MSU Police Cpl. Kody Biggs has made protecting young girls and women his personal business.

The MSU-Meridian police officer of over two years volunteers part-time as a self-defense instructor in Starkville for the university’s Rape Aggression Defense program, a proactive approach to personal safety.

In R.A.D., Biggs uses his blue belt training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and more than 20 years of wrestling experience, in competing and coaching to teach women hands-on physical defense techniques.

At home, Biggs began training his daughters in self-defense techniques a few years ago when they began to experience some bullying at school.

“It’s important to know how to defend yourself,” said his daughter, Sailor Biggs, an 11-year-old fifth grader at Meridian’s Parkview Elementary School. “No one picks on me anymore.”

No one picks on her older sister, either. At 4-feet, 9 inches, 85-pound Myj Biggs took second place at the co-ed 2026 South Sip Black Light Battle Wrestling Tournament in Vancleave this past January.  

Biggs trains with the girls at least twice a week, and they attend another four lessons weekly in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling.

Myj Biggs, a 12-year-old sixth grader at Magnolia Middle School, began training with the Meridian High School wrestling team last fall, and although she competes independently, she will be eligible to compete in the high school wrestling division this fall.

Currently Mississippi’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion in her weight division in the American Grappling Federation, Myj will defend her title in Hattiesburg this spring.

Her favorite technique is the butterfly sweep, a move her father helped her to perfect.

“If they get into a butterfly guard, you can sweep them from there by throwing your opponent over your head,” she said.

Biggs youngest daughter, 5-year-old Ona, already practices Shotokan karate each Saturday and once a month under her father’s direction when he teaches Shotokan karate to area children at a local gym.

 As he did with Myj and Sailor, Biggs works with Ona in self-defense games, an introduction to the more serious training she will receive when she’s older.

“They’re really advanced for their age. They would have destroyed sixth grade me,” Biggs said. “By the time they get into the ninth grade, they will be better than I ever was.”

For more information on how to participate in the R.A.D program, contact MSU’s crime prevention coordinator at crimeprevention@police.msstate.edu.