The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, February 27
Oxford, Miss.
5 PM
Ole Miss
vs
Jacksonville State
Softball Hosts Jacksonville State, ULM for Ole Miss Classic
2/26/2026 | Softball
OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss softball program is back in action this weekend, hosting Jacksonville State and ULM for the annual Ole Miss Classic at the Ole Miss Softball Stadium.
The Rebels (12-5, 0-0 SEC) will play both the Gamecocks (12-5, 0-0 CUSA) and Warhawks (13-5, 0-0 Sun Belt) twice, while Jacksonville State and ULM each play each other twice. All Ole Miss games will be streamed via SEC Network Plus.
FULL SCHEDULE
Friday, February 27
ULM vs. Jacksonville State – 2 p.m. CT
Ole Miss vs. Jacksonville State – 5 p.m. CT
Saturday, February 28
Jacksonville State vs. ULM – 11:30 a.m. CT
Ole Miss vs. Jacksonville State – 2:30 p.m. CT
Ole Miss vs. ULM – 5 p.m. CT
Sunday, March 1
Ole Miss vs. ULM – 1 p.m. CT
LEADING OFF
The Rebels are barreling towards the start of SEC play, as the Rebels are in the midst of a nine-game home swing that carries into the opener of a grueling SEC slate that begins with Alabama from Mar. 6-8.
While the Rebels will have eight non-conference midweeks after the Alabama series, this stretch marks a critical period for the Rebels. The first four series to open SEC play are against top-10 opponents - Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee. The five remaining non-conference games prior to March 6 have added importance in the face of 12 very challenging SEC games. The Rebels launched their historic 2025 season on the back of a season-opening SEC series victory over then No. 10 Arkansas.
ACT TWO
Persy Llamas took the SEC by storm as a freshman and returns to anchor an offense with plenty of potent bats in 2026. Llamas not only hit .354 with 10 home runs, 10 doubles and 55 RBI last season, while striking out only 11 times, but also matched teammate Aliyah Binford in setting a new single-season RBI record at Ole Miss. Llamas also shined defensively, tallying a .993 fielding percentage at first base which has already put her among the Rebels all-time best.
Her efforts across the postseason were heroic. Llamas went from hitting a three-run blast against No. 4 Florida in the SEC Tournament win, to tallying three home runs in three games against No. 12 Arizona to secure the NCAA Regional, to driving in the first two runs ever scored by the Rebels in a Women's College World Series against No. 16 Oregon. Llamas took home All-SEC Second Team and NFCA All-South Region Second Team honors following the season.
As a result of her achievements, the nation has paid attention in 2026. Llamas was recently tabbed to the All-SEC Preseason Team, as well as earning a top-100 player and top-10 player at first base nod from Softball America this offseason. This season, Llamas has kept pace, hitting a sizzling .426 with three home runs and 18 RBI through 17 games, headlined by a walk-off double in a win over Miami.
A STAR IS BORN
After multiple NFCA All-Region honorees from last season's freshman class, the Rebels have unearthed another freshman star in Madi George.
George has quickly taken over as the cleanup hitter in the early portion of her college career, hitting .438 with five home runs, eight total extra-base hits, 18 RBI and 11 walks. George leads the Rebels in home runs, RBI, walks, slugging percentage and OBP.
A natural first baseman who has seen most of her time split between right field and designated player thus far, George is following in a similar path as the Rebels current first baseman, sophomore Persy Llamas, who went on to a very successful freshman season. Llamas hit .383 with two home runs and 17 RBI through her first 17 collegiate games last season.
WHITTEN IN STONE
Pitcher Lilly Whitten made history on Friday, Feb. 13, becoming just the sixth Rebel to ever throw a solo no-hitter, joining Brittany Barnhill, Aliyah Binford, Miali Guachino, Carly Hummel (twice) and Becky Nye. Additionally, she became part of just the ninth no-hitter of any kind in program history.
Whitten was thoroughly dominant in the 8-0 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, striking out three batters and commanding the circle. It has been a sterling start to Whitten's Ole Miss career, going 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA so far.
RETURN OF THE MACK
Another breakout star for the Rebels in 2025 was the dynamic Mackenzie Pickens, who stepped right into a key middle infield role and shined en route to NFCA All-South Region Third Team honors. This season, Pickens will take on an even bigger role on both sides of the ball.
Pickens delivered a sensational debut season in Oxford, hitting .328 with eight home runs, 10 doubles, 37 RBI and 12 stolen bases. That play has carried over into 2026 thus far, as Pickens opened the season hitting .385 with four home runs and 16 RBI. Pickens matched the single-game program record with six RBI in a win over Mercer on Feb. 22.
Pickens delivered signature moments in both the 2025 SEC Tournament and 2025 NCAA Tournament. Her 8th inning, three-run blast helped the Rebels break the deadlock and win a thriller over No. 4 Florida in the SEC Tournament, while her 2-for-3 performance with a first inning home run helped the Rebels clinch the Tucson Regional against No. 12 Arizona in a decisive game three.
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE STATE
The pesky Jacksonville State Gamecocks pushed eventual NCAA Super Regional participant Liberty to the brink as runners up in the CUSA championship game in 2025, but are back for more in 2026 in year two under head coach Julie Boland.
Much like the Rebels, the Gamecocks earned a split against Louisiana and feature a 12-5 overall record. Jacksonville State is powered by a number of dynamic bats, as four players have already driven in over 15 runs this season. Sophomore Kailey Martin has been one of the best, tallying a team-high three home runs and 20 RBI on .385 hitting. Two starters - senior Morgan Nowakowski (.451 BA) and junior Emma Elrod (.421 BA) are also surging to start the season.
Senior Jaliyah Holmes has been called upon for big innings in the circle so far, going 5-2 with a 2.72 ERA (36.0 IP) to lead her side. However, the staff as a whole has been dinged for a 4.04 ERA, with four of the team's five losses have been by three runs or less.
SCOUTING ULM
The red-hot Warhawks are riding a six-game winning into the Ole Miss Classic, boasting a 13-5 overall record so far. Head coach Molly Fichtner leads ULM in her eighth season at the helm and has dramatically improved the program each season, recording a career-high 35 wins last season.
The Warhawks feature a high-contact, speed-oriented team, with seven starters having four or more stolen bases. Sophomore Hollie Thomas is a key bat for ULM, hitting .379 with three home runs and 14 RBI, while junior Meagan Brown (.373 BA, 13 RBI) and junior Maryssa Zenzen (.333 BA, three home runs, 12 RBI) are key run producers.
The rotation features a trio of arms who have each found success early in the campaign. Jacksonville transfer Skylar Waggoner leads the way at 2-2 with a 2.57 ERA (32.2 IP), while senior Ashanti McDade (5-1, 2.41 ERA) and junior Dakota Lake (3-1, 2.59 ERA) have made the Warhawks difficult to game plan for. The Warhawks have thrown three complete game shutouts in the six-game winning streak.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
For all Ole Miss softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball and on Instagram at @olemisssoftball. Also, follow head coach Jamie Trachsel on Twitter at @Jamie_Trachsel.
The Rebels (12-5, 0-0 SEC) will play both the Gamecocks (12-5, 0-0 CUSA) and Warhawks (13-5, 0-0 Sun Belt) twice, while Jacksonville State and ULM each play each other twice. All Ole Miss games will be streamed via SEC Network Plus.
FULL SCHEDULE
Friday, February 27
ULM vs. Jacksonville State – 2 p.m. CT
Ole Miss vs. Jacksonville State – 5 p.m. CT
Saturday, February 28
Jacksonville State vs. ULM – 11:30 a.m. CT
Ole Miss vs. Jacksonville State – 2:30 p.m. CT
Ole Miss vs. ULM – 5 p.m. CT
Sunday, March 1
Ole Miss vs. ULM – 1 p.m. CT
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss continues the nine-game home swing with the Ole Miss Classic. The Rebels welcome Jacksonville State and ULM for a three-day, six-game tournament.
- Freshman Madi George has been the breakout star of the season thus far, hitting a sizzling .438 with a team-high five home runs and 11 walks, while adding 18 RBI through the first 17 games of her career.
- Sophomore Persy Llamas remains scorching hot as well, hitting .426 through the first 17 games with three home runs and a team-high 18 RBI.
- Mackenzie Pickens matched the program's single-game RBI record on Sunday, with six RBI to defeat Mercer. The mark had only been achieved six times in program history.
- Ole Miss recorded its largest margin of victory (15 runs) since a 15-0 win over Hawaii in 2024, in the win over Mercer on Sunday.
- Head coach Jamie Trachsel became the program's all-time winningest coach on Feb. 13, recording her 188th win at the helm.
- Senior Kyra Aycock has jumped right into a key rotation role, ranking second in the SEC in complete games (four), while also stepping up for six wins, ranking eighth in the nation (six).
The Rebels are barreling towards the start of SEC play, as the Rebels are in the midst of a nine-game home swing that carries into the opener of a grueling SEC slate that begins with Alabama from Mar. 6-8.
While the Rebels will have eight non-conference midweeks after the Alabama series, this stretch marks a critical period for the Rebels. The first four series to open SEC play are against top-10 opponents - Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee. The five remaining non-conference games prior to March 6 have added importance in the face of 12 very challenging SEC games. The Rebels launched their historic 2025 season on the back of a season-opening SEC series victory over then No. 10 Arkansas.
ACT TWO
Persy Llamas took the SEC by storm as a freshman and returns to anchor an offense with plenty of potent bats in 2026. Llamas not only hit .354 with 10 home runs, 10 doubles and 55 RBI last season, while striking out only 11 times, but also matched teammate Aliyah Binford in setting a new single-season RBI record at Ole Miss. Llamas also shined defensively, tallying a .993 fielding percentage at first base which has already put her among the Rebels all-time best.
Her efforts across the postseason were heroic. Llamas went from hitting a three-run blast against No. 4 Florida in the SEC Tournament win, to tallying three home runs in three games against No. 12 Arizona to secure the NCAA Regional, to driving in the first two runs ever scored by the Rebels in a Women's College World Series against No. 16 Oregon. Llamas took home All-SEC Second Team and NFCA All-South Region Second Team honors following the season.
As a result of her achievements, the nation has paid attention in 2026. Llamas was recently tabbed to the All-SEC Preseason Team, as well as earning a top-100 player and top-10 player at first base nod from Softball America this offseason. This season, Llamas has kept pace, hitting a sizzling .426 with three home runs and 18 RBI through 17 games, headlined by a walk-off double in a win over Miami.
A STAR IS BORN
After multiple NFCA All-Region honorees from last season's freshman class, the Rebels have unearthed another freshman star in Madi George.
George has quickly taken over as the cleanup hitter in the early portion of her college career, hitting .438 with five home runs, eight total extra-base hits, 18 RBI and 11 walks. George leads the Rebels in home runs, RBI, walks, slugging percentage and OBP.
A natural first baseman who has seen most of her time split between right field and designated player thus far, George is following in a similar path as the Rebels current first baseman, sophomore Persy Llamas, who went on to a very successful freshman season. Llamas hit .383 with two home runs and 17 RBI through her first 17 collegiate games last season.
WHITTEN IN STONE
Pitcher Lilly Whitten made history on Friday, Feb. 13, becoming just the sixth Rebel to ever throw a solo no-hitter, joining Brittany Barnhill, Aliyah Binford, Miali Guachino, Carly Hummel (twice) and Becky Nye. Additionally, she became part of just the ninth no-hitter of any kind in program history.
Whitten was thoroughly dominant in the 8-0 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, striking out three batters and commanding the circle. It has been a sterling start to Whitten's Ole Miss career, going 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA so far.
RETURN OF THE MACK
Another breakout star for the Rebels in 2025 was the dynamic Mackenzie Pickens, who stepped right into a key middle infield role and shined en route to NFCA All-South Region Third Team honors. This season, Pickens will take on an even bigger role on both sides of the ball.
Pickens delivered a sensational debut season in Oxford, hitting .328 with eight home runs, 10 doubles, 37 RBI and 12 stolen bases. That play has carried over into 2026 thus far, as Pickens opened the season hitting .385 with four home runs and 16 RBI. Pickens matched the single-game program record with six RBI in a win over Mercer on Feb. 22.
Pickens delivered signature moments in both the 2025 SEC Tournament and 2025 NCAA Tournament. Her 8th inning, three-run blast helped the Rebels break the deadlock and win a thriller over No. 4 Florida in the SEC Tournament, while her 2-for-3 performance with a first inning home run helped the Rebels clinch the Tucson Regional against No. 12 Arizona in a decisive game three.
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE STATE
The pesky Jacksonville State Gamecocks pushed eventual NCAA Super Regional participant Liberty to the brink as runners up in the CUSA championship game in 2025, but are back for more in 2026 in year two under head coach Julie Boland.
Much like the Rebels, the Gamecocks earned a split against Louisiana and feature a 12-5 overall record. Jacksonville State is powered by a number of dynamic bats, as four players have already driven in over 15 runs this season. Sophomore Kailey Martin has been one of the best, tallying a team-high three home runs and 20 RBI on .385 hitting. Two starters - senior Morgan Nowakowski (.451 BA) and junior Emma Elrod (.421 BA) are also surging to start the season.
Senior Jaliyah Holmes has been called upon for big innings in the circle so far, going 5-2 with a 2.72 ERA (36.0 IP) to lead her side. However, the staff as a whole has been dinged for a 4.04 ERA, with four of the team's five losses have been by three runs or less.
SCOUTING ULM
The red-hot Warhawks are riding a six-game winning into the Ole Miss Classic, boasting a 13-5 overall record so far. Head coach Molly Fichtner leads ULM in her eighth season at the helm and has dramatically improved the program each season, recording a career-high 35 wins last season.
The Warhawks feature a high-contact, speed-oriented team, with seven starters having four or more stolen bases. Sophomore Hollie Thomas is a key bat for ULM, hitting .379 with three home runs and 14 RBI, while junior Meagan Brown (.373 BA, 13 RBI) and junior Maryssa Zenzen (.333 BA, three home runs, 12 RBI) are key run producers.
The rotation features a trio of arms who have each found success early in the campaign. Jacksonville transfer Skylar Waggoner leads the way at 2-2 with a 2.57 ERA (32.2 IP), while senior Ashanti McDade (5-1, 2.41 ERA) and junior Dakota Lake (3-1, 2.59 ERA) have made the Warhawks difficult to game plan for. The Warhawks have thrown three complete game shutouts in the six-game winning streak.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
For all Ole Miss softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball and on Instagram at @olemisssoftball. Also, follow head coach Jamie Trachsel on Twitter at @Jamie_Trachsel.
Players Mentioned
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LHP/UT
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RHP
/ SoftballHIGHLIGHTS: Softball vs.Central Arkansas(2/25/26)
Wednesday, February 25
HIGHLIGHTS: Softball vs. Miami (2/16/26)
Monday, February 16
Persy Llamas Walk-Off vs. Miami
Monday, February 16
HIGHLIGHTS: SB at UL (02-14-2026)
Saturday, February 14