‘We belong’: Ole Miss softball enters WCWS with something to prove

Ole Miss softball has already made history. Let the games begin. 

The Rebels are in Oklahoma State for the first Women’s College World Series in program history. Ole Miss (42-19) opens with Texas Tech (50-12) Thursday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

The Rebels, who are in their ninth straight NCAA Tournament, are the only unseeded team remaining in the field.

“I’m really proud of our team — the journey we’ve been on, especially the last few weeks and what we’ve been able to overcome going into some pretty hostile and adverse conditions against some great teams in Arizona and Arkansas,” Ole Miss head coach Jamie Trachsel said.

“So, proud of the journey and the season we’ve had. We have one more chapter in our story and we’re looking forward to having a lot to say about it here in Oklahoma City. But very grateful, very proud to be in great company. Super proud of our team for what we’ve accomplished the last few weeks and earning the right to be here.”

The Red Raiders this season won 50 games for the first time in program history. Twenty-five percent of those wins came via shutout, a school record and the best mark in the country.

Texas Tech is 31-1 this season when it scores first — as the Red Raiders have done so far in each of their five NCAA Tournament games.

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NiJaree Canady is the only pitcher in the country with an ERA below 1.00.

She’s at 0.89 and could become the first player in history to lead the country in ERA for three consecutive seasons.

Canady was the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year. She has a 30-5 record and also leads Texas Tech with 11 home runs.

“NiJaree’s an amazing player,” Ole Miss two-way star Aliyah Binford said. Binford set the single-season Ole Miss RBI record on Friday. She’s up to 55. “We’re good friends. But I think we put in an immense amount of work and we’re ready to step on the field. This team is ready to prove we also belong on the field just like everybody else. We’ve shown that all season. It’s just another game for us. We’re not going to make the moment too big.”

Ole Miss is 22-19 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Rebels came away with their first Super Regional win on Sunday, holding off No. 4 Arkansas in Fayetteville, 7-4.

Ole Miss has hit 67 home runs, smashing the program record of 49 set in 2023. Persy Llamas has had an historic freshman season. She leads the Rebels in multi-hit games (20) and already has the most RBI eve rby an Ole Miss freshman. 

Miali Guachino has totaled 172 strikeouts, the most in a single season since Mary Jane Callahan (177) in 2004.

“I can’t even put into words how proud and satisfying it is,” Trachsel said of reaching the WCWS.

“A lot of work starting last summer. Part of it is identifying the right coaches. Got the right coaching staff, the right freshman group (and) the right returners that stayed because they were committed to Ole Miss and myself and had a lot of trust and belief in me to make the right choices and bring the right people. The retention of those players to our staff and then obviously some eight transfers as well, all of them playing a part and a role. 

“It was up to us to figure out the puzzle. I thought we could be a team that was on the rise when it came down the stretch. All that actually came true. I don’t think I’ve ever coached a team that has maximized the whole season — getting better, using the lessons learned, the adversity you go through to continue getting better throughout the season.”