Women's hoops freshman Tahj Monet-Bloom out for season
Mississippi State’s Tahj-Monet Bloom’s freshman season has concluded before it began.
A source told Maroon and White Daily that Bloom suffered a season-ending knee injury that occurred outside of Bulldog team activities and will require surgery. This is the second such knee injury for Bloom after also being injured during her high school career.
“We are all heartbroken to hear the unfortunate new for Tahj,” head coach Sam Purcell released in a statement. “Tahj is an exemplary teammate, competitor and has been everything you can ask for in a student-athlete from the moment she arrived to campus.
“We will continue to support her in every step of the recovery process. We know that she will work incredibly hard to return stronger than ever and do everything she can in the meantime to pour her positive spirit into her teammates and our program.”
Bloom is well-traveled during her lifetime. A native of Chicago, Bloom lived 10 years of her life in Japan and spent last season playing for DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Fla. The 6’2 forward was one of the most coveted recruits in the country prior to injuries as she averaged 13.9 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.4 steals as a freshman in high school.
Ultimately, Bloom would come in ranked as the No. 43 player nationally by ESPN. She committed to the Bulldogs in June of last year after picking up offers from Arizona, Ohio State, Miami, Rutgers, Clemson, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisville, Syracuse, Maryland and others.
Though Bloom’s season is finished before the start of it, the Bulldogs will have several new faces like hers on the team this year. Purcell brought in five transfers from Division I programs and added another three high school players, a junior college recruit and an addition from Kenya in Madina Okot.
State has four scholarship players returning from last year’s WBIT Quarterfinal team as potential All-SEC guard Jerkaila Jordan is joined by two-year starter Debreasha Powe and second-year post players Quanirah Montague and Rocio Jimenez.
