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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Tuesday, May 5
Lexington, Ky.
Approx. 4 PM (35 Minutes Following Game 2)
Ole Miss
vs
South Carolina
Softball Opens 2026 SEC Tournament Play
5/4/2026 | Softball
LEXINGTON, Ky. โ Following a thrilling end to the regular season, the Ole Miss softball program is set for postseason play, traveling north to John Cropp Stadium on the campus of Kentucky for the 2026 SEC Tournament.
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The Rebels (32-23, 6-18 SEC) open up the event as the No. 13 seed, facing off against No. 12 seeded South Carolina (30-25, 7-17 SEC). Tuesday's opener was moved up two hours, to approximately 4 p.m. CT, due to potential inclement weather in the evening forecast in Lexington.
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Tuesday's game will follow 35 minutes after the second game of the day. The opener, between Missouri and Auburn is set for 10 a.m. CT.
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The first three rounds of the tournament will be televised on the SEC Network. The semifinals and final will shift over to ESPN. Should the Rebels advance, they would be slated to face No. 5 seeded Tennessee on Wednesday at 4 p.m. CT.
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LEADING OFF
TOURNAMENT TIME
After completing one of the most daunting schedules in the nation and securing each of its last two SEC series, the Ole Miss Rebels attention turns to the 2026 SEC Tournament. The Rebels have won at least one round in the SEC Tournament each of the last four seasons.
The Rebels own the third-most difficult schedule in nation, trailing only Arkansas and South Carolina.
The Rebels have already played 21 games against the RPI Top-25 and 30 games against the Top-50, with several other teams sitting just outside the top-50. The Rebels will face the No. 25 RPI team (South Carolina) to open the postseason.
BOURNE MAGIC
On Friday, May 1, the Ole Miss Softball Stadium officially became the Alisa and Mark Bourne Stadium, through a generous donation from the Bourne family. In the two games that have followed since the naming, the Rebels won both via walk-off home runs from Kennedy Bunker and Rachel Connors against No. 16 Mississippi State.
After not hitting any walk-off's in 2025, the Rebels have had a flair for the dramatic with four, including three at home.
RED HOT REBS
The Rebel are surging to end the regular season, taking each of the last two SEC series against Auburn and No. 16 Mississippi State. The offense has also shined, as Ole Miss tallied eight home runs in the series against No. 13 Texas A&M, good for its largest home run total in an SEC series in program history and added seven at No. 15 LSU.
Additionally, freshman Madi George made history, becoming the first Rebel tally a multi-home run game in an SEC game since Paige Smith in 2021 and the first Rebel freshman to accomplish the same feat since Madi Osias in 2013. George did it a second time in the series at LSU.
Kennedy Bunker is one of many Rebels to find form late this season, as the senior is hitting .344 with four home runs and eight RBI over her last 10 games, including a multi-home run game in game two against No. 16 Mississippi State.
NO HARD KNOX
The Rebels made history on March 28, securing its first ever series win in Knoxville in taking two of three games from No. 4 Tennessee from Mar. 27 to Mar. 29.
The series was marked by tremendous pitching and defense from the Rebels. Emilee Boyer led the way with a complete game victory in game one, while Kyra Aycock outdueled Lady Vols All-American pitching Karlyn Pickens for another complete game victory in game two. On defense, the Rebels backed up their pitchers, generating four double plays alongside tremendous catches from Laylonna Applin and Emilee Boyer.
On offense, the Rebels were powered by home runs from Kennedy Bunker and Madi George, as well as .333 hitting from Persy Llamas and .286 hitting from Applin.
NATIONAL NODS
Freshman Madi George took home a clean sweep of the national freshman of the week honors last Tuesday, being named D1Softball & Softball on SI's National Freshman of the Week and Softball America's Freshman Star of the Week.
George hit a blazing .636 with three home runs and 10 RBI over a 3-1 week for the Rebels, including a multi-home run game in the win over Southern Miss and five RBI in game two at Auburn.
Additionally, George was also named the SEC Freshman of the Week, joining last season's freshman duo of Mackenzie Pickens and Persy Llamas to earn the award as a Rebel.
FINDING THE FORMULA
The Rebels have found their success when the two middle of the order hitters, Persy Llamas and Madi George, are able to drive in runs. The Rebels are 16-6 when Llamas tallies an RBI and 16-17 when she does not, while the Rebels are 18-9 when George tallies an RBI and 13-15 when she does not.
Additionally, if only one of the two drive in a run, the Rebels are 25-12 in those games and 7-11 overall when neither tallies an RBI.
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 that has since been broken by Madi George in 2026.
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 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 .378 with eight home runs, seven doubles and 38 RBI through 55 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 .384 with 21 home runs, 30 total extra-base hits, 56 RBI and 27 walks. George leads the Rebels in home runs, walks, RBI, slugging percentage and OBP.
George broke the all-time single season program home run record at Ole Miss against No. 15 LSU, originally held by Lexie Brady in 2025 (17). From there, George (134) broke the total bases record held by Aliyah Binford in 2025 (122) in a win against Southern Miss. George added another single-season mark to her ledger, breaking Aliyah Binford & Persy Llamas' shared RBI record of 55, by recording her 56th RBI of the season at Auburn.
George's work has begun to generate national attention. George was one of seven from the SEC to be tabbed to the NFCA's Top-25 Finalists for the National Freshman of the Year award. George is just the third Rebel to ever be named to the list, joining Miali Guachino in 2025 and Hailey Lunderman in 2016.ย George added more awards with a trio of National Player of the Week honors last week.
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SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
The No. 12 seed and 30-25 South Carolina Gamecocks enter the SEC Tournament battle-tested, as one of just two teams with a more difficult strength of schedule than the Rebels. Head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard led South Carolina to the NCAA Super Regional in 2025 and has eyes on another postseason bid in 2026.
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The Gamecocks are powered by a balanced offense with perhaps its most impactful hitter being Tori Ensley. Ensley is hitting .360 with 13 home runs and 45 RBI, while adding 12 stolen bases. Quincee Lilio has drawn 38 walks to along with a .331 batting average, while Arianna Rodi remains a big power threat, tallying 11 home runs and 28 RBI.
Where the Gamecocks have found their best form is behind the play of Jori Heard, who has been remarkable in 2026. Heard is 11-10 with a 1.94 ERA, tallying 122 strikeouts and holding hitters to a .226 batting average. South Carolina features several talented arms, including Emma Friedel, who is 10-6 with a 3.17 ERA over 81.2 innings and Nealy Lamb, who is 4-7 with a 3.93 ERA.
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South Carolina has shown fight through a tough schedule, earning several standout wins. The Gamecocks have beaten nationally ranked Louisville, Washington and Clemson in non-conference play, while earning series wins over Texas A&M and Missouri in SEC play.
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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.
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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 coachย Jamie Trachselย on Twitter at @Jamie_Trachsel.
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The Rebels (32-23, 6-18 SEC) open up the event as the No. 13 seed, facing off against No. 12 seeded South Carolina (30-25, 7-17 SEC). Tuesday's opener was moved up two hours, to approximately 4 p.m. CT, due to potential inclement weather in the evening forecast in Lexington.
ย
Tuesday's game will follow 35 minutes after the second game of the day. The opener, between Missouri and Auburn is set for 10 a.m. CT.
ย
The first three rounds of the tournament will be televised on the SEC Network. The semifinals and final will shift over to ESPN. Should the Rebels advance, they would be slated to face No. 5 seeded Tennessee on Wednesday at 4 p.m. CT.
ย
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss opens the 2026 SEC Tournament on Tuesday, clashing with No. 21 South Carolina.
- Ole Miss enters the tournament following back-to-back walk-off wins via home runs from Kennedy Bunker and Rachel Connors and the first series win over Mississippi State since 2021.
- Freshman Madi George (21) set the single season Ole Miss home run record, passing Lexie Brady (17 - 2025). George now has 11 home runs in her last 15 games and also set the total bases record (134) in the win over Southern Miss and RBI record (56) at Auburn.
- The Rebels have hit 78 home runs in 2026, averaging 1.42 home runs per game and setting a new program-record, passing last season's mark (67). Ole Miss ranks 22nd nationally in the figure.
- Defense has become paramount for the Rebels, who are 20-7 when they don't make an error, versus 12-16 when making one or more errors.
- The Rebels have generated 27 double plays this season, ranking 16th in the nation and third in the SEC. The program record is 28, set in 2017.
- The Rebels are 19-5 this season when issuing just two walks or less, compared to 13-18 otherwise.
TOURNAMENT TIME
After completing one of the most daunting schedules in the nation and securing each of its last two SEC series, the Ole Miss Rebels attention turns to the 2026 SEC Tournament. The Rebels have won at least one round in the SEC Tournament each of the last four seasons.
The Rebels own the third-most difficult schedule in nation, trailing only Arkansas and South Carolina.
The Rebels have already played 21 games against the RPI Top-25 and 30 games against the Top-50, with several other teams sitting just outside the top-50. The Rebels will face the No. 25 RPI team (South Carolina) to open the postseason.
BOURNE MAGIC
On Friday, May 1, the Ole Miss Softball Stadium officially became the Alisa and Mark Bourne Stadium, through a generous donation from the Bourne family. In the two games that have followed since the naming, the Rebels won both via walk-off home runs from Kennedy Bunker and Rachel Connors against No. 16 Mississippi State.
After not hitting any walk-off's in 2025, the Rebels have had a flair for the dramatic with four, including three at home.
RED HOT REBS
The Rebel are surging to end the regular season, taking each of the last two SEC series against Auburn and No. 16 Mississippi State. The offense has also shined, as Ole Miss tallied eight home runs in the series against No. 13 Texas A&M, good for its largest home run total in an SEC series in program history and added seven at No. 15 LSU.
Additionally, freshman Madi George made history, becoming the first Rebel tally a multi-home run game in an SEC game since Paige Smith in 2021 and the first Rebel freshman to accomplish the same feat since Madi Osias in 2013. George did it a second time in the series at LSU.
Kennedy Bunker is one of many Rebels to find form late this season, as the senior is hitting .344 with four home runs and eight RBI over her last 10 games, including a multi-home run game in game two against No. 16 Mississippi State.
NO HARD KNOX
The Rebels made history on March 28, securing its first ever series win in Knoxville in taking two of three games from No. 4 Tennessee from Mar. 27 to Mar. 29.
The series was marked by tremendous pitching and defense from the Rebels. Emilee Boyer led the way with a complete game victory in game one, while Kyra Aycock outdueled Lady Vols All-American pitching Karlyn Pickens for another complete game victory in game two. On defense, the Rebels backed up their pitchers, generating four double plays alongside tremendous catches from Laylonna Applin and Emilee Boyer.
On offense, the Rebels were powered by home runs from Kennedy Bunker and Madi George, as well as .333 hitting from Persy Llamas and .286 hitting from Applin.
NATIONAL NODS
Freshman Madi George took home a clean sweep of the national freshman of the week honors last Tuesday, being named D1Softball & Softball on SI's National Freshman of the Week and Softball America's Freshman Star of the Week.
George hit a blazing .636 with three home runs and 10 RBI over a 3-1 week for the Rebels, including a multi-home run game in the win over Southern Miss and five RBI in game two at Auburn.
Additionally, George was also named the SEC Freshman of the Week, joining last season's freshman duo of Mackenzie Pickens and Persy Llamas to earn the award as a Rebel.
FINDING THE FORMULA
The Rebels have found their success when the two middle of the order hitters, Persy Llamas and Madi George, are able to drive in runs. The Rebels are 16-6 when Llamas tallies an RBI and 16-17 when she does not, while the Rebels are 18-9 when George tallies an RBI and 13-15 when she does not.
Additionally, if only one of the two drive in a run, the Rebels are 25-12 in those games and 7-11 overall when neither tallies an RBI.
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 that has since been broken by Madi George in 2026.
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 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 .378 with eight home runs, seven doubles and 38 RBI through 55 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 .384 with 21 home runs, 30 total extra-base hits, 56 RBI and 27 walks. George leads the Rebels in home runs, walks, RBI, slugging percentage and OBP.
George broke the all-time single season program home run record at Ole Miss against No. 15 LSU, originally held by Lexie Brady in 2025 (17). From there, George (134) broke the total bases record held by Aliyah Binford in 2025 (122) in a win against Southern Miss. George added another single-season mark to her ledger, breaking Aliyah Binford & Persy Llamas' shared RBI record of 55, by recording her 56th RBI of the season at Auburn.
George's work has begun to generate national attention. George was one of seven from the SEC to be tabbed to the NFCA's Top-25 Finalists for the National Freshman of the Year award. George is just the third Rebel to ever be named to the list, joining Miali Guachino in 2025 and Hailey Lunderman in 2016.ย George added more awards with a trio of National Player of the Week honors last week.
ย
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
The No. 12 seed and 30-25 South Carolina Gamecocks enter the SEC Tournament battle-tested, as one of just two teams with a more difficult strength of schedule than the Rebels. Head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard led South Carolina to the NCAA Super Regional in 2025 and has eyes on another postseason bid in 2026.
ย
The Gamecocks are powered by a balanced offense with perhaps its most impactful hitter being Tori Ensley. Ensley is hitting .360 with 13 home runs and 45 RBI, while adding 12 stolen bases. Quincee Lilio has drawn 38 walks to along with a .331 batting average, while Arianna Rodi remains a big power threat, tallying 11 home runs and 28 RBI.
Where the Gamecocks have found their best form is behind the play of Jori Heard, who has been remarkable in 2026. Heard is 11-10 with a 1.94 ERA, tallying 122 strikeouts and holding hitters to a .226 batting average. South Carolina features several talented arms, including Emma Friedel, who is 10-6 with a 3.17 ERA over 81.2 innings and Nealy Lamb, who is 4-7 with a 3.93 ERA.
ย
South Carolina has shown fight through a tough schedule, earning several standout wins. The Gamecocks have beaten nationally ranked Louisville, Washington and Clemson in non-conference play, while earning series wins over Texas A&M and Missouri in SEC play.
ย
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.
ย
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 coachย Jamie Trachselย on Twitter at @Jamie_Trachsel.
ย
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP/INF
/ Softball
RHP/UT
/ Softball
C/UT
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
C/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
LHP/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballHIGHLIGHTS | Softball Walks-Off Series vs. Mississippi State (05-02-26)
Saturday, May 02
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Saturday, May 02
HIGHLIGHTS: Softball vs.MSU(05/02/26)
Saturday, May 02
HIGHLIGHTS: Softball vs.MSU(05/01/26)
Friday, May 01