The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, March 13
Austin, Texas
5:30 PM
Ole Miss
at
Texas
Softball Prepares for Clash at No. 2 Texas
3/12/2026 | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas – The Ole Miss softball program continues SEC play this weekend, traveling to face off with defending national champions, No. 2 Texas, at Red & Charline McCombs Field.
The Rebels (19-8, 0-3 SEC) will open a three-game series against the Longhorns (23-1, 3-0 SEC), beginning on Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT. Game two is set for Saturday at 12 p.m. CT and game three will also open at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday. All three games will be streamed via SEC Network Plus.
LEADING OFF
The Rebels have seven non-conference midweeks remaining as SEC play gets into full gear, with each game generating added importance in the face of at least three more series against top-10 opponents.
The Rebels have already filled the schedule with road opportunities, going 11-5 outside of Oxford. The Rebels have 18 games remaining against the current RPI top-25, with nine of them being true road opportunities. That stretch begins this weekend in Austin.
NATIONAL NODS
The Rebels have earned national recognition has the program gets into March, with three Rebels being tabbed to Softball America's March Position Power Rankings. Leading the charge is freshman Madi George, who was named as the No. 11 utility player in the nation according to Softball America. Persy Llamas was tabbed as the No. 12 first baseman, while Mackenzie Pickens was selected as the No. 14 second baseman in the country.
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.
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 .411 with five home runs and 26 RBI through 27 games, headlined by a walk-off double in a win over Miami.
Llamas already has eyes on the all-time record books at Ole Miss, standing just three home runs away from entering the top-10 in program history. Additionally, her .993 fielding percentage at first base has already put her among the Rebels all-time best.
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 .427 with eight home runs, 12 total extra-base hits, 26 RBI and 16 walks. George leads the Rebels in home runs, walks, RBI, 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 .380 with four home runs and 31 RBI through her first 27 collegiate games last season.
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 is hitting .321 with six home runs and 24 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 TEXAS
The defending national champion Texas Longhorns are off to another strong start in pursuit of a second national title, entering the weekend at 23-1 and 3-0 in the SEC. Head coach Mike White, has the Longhorns firing on all cylinders, hitting .369 with 199 RBI as a team.
Junior Katie Stewart is having a season to remember, hitting 14 home runs and driving in 36 while hitting a scorching .492. Stewart is joined by the continued elite play of Reese Atwood, who has hit nine home runs and drove in another 36 while hitting .413.
The offense has also seen production from senior Leighann Goode (.491 BA, 15 RBI), junior Kayden Henry (.403 BA, 13 extra-base hits, 14 steals and 23 RBI) and transfer Kaiah Altmeyer (.444 BA, 18 RBI) who have allowed this offense to continue to be potent.
In the circle, World Series hero Teagan Kavan is back and continuing her high-level play, going 9-0 with a 1.96 ERA (57.0 IP) and 73 strikeouts. The Longhorns have searched for a No. 2 by committee this season, with four others making at least one start. Sophomore Cambria Salmon is the leading candidate thus far at 4-0 with a 2.05 ERA (30.2 IP) while Citlaly Gutierrez, Brenlee Gonzales and Hannah Wells each chipping in for the bullpen.
While the Longhorns have just one blemish on the season, in a loss to Nebraska, there have been a number of close calls, including a one-run win over Stanford and three-games to open SEC play against South Carolina that were separated by three runs or less.
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 (19-8, 0-3 SEC) will open a three-game series against the Longhorns (23-1, 3-0 SEC), beginning on Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT. Game two is set for Saturday at 12 p.m. CT and game three will also open at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday. All three games will be streamed via SEC Network Plus.
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss is set for its SEC road opener, facing off with No. 2 Texas in conference play for the first time.
- The Rebels are seeking the first ranked victory of the season and first ever win in Austin.
- Freshman Madi George has been the breakout star of the season thus far, hitting a sizzling .427 with a team-high eight home runs and 16 walks, while adding 26 RBI through the first 27 games of her career.
- Sophomore Persy Llamas remains scorching hot as well, hitting .411 through the first 27 games with five home runs and 26 RBI. Llamas leads the team with 37 hits.
- The Rebels have hit 34 home runs in 2026, averaging 1.26 home runs per game. The Rebels set a program record last season with 67 home runs in 63 games (1.06 per game).
- Defense has become paramount for the Rebels, who are 12-1 when they don't make an error, versus 7-7 when making one or more errors.
- In addition to a quick .375 start at the plate in SEC play, junior Cassie Reasner has rapidly improved on defense, leading the SEC in infield assists.
The Rebels have seven non-conference midweeks remaining as SEC play gets into full gear, with each game generating added importance in the face of at least three more series against top-10 opponents.
The Rebels have already filled the schedule with road opportunities, going 11-5 outside of Oxford. The Rebels have 18 games remaining against the current RPI top-25, with nine of them being true road opportunities. That stretch begins this weekend in Austin.
NATIONAL NODS
The Rebels have earned national recognition has the program gets into March, with three Rebels being tabbed to Softball America's March Position Power Rankings. Leading the charge is freshman Madi George, who was named as the No. 11 utility player in the nation according to Softball America. Persy Llamas was tabbed as the No. 12 first baseman, while Mackenzie Pickens was selected as the No. 14 second baseman in the country.
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.
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 .411 with five home runs and 26 RBI through 27 games, headlined by a walk-off double in a win over Miami.
Llamas already has eyes on the all-time record books at Ole Miss, standing just three home runs away from entering the top-10 in program history. Additionally, her .993 fielding percentage at first base has already put her among the Rebels all-time best.
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 .427 with eight home runs, 12 total extra-base hits, 26 RBI and 16 walks. George leads the Rebels in home runs, walks, RBI, 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 .380 with four home runs and 31 RBI through her first 27 collegiate games last season.
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 is hitting .321 with six home runs and 24 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 TEXAS
The defending national champion Texas Longhorns are off to another strong start in pursuit of a second national title, entering the weekend at 23-1 and 3-0 in the SEC. Head coach Mike White, has the Longhorns firing on all cylinders, hitting .369 with 199 RBI as a team.
Junior Katie Stewart is having a season to remember, hitting 14 home runs and driving in 36 while hitting a scorching .492. Stewart is joined by the continued elite play of Reese Atwood, who has hit nine home runs and drove in another 36 while hitting .413.
The offense has also seen production from senior Leighann Goode (.491 BA, 15 RBI), junior Kayden Henry (.403 BA, 13 extra-base hits, 14 steals and 23 RBI) and transfer Kaiah Altmeyer (.444 BA, 18 RBI) who have allowed this offense to continue to be potent.
In the circle, World Series hero Teagan Kavan is back and continuing her high-level play, going 9-0 with a 1.96 ERA (57.0 IP) and 73 strikeouts. The Longhorns have searched for a No. 2 by committee this season, with four others making at least one start. Sophomore Cambria Salmon is the leading candidate thus far at 4-0 with a 2.05 ERA (30.2 IP) while Citlaly Gutierrez, Brenlee Gonzales and Hannah Wells each chipping in for the bullpen.
While the Longhorns have just one blemish on the season, in a loss to Nebraska, there have been a number of close calls, including a one-run win over Stanford and three-games to open SEC play against South Carolina that were separated by three runs or less.
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
RHP/INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
LHP/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
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