ABS System Coming to Southern Miss Baseball as Sun Belt Expands Trackman Relationship

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Sun Belt announced on Friday that it is expanding its relationship with Trackman to bring an Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) to the conference for the 2027 college baseball.

This means there will be a new twist in the upcoming Southern Miss baseball season, as players and coaches will have opportunities to challenge calls on balls and strikes if they believe the umpire made the wrong call.

“As one of the nation’s premier conferences in the diamond sports, the Sun Belt continues to invest in technology to remain at the forefront of industry trends,” Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill said in an official statement on Friday.

“Trackman has been a valued Sun Belt partner in these endeavors since 2023 and we look forward to expanding our relationship once again as we join a select group of conferences opting into the NCAA experimental rules for baseball and softball for the 2027 season.”

Trackman's patented Optically Enhanced Radar Tracking (OERT) technology is currently used by all 30 MLB teams. Now, it's looking to become a staple at the college baseball level as well.

Southern Miss Baseball, Christian Ostrander — Southern Miss head coach Christian Ostrander looks on from the dugout during the 2026 season. | Josh House

“Trackman is proud to serve the Sun Belt Conference and its programs and 2027 marks the next chapter in that partnership,” Trackman Director James Snikeris said in an official statement on Friday.

“The same accuracy and reliability their baseball programs already rely on will now power ABS, giving coaches, student-athletes and fans confidence in every call that is challenged. Trackman is also excited to expand live in-dugout data delivery to the conference’s softball programs, providing coaches and players with real-time insights during the game.”

USM, Baseball, Crowd — A view of Southern Miss' Pete Taylor Park during a 2026 season game. | Josh House

Given how talented Southern Miss' pitching staff is, especially when it comes to its weekend starting trio of Grayden Harris, Camden Clark and Camden Sunstrom, there might not be much of a need to challenge calls every game. However, if you're head coach Christian Ostrander or any of those Golden Eagle pitchers or hitters, it's a good tool to have in your back pocket, just in case.

Stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI for more Golden Eagles baseball content leading up to the Oct. 10 fall exhibition against Mississippi State.

Add us as a preferred source on Google