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Softball team looks to start season strong in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge
It’s almost time for the Ole Miss softball team to return to the diamond for the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico as part of a grand-slam slate of games starting on Friday, Feb. 10.
The team capped off a stellar 2022 season with a 41-19 record, the second-most wins in a single season in school history and finished 12-12 in the SEC, earning them a NCAA Tournament appearance for the second-straight year under third-year head coach Jamie Trachsel.
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Trachsel has only improved her squad each year at Ole Miss and will be looking for continued success on the diamond.
Ole Miss made history by going 24-1 through their first 25 games. They broke through the Top 25 in multiple polls and finished eighth in the
SEC. The Rebels would win a game at the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2019 and secure the program’s sixth-straight NCAA Regional bid, earning the No. 2 seed in the Los Angeles Regional.
Ole Miss survived a slew of top 10 opponents, winning key matchups against No. 9 Arkansas and No. 8 Kentucky.
The Rebels found their stride down the stretch, winning nine of their final 11 contests and taking series from No. 11 Tennessee and No. 16 Georgia to close out the regular season and tie the program record with 38 regular season victories.
The momentum from last year has earned the Rebels a No. 25 preseason ranking in the D1 Softball Preseason poll; In part due to a talented 2023 freshman class, including three top 100 players in the country, two of which are from Mississippi.
Following a standout season, Rebel outfielders Tate Whitley and
Abbey Latham earned NFCA All-Region honors. Whitley led the SEC in hits with 74 during the regular season, while Latham became the program’s alltime RBI leader in March.
Those Rebels will be key to another strong season and will be depended on to lead a younger team.
Ole Miss will face off against North Carolina t on Friday, Feb.10 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Ole Miss grabs second conference win against Georgia, 78-74
