Ole Miss Softball Heads to Green & Gold Classic in Birmingham
The University of Mississippi softball team, ranked 25th nationally, is traveling to Birmingham, Alabama, for the Green & Gold Classic, hosted by UAB at Mary Bowers Field. The Rebels (7-4) open the tournament Friday at 2 p.m. against Mercer (8-2).
They will also play Southern Illinois (7-3) on Saturday at 9 a.m. and Missouri State (6-3) at 11:30 a.m. The weekend concludes Sunday with games against Missouri State at 9 a.m. and Mercer at 2 p.m., according to team schedules.
Ole Miss has been led this season by freshmen Madi George, who is batting .485 with four home runs and 14 RBIs through 11 games. Sophomore Persy Llamas is hitting .476 with three homers and 15 RBIs, ranking sixth nationally in total hits and 35th in RBIs. Lilly Whitten made program history on Feb. 13 with a six-inning no-hitter in a win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, becoming the sixth Rebel to achieve the feat.
Head coach Jamie Trachsel became the program’s all-time wins leader on Feb. 13, surpassing 188 wins. Senior Kyra Aycock leads the SEC with three complete games and has four wins this season, ranking 12th in NCAA statistics.
Ole Miss continues to develop a roster with strong two-way talents, including transfers Emilee Boyer and Hope Jenkins, both of whom contribute as hitters and pitchers. The team also features promising freshmen Payton Kennedy and Addi Linton, recognized on the Softball America Freshman Watch List.
Returning star Mackenzie Pickens, who earned All-Region honors last season, has maintained her offensive momentum. She is batting .353 with two home runs and seven RBIs in 2026 and played key roles in postseason wins.
Mercer, under new head coach Chris Kuhlmeyer, enters the tournament with an 8-2 record after winning their conference title last season. The Bears are led offensively by Grace Jones and Avery Barton, with pitching struggles reflected in a 5.43 team ERA.
Southern Illinois, led by coach Jen Sewell, holds a 7-3 record and features standout hitter Sydney Potter, who is batting .441 with eight home runs and 19 RBIs, ranking third nationally in home runs.
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