One of the top hitters available in college softball’s transfer portal is heading to the Southeastern Conference.
Emma Jackson, an outfielder who spent the past two seasons at East Carolina, has landed at Missouri. She joins the Tigers with one season of eligibility left and comes to the SEC after finishing the year ranking 14th in home runs with 21 dingers.
“My softball journey has been anything but traditional, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It’s been a path filled with growth, adversity, and unforgettable memories. With that said, I’ve saved the best year for last. I’m beyond excited to announce that I’ll be continuing my college career at Missouri,” Jackson wrote on Instagram. “I’m incredibly grateful to the coaching staff for making me feel welcomed from the very first call. I can’t wait for this next year!
A native of Chincoteague, Virginia — the small island off the state’s Eastern Shore, known by tourists for its annual pony swim and having a NASA facility nearby — Jackson began her career at Virginia Tech, then transferred to East Carolina as a sophomore. As a junior this season in Greenville, she blossomed into one of the nation’s best hitters.
The website 64 Analytics tabbed her as the fifth-best left fielder in the country this season. The site also ranked her as the fifth best overall player in the portal on May 21. On3 ranked Jackson as the ninth-best player in the portal.
In addition to her home run total, which was a single-season program record for the Pirates, Jackson ranked in the top 50 nationally in total bases (130), and was fifth in the American Athletic Conference in OPS with a mark of 1.188. She was third in the AAC in RBI with 54.
Across two seasons at ECU, Jackson had a .362 batting average and started all 113 games she played in, piling up 133 hits and 104 RBI. Jackson was twice named to the All-AAC Second Team and D1Softball.com ranked her as one of the 100 best players in the country prior to the start of this season.
Missouri is expected to retool this offseason after finishing 25-31 and missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006. Jackson could be a key building block for the Tigers as the offseason progresses.
