Mizzou softball makes first transfer portal addition of offseason
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Mizzou softball team is bringing some power to its 2026 lineup, with the addition of former Eastern Carolina University (ECU) outfielder Emma Jackson.
Jackson, a native of Chincoteague, Virginia, committed to the Tigers on social media, on Friday evening. In an Instagram post, she said, "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."
Mizzou will be Jackson's third stop, after starting her career at Virginia Tech, before transferring to ECU. She made the most of her two seasons with the Pirates in Greenville, North Carolina. Through the 2025 campaign, she batted .326 for a team-best 21 home runs and 54 RBI. Those 21 homers tied for the best in the AAC in 2025, while also tying for 14th-best in all of the NCAA.
Jackson originally committed to the Hokies out of high school. In her one season at Virginia Tech, she appeared in 27 games, making 14 starts, primarily as the designated player. In 2023, she recorded 12 hits and scored 14 runs in 45 at-bats. She finished that debut collegiate season with a .556 slugging percentage and a .327 on-base percentage.
The Virginia native was one of the top talents in her area in high school. She was an named the all-district and all-region player of the year in 2022, while also making the all-state team in her time with Chincoteague High School. Jackson wrapped up her senior season with a .700 batting average, 13 home runs, 37 RBI, 41 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.
She will join a Mizzou softball team that is looking to make its return to the NCAA Tournament, after missing Regional action for the first time in 17 seasons in 2025.
Jackson is the first commitment that head coach Larissa Anderson has picked up out of the transfer portal, since the season ended. However, she has lost a couple of big names to the portal since the conclusion of that 2025 campaign: infielder Madison Walker and pitcher Taylor Pannell.
