Justin Word Chose Southern Miss for the Winning Culture; Now He Wants to Take It Even Further

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Expectations aren't difficult to find around a Southern Miss baseball program that's coming off a decade's worth of 40-win seasons and three Sun Belt titles in four years, and incoming freshman Justin Word isn't backing away from them. Before ever playing his first collegiate game, the speedy newcomer believes the Golden Eagles have the talent to make a deep postseason run in 2027–one he hopes ultimately ends in Omaha.

During his senior year at Jackson Academy, Word posted a .504 batting average, 62 hits, 29 RBI, 14 doubles, eight home runs and 28 stolen bases through 38 games while also showing off his athleticism at shortstop. Earlier this year, among several other recognitions, Word was named to the 2026 Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen, becoming just the fifth player in Jackson Academy history to receive that honor. He was one of seven Golden Eagles to make the Dandy Dozen list, and before he ever made it to campus, he was even getting some looks from MLB teams before the MLB Draft took place earlier this month.

Word recently spoke with Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI about why Hattiesburg felt like the right fit, what he's looking forward to during his freshman season and the style of play he's planning to bring to one of college baseball's premier programs that's looking to take the next step.

The Recruiting Process

Justin Word, Jackson Academy, USM Baseball — Justin Word (@jus10word) on Instagram

Nearly two years ago, Word officially got the call with an offer from Ladd Rhodes, who was the Golden Eagles' recruiting coordinator before being elevated to hitting coach this offseason, and it was a dream come true for him. Although Word just officially made it to campus this summer, he had been firmly committed to Southern Miss since October of 2024.

"Coach Ladd gave me the call, and Southern Miss was one of my higher schools I was hoping would want to give me an opportunity," Word said.

"It was them, Troy, Jackson State, Louisiana Tech, South Alabama, schools like that. So he called me a few times, and I had family that went to USM, and obviously I knew how good they are. That they’re a really good representation of the state and have had several years of winning so many games. I’d been down to Hattiesburg a few times for family things, so I was kind of familiar with the area too, and it's really hospitable. So it wasn't very hard to make a decision.”

Seeing What The 'College Baseball Deal Is All About'

Although Word is extremely excited to get the full experience that comes with playing in front of 5,000-plus passionate Golden Eagle baseball fans every game at Pete Taylor Park, another aspect of his freshman year he's looking forward to is simply traveling and bonding with his teammates. He's also eager to grow as a human being and meet a lot of new people as he begins his college journey in Hattiesburg.

“I'm a big traveling guy, so I feel like that's just something I've always been thinking about," Word said. "I'm excited to travel and play. We’ve gotten to meet everyone on the team, so I'm just enjoying the process. The weights: We've had weights all summer with Coach Mak (Todd Makovicka).

"Looking forward to trying to grow as a person. I’m excited for school, just getting to meet a lot more people and just seeing what the real college baseball deal is all about. Building a bigger bond, asking questions and just growing and learning from the older guys.”

Speed, Grit and Omaha Dreams

Word is a multidimensional player who can do a little bit of everything, but specifically, his speed on the bases is something this Southern Miss baseball program will look to take advantage of over the next several years. Although last year's team was excellent in many categories, overall speed was one area that head coach Christian Ostrander and his staff focused on with this year's freshman and transfer portal classes.

“I would say, I think my speed is probably the biggest part of my game. Speed and grit," Word said when asked about what he's bringing to Southern Miss.

Last season, the Golden Eagles had 21 stolen bases as a team through 61 games. Word had 28 stolen bases alone through 38 games at Jackson Academy. Say what you will about comparing high school stats to college stats, but that disparity is impressive no matter which way you look at it.

Although speed is a big part of who Word is as a player, that's just one layer to his game. In fact, Word believes his "biggest upside" is him being able to put the ball in play while at the plate.

"I feel like I do a pretty good job of just putting the ball in play, not striking out a lot and letting the game come to me," Word said. "Just trying to play my role, trying to get on base, trying to get over and get over and score. And I feel like my defense has been pretty good throughout my high school career. But I feel like my biggest upside has always been at the plate, trying to find a way on and doing my part.”

New Player, Big Goals

When it comes to expectations for the Golden Eagles in 2027, nothing has changed. When a program has been as consistently great as Southern Miss has been over the last decade, sustaining that success is obviously important, but taking it a step further and getting back to Omaha for the first time since 2009 is the overall goal. Word may be a newcomer, but he and his teammates are already dreaming big this offseason, and they have good reasons to be.

“We’ve talked about it in the locker room," Word said, "and I really think we do have a chance to go to Omaha and make a good run. I feel like that's everybody's goal, but I feel like it's the truth for us. I feel like it'd be an understatement not to say that.”

Nothing is guaranteed in baseball, and Southern Miss understands that better than most after the way each of the last two postseasons ended. But the Golden Eagles have positioned themselves as well as any team in recent program history to finally break through in 2027. Nearly every key contributor from last year's roster who had eligibility remaining is back, the transfer portal added experienced veterans at critical positions, and one of the nation's most promising recruiting classes is now in Hattiesburg.

If Southern Miss is going to turn Omaha from an offseason expectation into a June reality, it will need impact additions who elevate an already talented roster. Based on everything he's shown so far, Word looks capable of being exactly that.

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