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Applin brings All-American bat to Ole Miss softball in major portal pick-up

Ben Garrettby:Ben Garrett•06/26/25•

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Angelo State transfer SS Laylonna Applin has committed to Ole Miss (Photo credit: Laylonna Applin/X)

Ole Miss softball on Wednesday reeled in its third commitment from the NCAA Transfer Portal. 

Laylonna Applin is joining the Rebels after finishing last season as a first-team NFCA All-American. Applin emerged as the Rambelles’ full-time shortstop. She moved around the diamond as a freshman. 

Applin produced a .412 batting average. She also slugged .807 and got on base at a .486 clip. Applin struck out just 15 times in 214 plate appearances. She recorded 21 multi-hit games. 

Mixed in was a 22-game hitting streak, as well as a 34-game on-base streak. A number of her single-season accomplishments landed Applin in the Top 10 in Angelo State history: batting average, slugging percentage, doubles, triples, RBI and total bases.

Ole Miss has also added UConn pitcher/utility Hope Jenkins and Kentucky middle infielder Cassie Reasner. The Rebels have lost five players to the portal, headlined by Miali Guachino, a freshman All-American. 

The Rebels last season reached the Women’s College World Series for the first time in program history.

They were picked in the preseason to finish 14th in the SEC. Ole Miss went 42-21 and reached the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season under head coach Jamie Trachsel.

“I can’t even put into words how proud and satisfying it is,” Trachsel said of reaching the WCWS. “A lot of work starting last summer. Part of it is identifying the right coaches. Got the right coaching staff, the right freshman group (and) the right returners that stayed because they were committed to Ole Miss and myself and had a lot of trust and belief in me to make the right choices and bring the right people. 

“The retention of those players to our staff and then obviously some eight transfers as well, all of them playing a part and a role.”

Applin likely slides in for departing senior Angelina Deleon, though Reasner can play shortstop, too. Reasner last season hit .267 with 10 home runs and 33 RBI. She scored 33 runs and tallied eight doubles. 

Other Rebels needing replacing are, among others, NCAA Tournament standout Ashton Lansdell and prized veterans Aliyah Binford and Lexie Brady. Binford and Brady were Top 100 players in softball this season, according to Softball America and D1Softball.

Binford finished Top 10 all-time at Ole Miss in home runs, RBI, slugging, on-base percentage and walks. Brady this season broke the school’s 22-year-old single-season home-run record (17). She hit .323 with 28 extra-base hits, 51 RBI and a team-high 26 walks.

Softball America ranked the Rebels No. 7 in its final Top 25 poll — a new program best. They were No. 8 in the NFCA, ESPN/USA Softball and D1Softball rankings.

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