There are elite hitters in every conference, bursting with averages over .400, or easily bashing in more than 70 RBIs. However, there isn’t a more complete hitter in America right now than Bri Ellis. A Houston, Texas, product, Ellis has led a dominant Razorback offense to the four-seed and the Super Regionals.

Ellis spent her first two seasons at Auburn, starting 117 of 118 possible games for the Tigers before transferring ahead of the 2024 season. In high school, Ellis showed amazing hitting talent in a difficult Texas scholastic league. She hit 31 home runs over 3 seasons in high school as well as consistently hitting over .400.

What made Ellis special initially was how easily she transitioned to college ball. At Auburn, she smacked 20 home runs in her first year, and 14 in her second.Such immediate production has immortalized her in Auburn’s record books as one of their greatest freshmen, as well as an SEC Freshmen of the Year honor.

Bri Ellis (77) while at Auburn.

Ellis brought her power to Fayetteville in hopes of furthering the program’s momentum. But the adjustment to the Razorbacks was not as swift or easy as the move to Auburn. Despite being more efficient after moving, Ellis still knocked in the same 14 home runs and 47 RBIs as her previous season.

However, just keeping up the same production while moving to a more prominent team was a really good sign going forward.

This season has been completely different.

If her .457 batting average holds, it will be an Arkansas record.

If her .646 on base percentage holds, it will be an Arkansas record.

Ellis already has the Arkansas Home Run record, blossoming this season with 26 so far. Her 72 RBIs are also a single season record for the Razorbacks.

This combination of performance metrics demonstrates how Ellis is the most terrifying player in softball to pitch against. Easiest issue first; She has terrifying power, and a hittable ball is a homer-able ball.

The next move for pitching is to nibble and alternate off-speed pitching, to give less energy to re-direct. But Ellis hits for average as comfortably as she hits for power, willingly re-directing what the pitcher is giving her.

The other phenomenal challenge Ellis presents is phenomenal plate discipline, having only struck out 14 times in 127 at-bats. She’s also second in the country for walks on 64, further showing her phenomenal eye.

She knows it too, in her explanation of her approach to Whole Hog Sports, Ellis' entire approach hinges on being early and knowing the strike.

“If I'm early, I can hit every single pitch they throw at me — day or night, fast or slow — if I'm early and if it's a strike, there's nothing I can't hit,” Ellis Said

Ellis has already won Softball America’s National Player of the Year, and is a finalist for USA Softball’s Player of the Year as well, competing against Jordy Bahl and Nijaree Canady.

Awards and recognition continue to swell as Ellis faces Ole Miss in the Super Regionals. The Rebels claimed their super regional spot out of a group with Arizona, winning the regional but needing a losers bracket rematch for the tournament victory.

After an embarrassing regional exit last season, with a group Ellis felt, “on paper, we were the best team in the entire country.” Arkansas is poised to finish its ascendancy from SEC Contender and National Challenger into full-fledged national champions.

If it happens for this Razorback team this year, no one will hold more credit than the slugger who willed them there.