Senate Resolution 66

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL STANDOUT DAESHUN RUFFIN, THE NATIONS'S NO. 3 SCORER, AS THE SWAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR 2025-2026.

WHEREAS, Jackson State University basketball's Daeshun Ruffin was named SWAC Player of the Year on March 6, 2026; and

WHEREAS, Daeshun was the only Jackson State (11-20, 10-8 SWAC) player on the men's side to receive recognition in the conference awards; and

WHEREAS, Daeshun Ruffin led the conference in scoring with a career-high 23.3 points per game and is third in the country. He scored at least 30 points in eight games and at least 20 in 19 games. He only scored below double-digits three times and played an average of 14.3 minutes in those games; and

WHEREAS, Ruffin was also second in the conference with 5.3 assists and sixth with 33.7 minutes. He added 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game and shot 42.6% from the field and 30.9% from the three-point line; and

WHEREAS, Ruffin is a 5-foot-10 fifth-year senior guard from Jackson who played at Callaway High School. He was the 2020 and 2021 Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2021 McDonald's All-American; and

WHEREAS, Ruffin played his first two seasons at Ole Miss and transferred to JSU for the 2023-2024 season. He played a combined 25 games those first two seasons; and

WHEREAS, last year with JSU, Ruffin averaged team highs with 15.7 points, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He was named to the SWAC All-Tournament Team; and

WHEREAS, Ruffin was a consensus four-star recruit and one of the top point guards in the 2021 class. He initially committed to Auburn before reopening his recruitment. On June 17, 2020, Ruffin committed to Ole Miss over offers from Auburn, Florida, Mississippi State and LSU, among others. He became the highest-ranked recruit in program history; and

WHEREAS, in high school, Ruffin was the first McDonald's All-American signee in school history, consensus 4-star prospect, ranked No. 40 in the country and No. 1 in the State of Mississippi, tabbed 2021 Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year and 2021 MaxPreps Mississippi High School Basketball Player of the Year; and

WHEREAS, Daeshun is the son of Twyla Ruffin-McDonald and has five siblings. He is a multidisciplinary studies major with minors in African American studies, sociology and education; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we note the accomplishments of a standout Mississippi athlete who has brought honor to his university, his high school, his community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Jackson State University basketball standout Daeshun Ruffin, the nations's No. 3 scorer, as the SWAC Player of the Year for 2025-2026, and extend to Daeshun and his family and coaches our best wishes for athletic and career success.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Daeshun Ruffin, his family and his coaches, be forwarded to the JSU Athletic Director, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.