In the top of the third inning of the Women’s College World Series matchup between Mississippi State and Texas Tech on Thursday, ESPN cameras panned over to reporter Holly Rowe, who was eating ice cream.
But it wasn’t just any flavor of ice cream. It was broccoli flavored.
— no context college softball (@ContextSoftball) May 28, 2026
The concept of broccoli-flavored ice cream would seem ludicrous in just about any other setting. But at this year's Women’s College World Series, it’s almost expected.
Mississippi State has used the vegetable as its rallying cry for the past two weeks during its Cinderella postseason run to the WCWS in Oklahoma City. Players have cheered on their teammates in the dugout by using broccoli as pom-poms. And Bulldogs fans brought their own heads of broccoli to Devon Park on Thursday afternoon to root on Mississippi State.
Broccoli is Mississippi State softball's rallying symbol 🥦
— espnW (@espnW) May 28, 2026
They're nature's pom poms ✨ pic.twitter.com/vp5vEB6dIk
So ... how did this become a thing?
Who is ‘Broccoli Guy’ at the Women’s College World Series?
It all started at the Eugene Regionals. Jim Stewart Allen, better known on the internet as “Broccoli Guy,” made the trip to Eugene, Ore., to cheer on the Ducks in the regional round May 15-17. It was there that he adopted Mississippi State and rooted for the Bulldogs as they won regionals, and then traveled to Norman, Okla., for the super regional and watched them upset Oklahoma.
RELATED: Texas Tech Softball's Gerry Giasco Says His Team Is Embracing 'Villain' Role Ahead of WCWS
Allen has been going viral for dancing with food in the stands since the 2020 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, which he attends as a fan every year.
“One year I decided it would be fun to bring potatoes into the stadium with me and dance with them. I got on SportsCenter doing that,” Allen told reporter Michella Chester at the Women’s College World Series on Thursday. “And I wanted to keep dancing with vegetables, so I chose broccoli because it looks like natural pom-poms. It’s green, I’m from the Pacific Northwest so it’s kind of my colors.”
Allen says he became a softball fan about three years ago and is a season-ticket holder for Washington’s softball team. His newfound Mississippi State fandom developed naturally.
“Mississippi State really attached to my energy, and I attached to their energy,” Allen said. “It just kind of flowed throughout regionals. And sure enough I went up to Norman, Okla., to see them in super regionals. They won that. I was like, I’ve got to follow them to Oklahoma City. So here I am, rooting for Mississippi State as a Pacific Northwesterner. It’s pretty magical. But that’s the magic of softball.”
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