The University of Mississippi Athletics
Softball Inks Seven Standouts on NSD
11/13/2019 | Softball
Rebels Scour Five States for Top-Notch Talent
OXFORD, Miss. - With Wednesday marking National Signing Day, the first day recruits are allowed to put pen to paper and officially submit their national letter of intent, Ole Miss softball welcomed its newest members to the Rebel family. Ole Miss head coach Mike Smith has announced the addition of seven players for the 2020 class, plucking standout performers from Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia and Texas.
The Rebels' 2020 class is ranked No. 17 in the nation by FloSoftball and No. 15 by Extra Innings Softball, with the Rebels adding a pair of members ranked in the FloSoftball Hot 100 rankings for 2020. See below for more information on Ole Miss' seven signees:
Jess Acosta
2B/OF | El Centro, Calif. | Central Union
HIGH SCHOOL: A three-time letterwinner at Central Union High School in El Centro, California … Helped the Spartans to the I.V. League Championship as a junior … A two-time CIF All-State and first team all-league honoree … Awarded the CUHS Slugger Award three-times … tabbed the CUHS Scholar-Athlete as a junior … As a freshman, batted .534 with a .580 on-base percentage … Hit .500 with a .522 OBP as a sophomore, slugging .606 … As a junior, posted a .466 average with a .534 on-base percentage … School's softball club president and ASB Commissioner of Athletics … Also plays volleyball.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Chris and Cathy Acosta … Born March 12, 2002 … has one sister, Danica, and one brother, C.J. … Family raises and shows pigs … Wants to work in the criminal justice field, in particularly with Homeland Security.
Blaise Biringer
2B/SS | Tucson, Ariz. | Cienega
HIGH SCHOOL: A four-time letterwinner at Cienega High School in Vail, Arizona … Played Shortstop for the Bobcats … Ranked No. 59 in FloSoftball's 2020 rankings … Helped lead CHS to state championships in both 2017 and 2018 … A three-time all-state honoree, earning second team honors in 2017 and first team laurels in 2018 and 2019 … Batted .363 as a freshman with nine doubles and a pair of triples … Also registered 29 runs scored, 17 RBIs and 12 stolen bases … Skyrocketed her batting average to .545 as a sophomore, racking up eight doubles, six triples and three homers … Scored 54 runs with 21 runs batted in and 19 swiped bags … Registered a .450 average as a junior with eight doubles, six triples and four long balls … Crossed the plate 41 times, while driving home 19 runs and stealing 17 bases.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Matt and Jackie Yocupicio … Born September 5, 2001 … Has one brother, Kenneth … Has career plans of working in public relations or social media.
Landyn Bruce
RHP | Temecula, Calif. | Great Oak
HIGH SCHOOL: A three-time letterwinner at Great Oak High School in Temecula, California … Helped lead the wolfpack to a second place state finish as a junior and a third place finish as a freshman … Batted .432 as a freshman with eight doubles, three triples and three homers, driving in 25 runs and scoring 20 more … Posted a 13-3 record in the circle … As a junior, registered a 5-0 record in the circle with a 1.95 ERA and a 1.006 WHIP.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Jeff and Amie Bruce … Born June 9, 2002 … Has one sister, Jadyn … Plans to major in finance with career goals of working in the corporate world.
Aynslie Furbush
RHP/1B | Longwood, Fla. | Winter Springs
HIGH SCHOOL: A three-time letterwinner at Winter Springs High School in Winter Springs, Florida … Helped the Bears to the 2018-19 Florida 8A State Championship with an undefeated 31-0 season … Ranked No. 85 in FloSoftball's 2020 player rankings … Selected as a Junior All-American by MaxPreps … Named the 2019 FACA 8A Player of the Year … Selected 2017 FACA All-State and 2018 first team all-conference … Batted .324 as a freshman with four home runs and 18 RBIs … Also went 10-6 in the circle with a 1.30 ERA … Hit .358 as a sophomore with 33 runs driven in and 10 big flies … Won 15 of 19 decisions with a circle, posting a 3.00 ERA with 108 strikeouts … Recorded a .328 average with 29 RBIs and 13 homers as a junior … Tallied a 1.10 ERA with a perfect 16-0 record and 105 strikeouts on the rubber … Also competed in weightlifting.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Jamie and Amanda Furbush … Born December 20, 2001 … Has one sister, Kaleigh … Is fluent in American Sign Language … Has career plans to become and athletic trainer.
Macey Keester
OF | Cypress, Calif. | Cypress
HIGH SCHOOL: A three-time letterwinner at Cypress High School in Cypress, California … Helped lead the Centurions to the USSSA National Championship and CIF Southern Section Division 2 Championship in 2017 … Also, a four-time letterwinner on the Cyrpess High School soccer team.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Ron and Ari Keester … Born April 28, 2002 … Has two sisters, Kelly and Riley … Has career plans of becoming a teacher and softball coach after her playing career.
Ashlee LaRue
OF | Blanco, Texas | Blanco
HIGH SCHOOL: A four-time letterwinner at Blanco High School in Blanco, Texas … Helped lead the Panthers to a district and area championship in 2018 and another area title in 2019 … Earned TGCA All-State and VYPE All-South Texas and All-Central Texas honors in 2019 … Tabbed the district MVP in both 2018 and 2019 … Posted a .482 average as a freshman … Batted .568 as a sophomore with three home runs, 37 RBIs and 14 stolen bases … Registered a .545 average as a sophomore with four dingers, 30 runs driven in and 17 steals … A four-sport athlete, also competing in volleyball, basketball and track & field … Helped lead the BHS volleyball team to a state semifinal in 2018 and the basketball team to an area and district championship in 2018-19 … Playing with the Texas Bombers in travel ball, finished PGF National Championship runner up in 2019 and third place in 2018.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Shaun and Shelly LaRue … Born January 15, 2002 … Has one sister, Emily … has plans of majoring in civil engineering and helping rebuild communities that have been affected by natural disasters … Father played professional baseball for the Cincinnati Reds minor league system … Uncle, Jason LaRue, played for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals from 1999-2010.
Paige Patterson
C/3B | Woodstock, Ga. | Etowah
HIGH SCHOOL: A four-time letterwinner at Etowah High School in Woodstock, Georgia and Dutchtown High School in Prairieville, Louisiana … Helped the EHS Eagles to a third place finish in the 2019 GSA Elite Eight … Named first team all-district, all-metro, all-parish and all-state both seasons at Dutchtown … Named the GHSA 4-AAAAAAA Co-Player of the Year as a senior … Also received all-state laurels from the Georgia coaches association … Batted .531 as a freshman with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs as a freshman … During sophomore year, hit .471 with six big flies and 37 runs driven in … Posted a .411 average as a junior with four dingers and 18 RBIs … As a senior, tallied a .541 batting average with 10 home runs, driving in 53 runs … Named a Georgia Merit Scholar and received the Lamp of Knowledge award in 2019.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Joseph and Penny Patterson … Born August 29, 2002 … Has two brothers, Brendan and Christian … Plans to major in biology, go to medical school and become a doctor.
For all Ole Miss softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole MissSoftball and on Instagram at Instagram.com/olemisssoftball. Fans can also follow head coach Mike Smith on Twitter at @msmithsb16.
The Rebels' 2020 class is ranked No. 17 in the nation by FloSoftball and No. 15 by Extra Innings Softball, with the Rebels adding a pair of members ranked in the FloSoftball Hot 100 rankings for 2020. See below for more information on Ole Miss' seven signees:
Jess Acosta
2B/OF | El Centro, Calif. | Central Union
HIGH SCHOOL: A three-time letterwinner at Central Union High School in El Centro, California … Helped the Spartans to the I.V. League Championship as a junior … A two-time CIF All-State and first team all-league honoree … Awarded the CUHS Slugger Award three-times … tabbed the CUHS Scholar-Athlete as a junior … As a freshman, batted .534 with a .580 on-base percentage … Hit .500 with a .522 OBP as a sophomore, slugging .606 … As a junior, posted a .466 average with a .534 on-base percentage … School's softball club president and ASB Commissioner of Athletics … Also plays volleyball.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Chris and Cathy Acosta … Born March 12, 2002 … has one sister, Danica, and one brother, C.J. … Family raises and shows pigs … Wants to work in the criminal justice field, in particularly with Homeland Security.
Blaise Biringer
2B/SS | Tucson, Ariz. | Cienega
HIGH SCHOOL: A four-time letterwinner at Cienega High School in Vail, Arizona … Played Shortstop for the Bobcats … Ranked No. 59 in FloSoftball's 2020 rankings … Helped lead CHS to state championships in both 2017 and 2018 … A three-time all-state honoree, earning second team honors in 2017 and first team laurels in 2018 and 2019 … Batted .363 as a freshman with nine doubles and a pair of triples … Also registered 29 runs scored, 17 RBIs and 12 stolen bases … Skyrocketed her batting average to .545 as a sophomore, racking up eight doubles, six triples and three homers … Scored 54 runs with 21 runs batted in and 19 swiped bags … Registered a .450 average as a junior with eight doubles, six triples and four long balls … Crossed the plate 41 times, while driving home 19 runs and stealing 17 bases.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Matt and Jackie Yocupicio … Born September 5, 2001 … Has one brother, Kenneth … Has career plans of working in public relations or social media.
Landyn Bruce
RHP | Temecula, Calif. | Great Oak
HIGH SCHOOL: A three-time letterwinner at Great Oak High School in Temecula, California … Helped lead the wolfpack to a second place state finish as a junior and a third place finish as a freshman … Batted .432 as a freshman with eight doubles, three triples and three homers, driving in 25 runs and scoring 20 more … Posted a 13-3 record in the circle … As a junior, registered a 5-0 record in the circle with a 1.95 ERA and a 1.006 WHIP.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Jeff and Amie Bruce … Born June 9, 2002 … Has one sister, Jadyn … Plans to major in finance with career goals of working in the corporate world.
Aynslie Furbush
RHP/1B | Longwood, Fla. | Winter Springs
HIGH SCHOOL: A three-time letterwinner at Winter Springs High School in Winter Springs, Florida … Helped the Bears to the 2018-19 Florida 8A State Championship with an undefeated 31-0 season … Ranked No. 85 in FloSoftball's 2020 player rankings … Selected as a Junior All-American by MaxPreps … Named the 2019 FACA 8A Player of the Year … Selected 2017 FACA All-State and 2018 first team all-conference … Batted .324 as a freshman with four home runs and 18 RBIs … Also went 10-6 in the circle with a 1.30 ERA … Hit .358 as a sophomore with 33 runs driven in and 10 big flies … Won 15 of 19 decisions with a circle, posting a 3.00 ERA with 108 strikeouts … Recorded a .328 average with 29 RBIs and 13 homers as a junior … Tallied a 1.10 ERA with a perfect 16-0 record and 105 strikeouts on the rubber … Also competed in weightlifting.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Jamie and Amanda Furbush … Born December 20, 2001 … Has one sister, Kaleigh … Is fluent in American Sign Language … Has career plans to become and athletic trainer.
Macey Keester
OF | Cypress, Calif. | Cypress
HIGH SCHOOL: A three-time letterwinner at Cypress High School in Cypress, California … Helped lead the Centurions to the USSSA National Championship and CIF Southern Section Division 2 Championship in 2017 … Also, a four-time letterwinner on the Cyrpess High School soccer team.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Ron and Ari Keester … Born April 28, 2002 … Has two sisters, Kelly and Riley … Has career plans of becoming a teacher and softball coach after her playing career.
Ashlee LaRue
OF | Blanco, Texas | Blanco
HIGH SCHOOL: A four-time letterwinner at Blanco High School in Blanco, Texas … Helped lead the Panthers to a district and area championship in 2018 and another area title in 2019 … Earned TGCA All-State and VYPE All-South Texas and All-Central Texas honors in 2019 … Tabbed the district MVP in both 2018 and 2019 … Posted a .482 average as a freshman … Batted .568 as a sophomore with three home runs, 37 RBIs and 14 stolen bases … Registered a .545 average as a sophomore with four dingers, 30 runs driven in and 17 steals … A four-sport athlete, also competing in volleyball, basketball and track & field … Helped lead the BHS volleyball team to a state semifinal in 2018 and the basketball team to an area and district championship in 2018-19 … Playing with the Texas Bombers in travel ball, finished PGF National Championship runner up in 2019 and third place in 2018.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Shaun and Shelly LaRue … Born January 15, 2002 … Has one sister, Emily … has plans of majoring in civil engineering and helping rebuild communities that have been affected by natural disasters … Father played professional baseball for the Cincinnati Reds minor league system … Uncle, Jason LaRue, played for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals from 1999-2010.
Paige Patterson
C/3B | Woodstock, Ga. | Etowah
HIGH SCHOOL: A four-time letterwinner at Etowah High School in Woodstock, Georgia and Dutchtown High School in Prairieville, Louisiana … Helped the EHS Eagles to a third place finish in the 2019 GSA Elite Eight … Named first team all-district, all-metro, all-parish and all-state both seasons at Dutchtown … Named the GHSA 4-AAAAAAA Co-Player of the Year as a senior … Also received all-state laurels from the Georgia coaches association … Batted .531 as a freshman with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs as a freshman … During sophomore year, hit .471 with six big flies and 37 runs driven in … Posted a .411 average as a junior with four dingers and 18 RBIs … As a senior, tallied a .541 batting average with 10 home runs, driving in 53 runs … Named a Georgia Merit Scholar and received the Lamp of Knowledge award in 2019.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Joseph and Penny Patterson … Born August 29, 2002 … Has two brothers, Brendan and Christian … Plans to major in biology, go to medical school and become a doctor.
For all Ole Miss softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole MissSoftball and on Instagram at Instagram.com/olemisssoftball. Fans can also follow head coach Mike Smith on Twitter at @msmithsb16.
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