After only one year away from the program, Ole Miss softball great Kylan Becker is back with the Rebels, this time as a coach.
Interim coach Ruben Felix, who took the job this season when former coach Mike Smith resigned after five seasons, brought in Becker to complete his staff for the upcoming season.
“I’m excited just because she was my number one target when the job came open,” Felix said. “She was the number one person that I thought of just because she means so much to the program, and she’s obviously an incredible Olympian player and All-American here and brings a lot to the table. I was hoping that she would accept the job.”
Becker’s successes can been seen throughout the record books with ranks in the top 10 in categories including hits, triples, batting average, RBIs, runs, walks, total bases, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, steals and even games played and games started.
Earning the First Team All-SEC and NFCA All-South Region laurels in 2019 twice, Becker then grabbed an NFCA All-American Distinction — the second player in program history to ever do so.
“I’m definitely really excited to be here and still be a part of the program and to help be a part of all of this,” Becker said. “Good things are coming. Hopefully we have a good season. We have a really good group coming back.”
Becker’s 2019 career was one for the books. Earning many postseason honors and playing one of the best seasons of softball the school has ever seen, she set school single-season records in runs (55), triples (9) and stolen bases (34). Becker also led the SEC in hits (84) and holds an Ole Miss career record of 16 triples.
The center fielder also started all 61 games, reaching base 53 times. She was also responsible for scoring the game-winning hit against No. 7 Louisiana, sending the Rebels to their second-ever NCAA Super Regionals.
In 2018, Becker was announced the only Rebel in softball history to ever be named to the USA National Team, representing the USA in the Japan All-Star series in Tokyo. Becker led the Rebels with a .329 batting average and .407 on-base percentage as a junior. As a sophomore, she became the Rebels’ first-ever All-SEC selection after posting .375 average with 34 runs scored and 31 more driven in.
Post-college, Becker played one professional season with Scrap Yard Fast Pitch during the summer of 2019.
Felix has spent five seasons as an assistant coach for the Rebels having helped lead the girls twice to the NCAA Super Regional tournament before taking over as interim head coach.
Prior to becoming a Rebel, Felix left the University of Central Florida after four seasons being the top assistant softball coach and recruiting coordinator.
Felix led UCF with a record of 43-18 helping the team secure its first-ever American Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship in program history.
The Rebels finished last season with an overall record of 41-20 after losing against No. 6 Arizona during the NCAA Super Regionals.
With the excitement of adding renowned Kylan Becker to the team, the Rebels are gearing up for their upcoming season and hoping for another run in the NCAA Tournament.
The first game is set for Feb. 7 in Clearwater, Florida against Louisville.
