Ole Miss Softball’s Historic Season Started the Moment Ehren Earleywine Returned to College Softball

Ehren Earleywine's return to college softball has helped the Ole Miss Rebels reach the Women's College World Series for the first time in program history. | Ole Miss Athletics

The Ole Miss Rebels needed a coaching staff that could get them where no other softball team in program history could go.

Enter, Ehren Earleywine.

The top assistant for head coach Jamie Trachsel this season has been in the third base coach's box consistently this season, and has influenced the lineup offensively and defensively.

Missy Dickerson, former Ole Miss head coach and current analyst for SECN+ broadcasts in Oxford, has had a front row seat witnessing the team's transformation.

"This year, whatever Ehren has done has been all the right moves," Dickserson told Softball On SI via phone on Monday. "He is just brilliant. His knowledge of the game, the way he recruits, and the things that he does. Now, is he susceptible to mistakes? Absolutely, because nobody is perfect.

"Sitting up in the booth during games, I watch him tell the other coaches what to do in certain situations," she said. "He appears to be pulling all the strings."

Trachsel brought in the former Missouri head coach, who has Women's College World Series experience and a resume that boasts six consecutive Regional titles from 2008 to 2013, three conference Coach of the Year honors, and three WCWS appearances.

However, all of that came crashing down with an investigation in 2018 that led to his dismissal just two weeks before the season started due to concerns over leadership and the culture surrounding the program.

But Ole Miss wasn't the first Southeastern Conference school to try and hire him since Mizzou parted ways with him. South Carolina attempted to bring him on board before Beverly Smith was let go and Ashley Chastain-Woodard was hired.

As an assistant coach, he has stayed out of the spotlight but is deserving of some credit. Those who are in the game know how good of a coach he is and give him props on social media.

Anyone who was paying attention knows the MAJOR impact he had! So impressive

— Jen Schroeder (@jen_schro) May 26, 2025

Take senior catcher Lexie Brady, for example. As an everyday starter the past two seasons, she has raised her batting average from .257 to .340. She also saw her slugging rise from .553 to .752. Here are a few other numbers to see just how impressive the change has been.

Year	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBIs
2024	152	39	4	1	13	35
2025	153	52	10	1	17	50

THIS. https://t.co/PIyZKSY8wR

— Lexie Brady (@LexieBrady30) May 26, 2025

Brady isn't the only player who has improved under Earleywine's guidance. Jaden Pone has seen her grow. She is swinging for power and stealing more bases. In 2024, Pone didn't hit a single home run and was 9-for-11 on the base paths. Now, she has a homer, has raised her slugging, is 17-for-17 in stolen bases, and has cut her strikeouts from 32 to 21.

What might be the most impressive stat for the Rebels as a team has been their ability to draw walks and cut down on strikeouts. As a team, they have struck out 225 times, drawn 190 walks, and 59 hit by pitches.

All of this hard work has proven the SEC coaches wrong. Ole Miss was predicted to finish second-to-last in the SEC and is now one of the last eight teams standing. Trachsel deserves the credit for fighting to get Earleywine back in the game and believing that he could help lead another teams back to Oklahoma City.

The Rebels open their first WCWS against Texas Tech on Thursday night at 6 p.m. CT.

More news: NiJaree Canady Leads Texas Tech Softball to First-Ever Women’s College World Series Berth

More news: Tennessee Softball's Karlyn Pickens Sets NCAA Record With Fastest Pitch in Softball History-Again

More news: Nebraska Softball's Jordy Bahl Fouls Off 79.4 MPH Pitch – A Reaction Time Feat That Defies Logic