Ole Miss finished dead last in the SEC softball standings but still made the NCAA Touranment. That’s not to speak poorly of the job Jamie Trachsel did this season in Oxford. Instead, the accomplish proves how strong the SEC is viewed nationally, with every team making it to the dance and having an opportunity to compete for a national championship.
Tracshel spoke about the conference’s depth, saying Ole Miss is proud to still be representing the SEC. There is some pressure to go out there and perform because you know other members will. When eight teams clinch their spot in Oklahoma City, a good chunk will likely be from the SEC.
“You’re proud to be a part of it,” Trachsel said on all 13 SEC teams making the NCAA Tournament.
“I think there’s a sense of responsibility to do your part in the best softball conference in the country. I think it speaks to the depth of it because on any given day, anybody can beat anybody.”
Ole Miss finished with a 31-26 overall record but 7-17 in SEC play. Just three series wins were on the resume but two of them came to close out the regular season. Multiple sweeps took place against the Rebels, being a tough middle stretch of the year.
Trachsel knows there are no weekends off in the SEC. Maybe in other conferences, there is a series where an easier opponent is coming to town and you can get two routine wins while pushing for a sweep.
Not in the SEC where every single series is going to be an absolute dogfight.
“I didn’t coach here my whole career so when I came in, I think the biggest challenge was you never have a break. You never have an off weekend, someone is ready to beat you and beat you again. You get punched in the mouth on Friday, you’ve got to punch them on Saturday. It’s an eight, nine-week blitz. I think it makes us proud that we’re a part of it and speaks to the level of what we got through for two months.”
Hopefully, the tough competition in the SEC means Ole Miss is prepared for whatever is thrown their way in the NCAA Tournament. Trachsel and her team are traveling to Lafayette as Louisiana will play host. Not an easy draw by any means but the Rebels are certainly battle tested.
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