104. Braxton Burnside: Homeward Bound

Senior shortstop Braxton Burnside is Arkansas' single-season home run leader and the glue that holds the Razorback softball team together. But it took her a while to find a home with the Hogs. The small-town Paragould, Ark., native set the high school home run record in the state, but was passed over by the Hogs during the recruiting process, only ever receiving a single letter from her home-state team. Without much interest from her dream school and a strong desire to play in the SEC, Burnside committed to Missouri, where she found success. After a coaching change in Columbia, she decided to transfer, and only had eyes for the Razorbacks. After sitting out her transfer year and a season cut short by Covid-19, Burnside still found a way to write her name in the Razorback record books. This is the story of how a small-town Arkansan—who only ever wanted to be a Hog—found her way home.