JACKSON, Miss. – The 2026 edition of Alcorn Softball kicks off Friday, Feb. 6, when the Braves travel to nearby Jackson, Mississippi, taking part in the River City Classic hosted by Jackson State at JSU Softball Field. The Braves will play four games in Jackson, taking on teams from Arlington Baptist, Alabama A&M, Jackson State and Dallas Christian across the weekend.
 
THE SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 6
1 p.m. – vs. Arlington Baptist
 
Saturday, Feb. 7
Noon – vs. Alabama A&M
2 p.m. – at Jackson State
 
Sunday, Feb. 8
10 a.m. – vs. Dallas Christian
 
ADMISSIONS
Admission to River City Classic games played at JSU Softball Field is free.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Alcorn Softball this season by following the Braves social media platforms. You can follow @BravesSports on X/Twitter and @AlcornSports on Instagram.
 
STATS & NOTES
▪ For the sixth consecutive season, Alcorn Softball is technically beginning the season as part of the River City Classic. The original home-opening tournament in 2021 was eventually cancelled.
▪ The Braves ended the 2025 campaign with an 11-29 overall record, while sporting a 6-18 mark in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play.
▪ Yahnya Acevedo returns to the squad after finishing second on the team last year with a .333 batting average and team-high three (3) triples.
▪ The leader in the circle heading into the new season looks to be Alainah Felton after the junior transfer from Southern (La.) turned in a 1-7 record last year with 32 strikeouts.
▪ Head Coach Brianna Billie is entering her second season at the helm of the Purple and Gold.
▪ Felton also finished the year third on the Braves squad a season ago with a .278 batting average, adding four doubles and 15 RBIs.
▪ Olivia Miller, a junior from Kokomo, Mississippi, returns as the leading hitter from 2025, using a .430 average with a team-high six home runs and 24 RBIs across the campaign.
▪ The Braves hit just 11 home runs last season – nine of those coming from the combination of Miller and Acevedo, respectively.
 
HISTORY
▪ Alcorn has never played Arlington Baptist before in softball prior to this weekend's contest versus the Patriots.
▪ The Braves lead the all-time series against Alabama A&M by a 33-25 margin dating back to 2005.
▪ Last season, the Braves took the only meeting between the two sides in nonconference play in Jackson, Mississippi, collecting a 10-1 decision in five innings.
▪ Jackson State claimed an 8-2 win over Alcorn last season in the River City Classic at JSU Softball Field.
▪ The previous meeting between the two sides was a 4-2 Braves win in the 2023 edition of the River City Classic, that time played in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
▪ Alcorn has never faced off against Dallas Christian in softball prior to this weekend's outing against the Crusaders.
 
QUOTES FROM COACH BILLIE
"It's always good to start a new season, and we have so much excitement going into the new campaign. We think we have a challenging schedule early-on that's going to really test us and prepare us for the long run."
 
"When you get a chance to face off against league opponents in a nonconference format, it gives you a chance to see what they have and what we have, as a group, and where we need to improve moving forward."
 
"Playing nearby to start the year is a plus, as we don't have to change too much of what we would do for home games. Traveling takes a lot out of you. So, staying close, so to speak, really gets the team eased into the schedule as we get ready to move forward."
 
SCOUTING ARLINGTON BAPTIST (0-0, 0-0 NCCAA)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Davis Beaver (5th season)
2025 Batting Average: .294; Runs Per Game: 5.0; Hits Per Game: 7.6; Slugging Percentage: .395
2025 ERA: 7.39; K/BB Ratio: 1.1; Opp. Batting Avg: .353
 
SCOUTING ALABAMA A&M (0-0, 0-0 SWAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Brian Daley (1st season)
2025 Batting Average: .297; Runs Per Game: 4.6; Hits Per Game: 6.6; Slugging Percentage: .393
2025 ERA: 5.24; K/BB Ratio: 1.1; Opp. Batting Avg: .310
 
SCOUTING JACKSON STATE (0-0, 0-0 SWAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Kevin Montgomery (8th season)
2025 Batting Average: .302; Runs Per Game: 5.6; Hits Per Game: 7.5; Slugging Percentage: .410
2025 ERA: 4.17; K/BB Ratio: 1.3; Opp. Batting Avg: .296
 
SCOUTING DALLAS CHRISTIAN (0-0, 0-0 NCCAA)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Megan Watkins (2nd season)
2025 Batting Average: .359; Runs Per Game: 8.0; Hits Per Game: 9.6; Slugging Percentage: .567
2025 ERA: 6.47; K/BB Ratio: 1.0; Opp. Batting Avg: .306
 
UP NEXT
Alcorn travels to the HBCU Collegiate Invitational taking place February 13-15, in Covington, Georgia. The Braves will face North Carolina Central, Maryland Eastern Shore, Coppin State, Bowie State and Howard over the course of the weekend in the "Peach State".
 
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