State’s Hubbard and Francis Among Howell and Gillom Trophy Finalists
March 31, 2026 | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications
JACKSON, Mississippi – Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard and Madison Francis were chosen as finalists for the 2026 Bailey Howell and Peggy Gillom-Granderson Trophies announced Tuesday by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
The Howell and Gillom Trophies are awarded annually to the top male and female college basketball players in the state of Mississippi. Hubbard is joined by Daeshun Ruffin (Jackson State) and Tylik Weeks (Southern Miss) as finalists on the men's side, while Cotie McMahon (Ole Miss) and Jakaya Johnson (Southern Miss) were the women's finalists alongside Francis.
Hubbard has captured back-to-back Howell Trophies and is attempting to become the award's first three-time male winner. State has secured seven of the last eight Howell Trophies since 2017-18 which includes fellow two-time recipient Quinndary Weatherspoon in addition to Iverson Molinar, Reggie Perry and Tolu Smith III.
Francis is looking to etch her name into State's Gillom Trophy legacy as the Bulldogs have won the award 10 times fueled by four-time winner Victoria Vivians, two-time recipient Alexis Rack, Martha Alwal, Jessika Carter and Rickea Jackson. State has swept the Howell and Gillom Trophies on six occasions, most recently by Hubbard and Carter in 2024.
The Howell and Gillom Trophies will be presented as part of an awards luncheon held at 11:30 a.m. in the VIP Room of the Golden Moon at Pearl River Resort on Wednesday, April 15. Tickets for the event are available online at www.msfame.com.
Hubbard is a three-time All-SEC selection and a two-time NABC All-District First-team honoree. He also has had his fair share of recognition for all of his work off the court as the 2026 Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup winner for his exceptional leadership, his character and his commitment to community service.
Hubbard was recently honored for his outstanding contributions inside the capitol building and presented with Senate Resolution 93 led by Mississippi Senator Josh Harkins on March 25. The Madison native also was selected to the 2025-26 All State NACDA Good Works Winter Team and notched SEC Community Service Team honors for the second straight season.
Hubbard has amassed 1947 career points which ranks 4th on State's all-time list, ranks 4th for SEC players after their junior season and ranks 34th overall in SEC history. He is joined by Howell (State), Pete Maravich (LSU) and Vernon Maxwell (Florida) as the only SEC players to have 3 of his school's top 10 scoring seasons.
Hubbard is State's first player to amass at least 700 points and 100 assists in a season and is 1 of 9 major conference players to accomplish the feat this season. He is 1 of 2 SEC players and 1 of 12 major conference players with multiple seasons of 640+ points and 100+ assists during the 2000s.
Hubbard has already shattered State's program mark by knocking down 311 career three-pointers. The 311 treys are tied for 9th on the SEC's all-time list.
This season, Hubbard had a performance for the ages and poured in a career-high 46 points against Auburn (Feb. 18) fueled by a program single-game mark of 10 triples. He added 42 points versus Georgia (March 7) during the 2025-26 regular season finale. He and Howell are the only two State players with multiple SEC performances of 40+ points.
Hubbard has used his platform and his resources through Name Image Likeness in numerous community efforts. He founded The Josh Hubbard Showcase, a basketball camp which has hosted around 200 aspiring athletes in his hometown of Madison, Mississippi and awarded approximately $40,000 in scholarship money over the last two April's.
Hubbard partnered with Make-A-Wish Mississippi in 2025-26 where he launched the "Buckets for Wishes" campaign where every three-point shot he made resulted in donations from sponsors and donors, directly funding wishes for children in Mississippi. His campaign has already granted 11 wishes for children, most recently a trip to Disney World for one young boy in early March and has raised over $75,000.
Hubbard spent an afternoon in December 2025 handing out close to 100 gifts he purchased at Children's of Mississippi Hospital in Jackson, the same hospital where he was a patient for 19 days at 9 years old in September 2014. As a child, he was diagnosed and treated for Kawasaki disease which is a condition causing inflammation in the walls of some blood vessels in the body.
Hubbard teamed with his showcase, Aerus, and US Foods for helping provide food and donations to Ballas Family Community Kitchen, which serves 200 meals a day to the Greenwood, Mississippi, community in November 2025.
Hubbard worked closely with Delbert Hosemann, the Lieutenant Governor in the State of Mississippi, on a public awareness campaign to reduce rates of chronic absenteeism among school children last spring.
Francis garnered All-SEC Freshman and All-SEC Defensive Team honors for the Bulldogs. She was a two-time SEC Freshman of the Week and earned USBWA Tamika Catchings' National Freshman of the Week accolades once this season.
Francis posted 13.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 1.6 steals per game. Her 2.8 blocks pace the NCAA, while her 88 blocks are the third-most for a State player during a season. She rejected 6+ shots on four occasions, the most by any NCAA player this season.
Francis piled up 410 points which are the most for a State freshmen since Rickea Jackson during the 2019-20 season. She recorded seven double-doubles on the season, the most by a SEC freshman this season. The 13.2 points were 2nd among SEC freshmen and 10th among major conference freshmen (ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC), while 7.4 rebounds for Francis were 2nd among SEC freshmen and 5th among major conference freshmen.
Francis amassed a season's best 30 points on 12-of-16 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds versus Alabama State (Dec. 17). She became the 5th freshman in State history to score 30+ points in a game and the only player to achieve the feat with a double-double.
About The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame exists to promote, preserve and protect Mississippi's rich sports heritage for this and generations to come. The Museum serves as a destination for sports legends to live forever through interactive displays and exhibits where visitors can play, live and dream.
The 501(c)(3) organization recognizes excellence in athletics and contributions to sports. For more information about the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, visit msfame.com or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/mssportshofandmuseum or Twitter at twitter.com/mssportshof.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the State's basketball program. Fans also can follow the programs on their official social media accounts by searching 'HailStateMBK' and 'HailStateWBK' on Facebook, X and Instagram.
JACKSON, Mississippi – Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard and Madison Francis were chosen as finalists for the 2026 Bailey Howell and Peggy Gillom-Granderson Trophies announced Tuesday by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
The Howell and Gillom Trophies are awarded annually to the top male and female college basketball players in the state of Mississippi. Hubbard is joined by Daeshun Ruffin (Jackson State) and Tylik Weeks (Southern Miss) as finalists on the men's side, while Cotie McMahon (Ole Miss) and Jakaya Johnson (Southern Miss) were the women's finalists alongside Francis.
Hubbard has captured back-to-back Howell Trophies and is attempting to become the award's first three-time male winner. State has secured seven of the last eight Howell Trophies since 2017-18 which includes fellow two-time recipient Quinndary Weatherspoon in addition to Iverson Molinar, Reggie Perry and Tolu Smith III.
Francis is looking to etch her name into State's Gillom Trophy legacy as the Bulldogs have won the award 10 times fueled by four-time winner Victoria Vivians, two-time recipient Alexis Rack, Martha Alwal, Jessika Carter and Rickea Jackson. State has swept the Howell and Gillom Trophies on six occasions, most recently by Hubbard and Carter in 2024.
The Howell and Gillom Trophies will be presented as part of an awards luncheon held at 11:30 a.m. in the VIP Room of the Golden Moon at Pearl River Resort on Wednesday, April 15. Tickets for the event are available online at www.msfame.com.
Hubbard is a three-time All-SEC selection and a two-time NABC All-District First-team honoree. He also has had his fair share of recognition for all of his work off the court as the 2026 Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup winner for his exceptional leadership, his character and his commitment to community service.
Hubbard was recently honored for his outstanding contributions inside the capitol building and presented with Senate Resolution 93 led by Mississippi Senator Josh Harkins on March 25. The Madison native also was selected to the 2025-26 All State NACDA Good Works Winter Team and notched SEC Community Service Team honors for the second straight season.
Hubbard has amassed 1947 career points which ranks 4th on State's all-time list, ranks 4th for SEC players after their junior season and ranks 34th overall in SEC history. He is joined by Howell (State), Pete Maravich (LSU) and Vernon Maxwell (Florida) as the only SEC players to have 3 of his school's top 10 scoring seasons.
Hubbard is State's first player to amass at least 700 points and 100 assists in a season and is 1 of 9 major conference players to accomplish the feat this season. He is 1 of 2 SEC players and 1 of 12 major conference players with multiple seasons of 640+ points and 100+ assists during the 2000s.
Hubbard has already shattered State's program mark by knocking down 311 career three-pointers. The 311 treys are tied for 9th on the SEC's all-time list.
This season, Hubbard had a performance for the ages and poured in a career-high 46 points against Auburn (Feb. 18) fueled by a program single-game mark of 10 triples. He added 42 points versus Georgia (March 7) during the 2025-26 regular season finale. He and Howell are the only two State players with multiple SEC performances of 40+ points.
Hubbard has used his platform and his resources through Name Image Likeness in numerous community efforts. He founded The Josh Hubbard Showcase, a basketball camp which has hosted around 200 aspiring athletes in his hometown of Madison, Mississippi and awarded approximately $40,000 in scholarship money over the last two April's.
Hubbard partnered with Make-A-Wish Mississippi in 2025-26 where he launched the "Buckets for Wishes" campaign where every three-point shot he made resulted in donations from sponsors and donors, directly funding wishes for children in Mississippi. His campaign has already granted 11 wishes for children, most recently a trip to Disney World for one young boy in early March and has raised over $75,000.
Hubbard spent an afternoon in December 2025 handing out close to 100 gifts he purchased at Children's of Mississippi Hospital in Jackson, the same hospital where he was a patient for 19 days at 9 years old in September 2014. As a child, he was diagnosed and treated for Kawasaki disease which is a condition causing inflammation in the walls of some blood vessels in the body.
Hubbard teamed with his showcase, Aerus, and US Foods for helping provide food and donations to Ballas Family Community Kitchen, which serves 200 meals a day to the Greenwood, Mississippi, community in November 2025.
Hubbard worked closely with Delbert Hosemann, the Lieutenant Governor in the State of Mississippi, on a public awareness campaign to reduce rates of chronic absenteeism among school children last spring.
Francis garnered All-SEC Freshman and All-SEC Defensive Team honors for the Bulldogs. She was a two-time SEC Freshman of the Week and earned USBWA Tamika Catchings' National Freshman of the Week accolades once this season.
Francis posted 13.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 1.6 steals per game. Her 2.8 blocks pace the NCAA, while her 88 blocks are the third-most for a State player during a season. She rejected 6+ shots on four occasions, the most by any NCAA player this season.
Francis piled up 410 points which are the most for a State freshmen since Rickea Jackson during the 2019-20 season. She recorded seven double-doubles on the season, the most by a SEC freshman this season. The 13.2 points were 2nd among SEC freshmen and 10th among major conference freshmen (ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC), while 7.4 rebounds for Francis were 2nd among SEC freshmen and 5th among major conference freshmen.
Francis amassed a season's best 30 points on 12-of-16 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds versus Alabama State (Dec. 17). She became the 5th freshman in State history to score 30+ points in a game and the only player to achieve the feat with a double-double.
About The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame exists to promote, preserve and protect Mississippi's rich sports heritage for this and generations to come. The Museum serves as a destination for sports legends to live forever through interactive displays and exhibits where visitors can play, live and dream.
The 501(c)(3) organization recognizes excellence in athletics and contributions to sports. For more information about the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, visit msfame.com or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/mssportshofandmuseum or Twitter at twitter.com/mssportshof.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the State's basketball program. Fans also can follow the programs on their official social media accounts by searching 'HailStateMBK' and 'HailStateWBK' on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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