Several Ole Miss sports secured their next wave of talent on last week’s National Signing Day, which fell on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The signing period for basketball ends on Nov. 19, while the early signing period for football begins on Dec. 3.
While nearly every sport added one or two players to sharpen their rosters, the Ole Miss Baseball and Softball teams took center stage. The baseball team signed 14 newcomers, while the softball team added 10. Together, they accounted for the bulk of the signing class.
Baseball
Last season was equal parts growth and frustration for Ole Miss Baseball. The Rebels advanced to the final game of the SEC Tournament and hosted a regional, but they failed to advance to the super regional after losing to Murray State.
In the offseason, the Rebels also lost many key contributors in the MLB Draft, including Luke Hill and Mason Morris. Others, such as Luke Cheng and Mitchell Sanford, graduated in May. This class of 14 recruits aims to replace these departures.
This year’s class consists of Ryan Walls (right handed pitcher), Ayson McIntosh (catcher), Brett Harris (catcher/outfielder), Christian Doty (infielder), Tucker Long (right handed pitcher), Winston Pennant (outfield), Devin Long (right handed pitcher), Cole Prosek (infielder), Taj Marchand (infielder), Bryce Collins (right handed pitcher), Lucas Lawrence (left handed pitcher), JP Harmon (RHP), William Cutshall (infielder) and McCoy Silicz (right handed pitcher).
Softball
Few programs in the SEC experienced a more dramatic season than Ole Miss Softball. The Lady Rebels advanced to the Women’s College World Series for the first time in program history.
Graduations and transfers, such as the departure of Miali Guachino, opened up several roster spots. Head coach Jamie Trachsel and her staff countered this roster turnover with one of the most loaded signing classes Ole Miss has ever assembled: 10 new Lady Rebels, stacked with national-level talent.
At the top of that group sits Charli Calas (1B), the No. 24 player in the nation and the No. 5 player in the state of California.
Other signees include Madelyn Armendariz (infielder), a Top 35 recruit and two-time Trinity League Gold Glove winner in high school; Jada Savage (right handed pitcher), the Gatorade Player of the Year in Georgia; Kinley Pittman (right handed pitcher/utility), the top player in Mississippi and a second-generation Rebel; and Avery Tucker (outfielder), a Top 100 national talent and member of the Canadian U-18 Women’s National Softball Team.
Rounding out the class are Abby Lynch-Buxton (catcher), Nevaeh Williams (right handed pitcher), Sienna Bocchino (outfielder), Corey Goguts (first baseman) and Adi Bicknell (utility), each bringing their own accomplishments, which include state MVP honors and national rankings.
The Rebels also added Jayden Nelson on the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 17. Nelson is a utility player from Haverford, Penn.
This highly-touted group sets the stage for another deep postseason run.
Basketball
Men’s basketball brought in one of the most exciting names of the entire signing period in four-star Jaron Saulsberry, a Top 10 player in Georgia and the No. 28 small forward nationally, per rivals.com.
Golf
Men’s and women’s Golf added international depth and amateur experience. The men’s team signed Xander Mulder, a rising star in the American Junior Golf Association rankings; Tomás Restrepo, a Colombian standout; and Viggo Olsson Mork, a Swedish player. On the women’s side, Lisa Herman and Ebba Lundqvist bring immediate change, as Lundqvist has three wins in the amateur circuit in Europe.
Rifle
Rifle secured two of the most decorated shooters in their respective states: Virginia standout Avana Harford, a Junior Olympic competitor, and Montana’s Kamdyn McFarland, who carries state and national precision rifle records.
Volleyball
Volleyball continued its rebuild with a mix of hitters, setters and defensive anchors. Libero Rileigh Butler arrives with multiple school records and all-state honors. Jaidyn Hartsfield boasts more than 1,500 career kills and a district MVP award.
Ryea Jackson and Coco Natarajan add national team development experience and elite club-level success. Sophie Taylor is a two-time 1A Player of the Year.
