Contact: Sid Salter
STARKVILLE, Miss.āThe 2023 edition of Super Bulldog Weekend at ŗ£½ĒŅłÄøĀŅĀ× will be highlighted by Dak running onto the field at Davis Wade Stadium for a halftime ceremony in his honor.
To be clear, the āDakā referenced is formally known as Bully XXII, the new live English Bulldog official mascot of ŗ£½ĒŅłÄøĀŅĀ×. Named after beloved former MSU and current Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, āDakā is of royal Bulldog bloodlines, from the long and historic lineage of past MSU live mascots including āTonkaā (Bully XIX) and āChampā (Bully XX).
The English Bulldog has been the live mascot of MSU since 1935, when āPtolemyā or āTolā first captured the hearts of ŗ£½ĒŅłÄøĀŅĀ×fans after Head Football Coach Major Ralph Sasse acquired āTolā from a Memphis family. āDak,ā born March 1, 2021, and owned by Julie and Bruce Martin of Meridian, succeeds āJakā (Bully XXI) and will officially assume his duties at halftime of the Spring Game with an on-field āpassing of the harnessā and blessing ceremony. āJakā will serve as mascot in the first half and then after the halftime ceremony, āDakā will serve as mascot from that point forward.
The Martins are longtime, generous supporters of MSU and are proud of āDakāsā designation as Bully XXII and even prouder to be the lucky dogās family. āJakā will return to the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine after the ceremony and continue to live an incredibly happy dogās life.
As āJakā enters retirement, āDakā enters a new and exciting life as the face of MSU and will earn a special place ā as have his predecessors ā in the hearts and memories of MSU fans. While he will make frequent trips to Starkville with his family, āDakā will continue to live in his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, on the Martinsā farm.
āWe love sharing āDakā with MSUās fans and friends, but we likewise want him to have some quiet time to rest and spend time with us,ā said Bruce Martin. āWe are committed to giving āDakā a balanced, happy life ā and for him to enjoy his time as Bully.ā
In 2021, representatives of ŗ£½ĒŅłÄøĀŅĀ× began their search for the successor of āJak.ā Soon after the search ensued, it became clear that āDakā is the essence of MSU. He was the smallest of his litter, but Dakās determination and perseverance despite the odds led to his selection as the future live mascot of ŗ£½ĒŅłÄøĀŅĀ×.
Whether roaming the sidelines at Davis Wade Stadium, soaking in the sights and sounds at The Dude, or guarding the baseline at The Hump, āDakā looks forward to looking out onto the sea of maroon and white for MSU sporting events, living out any Bulldogās dream. He is proud to represent ŗ£½ĒŅłÄøĀŅĀ× and one of the Bulldogsā greatest football players by continuing one of MSUās greatest traditions.
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