takes everything seriously — her sleep, her nutrition, her hydration.”
Pérez, unlike Izquierdo, is no stranger to the Olympic stage. She played for Colombia at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, just before her senior season with Miami. After joining the Bulldogs as a graduate transfer, Pérez recorded nine wins and six shutouts in her lone year at MSU in 2017, becoming an All-American and a First-Team All-SEC honoree.
In 2019, she won a gold medal for Colombia at the Pan-American Games, pitching two shutouts in the tournament and making eight saves in the final to become the first Bulldog soccer player to win an international medal.
Three years later, she helped Colombia qualify for Paris with a second-place finish at the 2022 Copa America, and last year she was Colombia’s starting keeper at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Pérez made 15 saves and allowed just four goals in that competition as Colombia reached the quarterfinals before falling to England. She now plays professionally in Germany, having previously played for top-flight clubs in Italy and Spain.
“We’re on this great adventure, this great mission, great challenge together,” Pérez said. “Only we know all the things we’ve gone through as a team. It’s about really appreciating everyone who’s here. We’re going to go out on the field and compete for our country with our hearts.”
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Mississippi
Seven Killed, Dozens Injured When Bus Flips in Mississippi
![Seven Killed, Dozens Injured When Bus Flips in Mississippi Seven Killed, Dozens Injured When Bus Flips in Mississippi](https://img2-azrcdn.newser.com/image/1556537-12-20240831141902.jpeg)
A commercial passenger bus driving through Mississippi on its way to Mexico ran off a highway and overturned early Saturday, killing seven people and injuring dozens. The accident occurred on Interstate 20 east of Vicksburg, CNN reports. A total of 37 people were taken to hospitals in Vicksburg and Jackson, the Mississippi Highway Patrol said. A 6-year-old boy and his 16-year-old sister were among those killed, per the AP. “Anytime you have people injured or killed, it’s tragic, but when you have a situation like this where you have multiple fatalities and multiple injuries, it makes it even worse,” said Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace.
The bus, a 2018 Volvo, is owned by Autobuses Regiomontanos, which transports passengers between Mexico and the US, a company spokesperson said. The company is based in Monterrey, Mexico, Miranda Fernandez said. Its website lists several US locations; it’s not clear where the trip had originated. “All of the passengers go through proper immigration checkpoints and must show their passports or visas to enter either Mexico or the United States,” Fernandez told CNN. (More bus accident stories.)
Mississippi
What channel is Mississippi State football vs EKU on today? Time, TV schedule for Week 1 game
![What channel is Mississippi State football vs EKU on today? Time, TV schedule for Week 1 game What channel is Mississippi State football vs EKU on today? Time, TV schedule for Week 1 game](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/04/20/PNAS/73399215007-1350-acs-fbc-cl-msu-spring-game.jpg?auto=webp&crop=1151,649,x0,y107&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Mississippi State football opens the 2024 season with FCS opponent Eastern Kentucky on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium.
The Bulldogs open Year 1 of the Jeff Lebby era with a lot of unknowns. Saturday’s game will be a good chance to find some answers.
Mississippi State QB Blake Shapen will make his first start in maroon and may have a big season in Lebby’s offense.
Here’s how to watch the Mississippi State football vs. Eastern Kentucky game today, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:
Mississippi State vs. EKU will broadcast nationally via streaming on SEC Network+ and ESPN+ in Week 1 of the 2024 college football season. Kevin Fitzgerald and Charlie Strong will call the game from the booth at Davis Wade Stadium. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming service.
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 31
- Start time: 5 p.m. CT
The Mississippi State football vs. Eastern Kentucky game starts at 5 p.m. CT Saturday from Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.
Clarion Ledger reporter Sam Sklar’s prediction: Mississippi State 50, Eastern Kentucky 10
Saturday will be a celebration of sorts for Lebby’s first game. The Bulldogs will come out hungry with something to prove on offense after last season. MSU will grab a big lead early and Blake Shapen won’t need to play a single snap in the fourth quarter.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, Aug. 29
- Odds: N/A
- O/U: N/A
- Money line: N/A
- Aug. 31: EKU, 5 p.m. on ESPN+ and SEC Network+
- Sept. 7: at Arizona State, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
- Sept. 14: Toledo, 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
- Sept. 21: Florida, 11 a.m. on ABC or ESPN
- Sept. 28: at Texas, TBD
- Oct. 5: OPEN DATE
- Oct. 12: at Georgia, TBD
- Oct. 19: Texas A&M, TBD
- Oct. 26: Arkansas, TBD
- Nov. 2: UMass, 3:15 p.m. on SEC Network
- Nov. 9: at Tennessee, TBD
- Nov. 16: OPEN DATE
- Nov. 23: Missouri
- Nov. 29: at Ole Miss, 2:30 p.m. on ABC and ESPN+
- Dec. 7: SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, 4 p.m. on ABC
- Record: 0-0
- Aug. 31: Mississippi State, 5 p.m. on ESPN+ and SEC Network+
- Sept. 7: at Western Kentucky, 6 p.m. on ESPN+
- Sept. 14: West Georgia, 5 p.m. on ESPN+
- Sept. 21: Morehead State, 5 p.m. on ESPN+
- Sept. 28: Robert Morris, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
- Oct. 5: OPEN DATE
- Oct. 12: at Southern Utah, 3 p.m. on ESPN+
- Oct. 19: at Abilene Christian, 3 p.m. on ESPN+
- Oct. 26: Utah Tech, 2 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 2: at Tarleton State, 6 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 9: Central Arkansas, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 16: at Austin Peay, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 23: North Alabama, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
- Record: 0-0
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Mississippi
Man shot by Alabama deputies after fleeing Mississippi roadblock, officials say
![Man shot by Alabama deputies after fleeing Mississippi roadblock, officials say Man shot by Alabama deputies after fleeing Mississippi roadblock, officials say](https://www.al.com/resizer/v2/G7RZQFGZMFHM5HJHE2RHQB3BR4.jpg?auth=6d9307db8786a067953ad288834ffc51cd33843fbb71d84524be0ce54396cc43&width=1280&quality=90)
An investigation is ongoing after a 53-year-old man was shot by sheriff’s deputies in north Alabama.
The shooting happened late Thursday into early Friday when Colbert County deputies were assisting Mississippi law enforcement officers in a car chase that crossed over into Alabama, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agent.
ALEA Lt. Jeremy Burkett identified the wounded man as John William Griffin. He lives in Iuka.
The pursuit ultimately ended on Daryl Lane in Leighton in Colbert County, Burkett said
Griffin was airlifted to Huntsville Hospital. His condition has not been released.
Colbert County Sheriff Eric Balentine told WAFF that Griffin refused to stop at a random police roadblock in Tishomingo County, Mississippi.
Balentine said Griffin fired on officers and deputies and was shot in return fire.
Burkett said no officers were injured.
Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be turned over to the Colbert County District Attorney’s Office.
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