Echegini earns SEC Freshman of the Week

With two goals in two games, Onyi Echegini has earned Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honors, the league office announced on Monday.

The Mississippi State forward scored just 2:52 into the match against LSU last Thursday. She fired 10 shots in that match, becoming the first Bulldog to do so since Sept. 21, 2017, and matching Amy Van Zandt (against Memphis, Nov. 4, 2001) for the sixth-most in State's single-game history. Ten shots is also tied for the most in a game by any SEC player this season.

On Sunday, she scored the only goal from the run of play, finding the back of the net in the 53rd minute with a bending shot off the inside of the post from 25 yards out. Echegini also nearly scored a game-winner in the 97th minute with an identical shot, but her effort was saved.

“This recognition is testament to Onyi's hard work and her capitalizing on opportunities her teammates are creating for her,” MSU head coach James Armstrong said. “She's been great in training throughout the season. It's taken her a little bit of time to adjust to the physicality of the game and the fitness levels required, but she's really starting to come together now at the end of the season.”

In two matches, the London, England, native accounted for a third of MSU'S shots (18-of-54) while scoring two of the Bulldogs' three goals.

Since she first cracked the starting lineup five matches ago, Echegini has scored three times, which is tied for the team lead in that span. She also leads the team in shots and shots on goal over the last five games and is second in points while seeing her playing time jump from 14 minutes per game to 62 minutes per game.

For the season, she is now third on the team in both goals and points and is fourth in shots. Her three goals in conference play are tied for ninth in the league and second among SEC freshmen.

The Bulldogs will travel to Missouri on Thursday to face the Tigers at 7:15 p.m. The match will air in full on SEC Network+ with whip-around coverage of every league match airing on SEC Network's “Reach the Beach” special.

State will need a win to earn its way into the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2004. The Bulldogs will also need Auburn or Georgia to lose or Tennessee to land a tournament berth.