The Ole Miss softball team, ranked No. 21 nationally, will play its first home game of the 2026 season against Miami University on Monday at the Ole Miss Softball Stadium. The matchup is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and will be available for streaming on SEC Network Plus.
This home opener comes after a stretch of 10 consecutive road games for the Rebels, marking their earliest home debut since 2013. Admission to Monday’s game is free as part of a celebration recognizing the program’s first appearance in the Women’s College World Series last season.
Freshman Madi George has emerged as a key player early in the season, posting a .433 batting average with four home runs and 14 RBIs over her first ten games. Sophomore Persy Llamas is also performing strongly, hitting .500 with three home runs and 14 RBIs without recording a strikeout.
Pitcher Lilly Whitten made program history on February 13 by throwing a six-inning no-hitter against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. She became only the sixth player in Ole Miss history to throw a solo no-hitter and contributed to just the ninth no-hitter overall for the program.
Head coach Jamie Trachsel recently became Ole Miss softball’s all-time winningest coach, securing her 188th victory on February 13. Under her leadership, the Rebels are averaging 7.7 runs per game this season—the highest total through ten games since 2017.
Following last year’s historic run to the Women’s College World Series, Ole Miss enters this new campaign with a roster featuring sixteen newcomers and recognition as a consensus top-25 team across major preseason polls.
Persy Llamas returns after an impressive freshman year in which she hit .354 with ten home runs and matched teammate Aliyah Binford for most RBIs in a single season at Ole Miss. Her postseason contributions included multiple key hits during both conference and NCAA tournament play. As a result, Llamas was named to both the All-SEC Preseason Team and recognized by Softball America as one of the nation’s top players at her position.
Lilly Whitten continues to impress early in her Ole Miss career, holding a record of 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA so far this season.
The Rebels’ roster includes several two-way players—athletes who contribute both offensively and as pitchers—including Emilee Boyer, who transferred from West Texas A&M after being named Division II National Player of the Year, and Hope Jenkins from UConn. Both are expected to play significant roles this year alongside freshmen Payton Kennedy and Addi Linton, who were highlighted by Softball America as players to watch.
Mackenzie Pickens also stands out after earning NFCA All-South Region Third Team honors last year; she began this season hitting .400 with two home runs and seven RBIs.
Ole Miss added ten transfers ahead of this season, including Boyer, Cassie Reasner (Kentucky), Laylonna Applin (Angelo State), Kyra Aycock (Oklahoma State), Makenna Bellaire (Florida), Kennedy Bunker (Fresno State), Hope Jenkins (UConn), Liesl Osteen (UCLA), Cassidy Patterson (Nova Southeastern), Sydney Shiller (Texas Tech), along with pitcher Lilly Whitten from Missouri.
Miami University arrives in Oxford following a strong start under second-year head coach Mandy Gardner-Colegate. The RedHawks have secured wins over Minnesota and San Diego State this season while relying on transfer Katy Olive (.476 average) and returning power hitter Ella Carter (.364 average). Their pitching staff is led by Presley Hosick (Minnesota transfer) with a 1.68 ERA and Angelina Ricciardi (Furman transfer) at 3-1 with a 3.57 ERA.
Fans attending events can participate in Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola through the official Ole Miss Sports mobile app for opportunities to earn points redeemable for prizes.
For more information about Ole Miss softball, visit their official website or follow their social media accounts on Twitter (@OleMissSoftball), Facebook (Ole Miss Softball), Instagram (@olemisssoftball), or head coach Jamie Trachsel’s Twitter account (@Jamie_Trachsel).
