STARKVILLE — Ole Miss freshman shortstop Hailey Lunderman wasn’t sure what to expect when she started playing Southeastern Conference softball.
Turns out, Lunderman got the hang of things quickly.
In her first season at Oxford, Lunderman leads the Rebels with a .372 average and 73 hits. She has started all 59 games and has fielded at a .961 clip.
Her performance is one of many reasons why Ole Miss will play Friday in a NCAA regional for the first time in program history.
“When I got here, this team was really on a mission,” Lunderman said. “Coach (Mike) Smith told us to embrace the challenge to be the first team to play in a regional. I think we just picked up where the team left off last season. It was just a chance to continue to play a game I have always loved.”
On an annual basis, the Mississippi High School Activities Association and Mississippi Association of Independent Schools combine to produce about 15 Division I softball players. In a state where fast-pitch softball isn’t an elite sport, the challenge for college coaches is two-fold — keep those players in the state of Mississippi and make sure they develop and reach their full potential once on campus.
“In-state players have to be the backbone of your program,” said MSU fifth-year coach Vann Stuedeman, who had five players from Mississippi on her 22-player roster this season. “We love our state, and that is why we have gone all over it playing exhibition games, holding camps and just spreading a love for the game.”
Ole Miss, which has four players from the state on its 24-player roster, and Southern Mississippi, which has seven Mississippi players on its 22-player roster, also are trying to help the sport grow.
This season, Ole Miss set a school record with 39 victories en route to the program’s fourth winning season. California native Mike Smith has made the program relevant in his first two seasons as coach. Ole Miss will play Friday in the Norman Regional.
Southern Miss owns the only two Women’s College World Series berths in the state’s history. Current Georgia coach Lu Harris-Champer took the Golden Eagles to Oklahoma City in back-to-back years in the mid 1990s.
This season, second-year coach Wendy Hogue led Southern Mississippi to a 30-28 record and the Conference USA Western Division regular-season championship. The team saw a 12-win improvement from her first squad, which finished 18-34. It was USM’s first winning season since 2004.
“The challenge is greater because we are not in a softball tradition-rich state,” Hogue said. “However, I think we are making strides to change that. You have to evaluate the top players in the state, but you also have to make sure you are pursuing players who will be good fits to your program.”
With the three largest Division I programs in the state each playing well, the race is more intense to divide a small talent pool. The challenge is even greater to keep these players at home.
LSU junior second baseman Constance Quinn played at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg. LSU separated itself during the recruiting process for Quinn. During her time in Baton Rouge, LSU has played in three regionals, including last season’s Women’s College World Series. Quinn drew 48 starts at second base on that team.
“LSU presented me a unique opportunity,” Quinn said. “Really I fell in love with the place during my recruitment. Coach (Beth) Torina gave me a great opportunity, and I will always be appreciative of that. The softball (in the state of Mississippi) is getting better and better. More players are deserving of a chance.”
Down the road about an hour, former New Hope High School standout D.J. Sanders is putting together quite a career at Louisiana-Lafayette. The Sun Belt Conference regular season and tournament champions look to get back to the WCWS for the first time since 2014.
Sanders’ first season there ended with a super regional loss at Auburn. This season, ULL will play host to a regional this weekend. Sanders is hitting .314 and is tied for the team lead with 17 home runs in 50 starts at shortstop.
The Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges also has a role to play in the growth of the sport. In the final national ranking, the MACJC had four members in the top 11.
Former New Hope High standout Lauren Holifield hit a team-best .339 at Southern Miss this season. Holifield drew 56 starts on the infield in her junior season. She signed with the Golden Eagles after earning national player of the year honors at Jones County Junior College a season ago.
This season, Holifield was named All-C-USA and to the all-tournament team.
Hogue hopes to sign more players like Holifield. Smith wants similar players.
“I think each of us are trying to establish a national brand,” Smith said. “To do that, you have to recruit on a national level. Playing in the Southeastern Conference opens the door and gives you so many opportunities. When you win on a national level and recruit on a national level, local players will fall in line.”
This means Smith hopes to sign the next Lunderman, too. When the SEC announced its postseason awards, Lunderman was chosen to the SEC’s all-freshman team. She was the only Ole Miss or MSU player chosen.
“I think players in our state just need a chance,” Lunderman said. “They need someone to give them that opportunity. It’s important players such as myself continue to perform, too. That will give other players a chance.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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