The University of Mississippi Athletics
Thursday, February 12
Lafayette, La.
3 PM
Ole Miss
vs
McNeese
No. 21 Softball Set for Ragin’ Cajuns Invitational
2/11/2026 | Softball
LAFAYETTE, La. – The Ole Miss softball program returns to action this weekend, competing in the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational, on the campus of Louisiana from Thursday through Saturday.
The Rebels (3-2, 0-0 SEC) open up against McNeese (4-1, 0-0 SLC) with a doubleheader on Thursday at 3 and 5 p.m. CT. From there, the Rebels will match up with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1-4, 0-0 SLC) on Friday at 11 a.m. CT, before back-to-back matchups with the Ragin' Cajuns (3-1, 0-0 Sun Belt) on Friday at 1:30 p.m. CT and Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CT.
Saturday's game will be streamed via ESPN Plus. Tickets for Thursday's doubleheader against McNeese will be a $5 admission charge in either cash or Venmo.
LEADING OFF
TURNING THE PAGE
After a historic 2025 campaign in which the Rebels reached the program's first ever Women's College World Series, head coach Jamie Trachsel and the Rebels turn the page to a brand new campaign in 2026.
The season will honor the achievements of last season, while turning the page with a group of 16 newcomers to lead a remade roster. Coach Trachsel and the Rebels have commanded the respect of their peers after last season, earning a consensus top-25 ranking across all four major preseason polls heading into the new campaign.
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 .990 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 .556 with a home run and seven RBI through five games.
TWO-WAY TITANS
The Ole Miss softball program has created a tradition of developing dynamic two-way talents under head coach Jamie Trachsel, with 2026 set to continue the trend.
Previous Rebels Aynslie Furbush and Aliyah Binford earned All-Region honors both hitting and pitching in Oxford and this season's roster will be loaded with more two-way talent. The group is led by Division II National Player of the Year Emilee Boyer, who heads to Oxford after three seasons at West Texas A&M where she went 69-10 with a 2.39 ERA and hit .363 with 54 home runs and 197 RBI. Another transfer, Hope Jenkins, also brings veteran accumen after three seasons at UConn, where she earned All-Big East honors and went 28-9 in the circle, with a 3.50 ERA and hit .279, with 14 home runs and 67 RBI. Both will continue to hit and pitch in their first seasons in Oxford.
There is even more talent in the pipeline, as the Rebels added freshmen Payton Kennedy and Addi Linton to the mix this season, who will continue their two-way careers after prolific high school performances. Both were tabbed to the Softball America Freshman Watch List this 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 opened the season hitting .429 with a home run and three RBI.
Pickens delivered signature moments in both the SEC Tournament and 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.
TRANSFER TO THE SIP
Ole Miss softball found tremendous success from the transfer portal in 2025 and have reloaded once again in 2026. Joining the team are 10 transfers, headlined by several who will be key contributors. Reigning Division II National Player of the Year Emilee Boyer brings her two-way talents from West Texas A&M, while former Kentucky infielder Cassie Reasner traded shades of blue to join Ole Miss for the next two seasons. Also joining the team are utility player Laylonna Applin (Angelo State), pitcher Kyra Aycock (Oklahoma State), catcher Makenna Bellaire (Florida), catcher Kennedy Bunker (Fresno State), two-way player Hope Jenkins (UConn), outfielder Liesl Osteen (UCLA), outfielder Cassidy Patterson (Nova Southeastern) and outfielder Sydney Shiller (Texas Tech). Additionally, promising pitcher Lilly Whitten (Missouri), will also see action for the first time as a Rebel after joining as a winter transfer ahead of the 2025 season.
DIPPING INTO DII
The Rebels dipped into a unique pool of talent in the transfer portal, bringing in three players with high level Division II experience ahead of 2026.
Emilee Boyer moves up to the Division I level after thoroughy dominating at Division II West Texas A&M. Boyer took home countless honors over her three years including the 2025 NFCA Division II National Player of the Year and the 2025 D2CCA Ron Lenz Player of the Year as well as multiple All-American honors and will seek to impact the Rebel lineup with her blend of pitchability and power.
After facing Boyer for the last two years, Laylonna Applin joins her as a teammate on the Rebels after dominating at Division II Angelo State. Named a 2025 NFCA First Team All-American and D2CCA Third Team All-American Applin brings versatility and can play a number of positions. Applin hit .360 with 20 home runs, 94 RBI, 24 doubles and 27 stolen bases with the Rambelles and will be called upon for key at bats at the new level.
The Rebels also added outfielder Cassidy Patterson, who has progressed through the junior college and Division II ranks as a prolific base stealer. Patterson won the 2024 NFCA/NJCAA Golden Shoe Award while Indian River State College, before moving up to Nova Southeastern, where she stole 38 bases. In total, Patterson has stolen 133 bases over three seasons and provides the Rebels a dangerous weapon in the running game.
SCOUTING MCNEESE
Head coach James Landreneau has led the Cowgirls to four consecutive 40-win seasons and has eyes on another, as McNeese enters the weekend at 4-1 overall.
Sophomore two-way player Maddie Taylor is off to a scorching start at the plate, hitting .538 with two home runs and eight RBI. Another key piece of the lineup is Arkansas transfer Rylee Cloud who is also surging, hitting .500 with a home run and six RBI, while adding three stolen bases.
The three pitchers who pitched against the Rebels in 2025 - Ryann Schexnayder, Taylor and Kadence Williams are all back on the roster this season and are joined by sophomore Kynlei Chapman and Brookelyn Taylor, who have each contributed key innings thus far. As a unit, McNeese has allowed a .323 batting average against thus far.
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI
After a 12-36 campaign in 2025, the Islanders gave the reins to former Maryland head coach Mark Montgomery, who has 655 in his career, and leads the 1-4 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational.
The offense has largely run through senior Mimi Thornton and senior Skylar Heger, who are hitting .429 and .385, respectively, with four RBI apiece to make up eight of 14 RBI by the Islanders this season.
Texas A&M-CC relies heavily on junior Kendra Winfrey in the circle, who has already made four appearances, going 1-1 with a 4.73 ERA over 13.1 IP thus far. Winfrey notched eight strikeouts in a complete game victory over Stony Brook last week.
SCOUTING LOUISIANA
Sun Belt powerhouses Louisiana are back in action for year two under Alyson Habetz, who accumulated a 29-25 record in 2025. This season, the Ragin' Cajuns are a tale of two sides of the ball so far, with the offense off to a surging start.
With a collective .345 batting average, 10 home runs and 30 RBI, Louisiana's offense is clicking early. Redshirt freshman Lily Cox has opened her debut season with a bang, hitting .500 with two home runs and seven RBI. Another freshman, Haley Hart is also red hot, hitting .545 with two home runs. Alabama transfer Kennedy Marceaux has also made a big impact since arriving, hitting .400 with two home runs and six RBI.
However, the pitching staff has faced some early struggles to open the season, with a combined ERA of 4.75. Julianne Tipton has been the bright spot, with a 2-0 record and 1.40 ERA through three appearances. Lexie Delbrey (Florida) and Sage Hoover (Texas Tech) transferred in before the start of last season, but are making their debuts after each missing all of 2025 with injuries.
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 (3-2, 0-0 SEC) open up against McNeese (4-1, 0-0 SLC) with a doubleheader on Thursday at 3 and 5 p.m. CT. From there, the Rebels will match up with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1-4, 0-0 SLC) on Friday at 11 a.m. CT, before back-to-back matchups with the Ragin' Cajuns (3-1, 0-0 Sun Belt) on Friday at 1:30 p.m. CT and Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CT.
Saturday's game will be streamed via ESPN Plus. Tickets for Thursday's doubleheader against McNeese will be a $5 admission charge in either cash or Venmo.
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss heads back out on the road for a return to Louisiana for the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational.
- For the second straight year, the roster features 16 newcomers, this time in the form of 10 transfers and six freshmen.
- Headlining the list of transfers includes Division II National Player of the Year Emilee Boyer (West Texas A&M), All-Big East honoree Hope Jenkins (UConn) and former Kentucky starting shortstop Cassie Reasner.
- Reasner is off a to a red-hot start, hitting .429 with two home runs and 10 RBI at the Easton Classic. Reasner tallied 30 RBI all of last season.
- NFCA All-South Region honorees Persy Llamas and Mackenzie Pickens headline the returners, after huge freshman campaigns in 2025. Llamas was tabbed to the All-SEC Preseason Team prior to the start of the season.
- Llamas and Pickens crushed pitching at the Easton Classic, with Llamas hitting .556 with a home run and seven RBI and Pickens hitting .429 with a home run and three RBI.
- The Ole Miss offense tallied 40 runs through the first five games of the season, good for the program's highest total through the first five in program history.
TURNING THE PAGE
After a historic 2025 campaign in which the Rebels reached the program's first ever Women's College World Series, head coach Jamie Trachsel and the Rebels turn the page to a brand new campaign in 2026.
The season will honor the achievements of last season, while turning the page with a group of 16 newcomers to lead a remade roster. Coach Trachsel and the Rebels have commanded the respect of their peers after last season, earning a consensus top-25 ranking across all four major preseason polls heading into the new campaign.
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 .990 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 .556 with a home run and seven RBI through five games.
TWO-WAY TITANS
The Ole Miss softball program has created a tradition of developing dynamic two-way talents under head coach Jamie Trachsel, with 2026 set to continue the trend.
Previous Rebels Aynslie Furbush and Aliyah Binford earned All-Region honors both hitting and pitching in Oxford and this season's roster will be loaded with more two-way talent. The group is led by Division II National Player of the Year Emilee Boyer, who heads to Oxford after three seasons at West Texas A&M where she went 69-10 with a 2.39 ERA and hit .363 with 54 home runs and 197 RBI. Another transfer, Hope Jenkins, also brings veteran accumen after three seasons at UConn, where she earned All-Big East honors and went 28-9 in the circle, with a 3.50 ERA and hit .279, with 14 home runs and 67 RBI. Both will continue to hit and pitch in their first seasons in Oxford.
There is even more talent in the pipeline, as the Rebels added freshmen Payton Kennedy and Addi Linton to the mix this season, who will continue their two-way careers after prolific high school performances. Both were tabbed to the Softball America Freshman Watch List this 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 opened the season hitting .429 with a home run and three RBI.
Pickens delivered signature moments in both the SEC Tournament and 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.
TRANSFER TO THE SIP
Ole Miss softball found tremendous success from the transfer portal in 2025 and have reloaded once again in 2026. Joining the team are 10 transfers, headlined by several who will be key contributors. Reigning Division II National Player of the Year Emilee Boyer brings her two-way talents from West Texas A&M, while former Kentucky infielder Cassie Reasner traded shades of blue to join Ole Miss for the next two seasons. Also joining the team are utility player Laylonna Applin (Angelo State), pitcher Kyra Aycock (Oklahoma State), catcher Makenna Bellaire (Florida), catcher Kennedy Bunker (Fresno State), two-way player Hope Jenkins (UConn), outfielder Liesl Osteen (UCLA), outfielder Cassidy Patterson (Nova Southeastern) and outfielder Sydney Shiller (Texas Tech). Additionally, promising pitcher Lilly Whitten (Missouri), will also see action for the first time as a Rebel after joining as a winter transfer ahead of the 2025 season.
DIPPING INTO DII
The Rebels dipped into a unique pool of talent in the transfer portal, bringing in three players with high level Division II experience ahead of 2026.
Emilee Boyer moves up to the Division I level after thoroughy dominating at Division II West Texas A&M. Boyer took home countless honors over her three years including the 2025 NFCA Division II National Player of the Year and the 2025 D2CCA Ron Lenz Player of the Year as well as multiple All-American honors and will seek to impact the Rebel lineup with her blend of pitchability and power.
After facing Boyer for the last two years, Laylonna Applin joins her as a teammate on the Rebels after dominating at Division II Angelo State. Named a 2025 NFCA First Team All-American and D2CCA Third Team All-American Applin brings versatility and can play a number of positions. Applin hit .360 with 20 home runs, 94 RBI, 24 doubles and 27 stolen bases with the Rambelles and will be called upon for key at bats at the new level.
The Rebels also added outfielder Cassidy Patterson, who has progressed through the junior college and Division II ranks as a prolific base stealer. Patterson won the 2024 NFCA/NJCAA Golden Shoe Award while Indian River State College, before moving up to Nova Southeastern, where she stole 38 bases. In total, Patterson has stolen 133 bases over three seasons and provides the Rebels a dangerous weapon in the running game.
SCOUTING MCNEESE
Head coach James Landreneau has led the Cowgirls to four consecutive 40-win seasons and has eyes on another, as McNeese enters the weekend at 4-1 overall.
Sophomore two-way player Maddie Taylor is off to a scorching start at the plate, hitting .538 with two home runs and eight RBI. Another key piece of the lineup is Arkansas transfer Rylee Cloud who is also surging, hitting .500 with a home run and six RBI, while adding three stolen bases.
The three pitchers who pitched against the Rebels in 2025 - Ryann Schexnayder, Taylor and Kadence Williams are all back on the roster this season and are joined by sophomore Kynlei Chapman and Brookelyn Taylor, who have each contributed key innings thus far. As a unit, McNeese has allowed a .323 batting average against thus far.
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI
After a 12-36 campaign in 2025, the Islanders gave the reins to former Maryland head coach Mark Montgomery, who has 655 in his career, and leads the 1-4 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational.
The offense has largely run through senior Mimi Thornton and senior Skylar Heger, who are hitting .429 and .385, respectively, with four RBI apiece to make up eight of 14 RBI by the Islanders this season.
Texas A&M-CC relies heavily on junior Kendra Winfrey in the circle, who has already made four appearances, going 1-1 with a 4.73 ERA over 13.1 IP thus far. Winfrey notched eight strikeouts in a complete game victory over Stony Brook last week.
SCOUTING LOUISIANA
Sun Belt powerhouses Louisiana are back in action for year two under Alyson Habetz, who accumulated a 29-25 record in 2025. This season, the Ragin' Cajuns are a tale of two sides of the ball so far, with the offense off to a surging start.
With a collective .345 batting average, 10 home runs and 30 RBI, Louisiana's offense is clicking early. Redshirt freshman Lily Cox has opened her debut season with a bang, hitting .500 with two home runs and seven RBI. Another freshman, Haley Hart is also red hot, hitting .545 with two home runs. Alabama transfer Kennedy Marceaux has also made a big impact since arriving, hitting .400 with two home runs and six RBI.
However, the pitching staff has faced some early struggles to open the season, with a combined ERA of 4.75. Julianne Tipton has been the bright spot, with a 2-0 record and 1.40 ERA through three appearances. Lexie Delbrey (Florida) and Sage Hoover (Texas Tech) transferred in before the start of last season, but are making their debuts after each missing all of 2025 with injuries.
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
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C/UT
/ Softball
RHP/INF
/ Softball
RHP/UT
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
RHP/UT
/ Softball
RHP/UT
/ Softball
LHP/UT
/ Softball
LHP/UT
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballThe Season: Ole Miss Softball - Women's College World Series (2025)
Wednesday, February 11
Kennedy Bunker's Home Run at Cal State Fullerton
Friday, February 06
Mackenzie Picken's Home Run at Cal State Fullerton
Friday, February 06
Cassie Reasner's Home Run at Cal State Fullerton
Friday, February 06