Ashton Lansdell, a senior infielder for the Ole Miss softball team, has been at the center of a heated debate about gender identity in sports.
There has been a lot of debate lately about whether Ashton Lansdell should be allowed to play on the women’s team. Some people support her and appreciate what she brings to the team, while others think she shouldn’t compete.
Despite the controversy, Lansdell has been a key player for Ole Miss, helping the team achieve a big milestone in the 2025 NCAA Softball Tournament.
On May 17, 2025, she hit a crucial home run and made a game-saving double play in a 7-4 win against Grand Canyon, earning praise for her athletic skills.
She also drove in three runs, including a home run, in a 9-7 victory over Arkansas on May 24, 2025, bringing Ole Miss closer to its first Women’s College World Series.
Her defensive stats are impressive, with a .959 fielding percentage over 41 games this season. However, a recent Facebook post by John Winters Fogleman has added fuel to the controversy.
Ole Miss Softball Player Ashton Lansdell Faces Scrutiny Amid Gender Identity Debate!
The Facebook post by John Winters Fogleman claims that Lansdell is a male player who previously played college baseball at Georgia Highlands and Florida International University (FIU).
He wrote:
Ashton Lansdell, a Senior infielder on the Ole Miss softball team, is a male player. He has been on the team since 2020. He previously played college baseball at Georgia Highlands and FIU. Ashton has been a point of contention due to his gender identity, with some questioning his eligibility to play on the women’s team.
John Winters Fogleman
Some people have questioned whether Lansdell should be allowed to play on the women’s team because of her gender identity. The issue has caused strong reactions, with some supporting Ole Miss, while others disagree with the situation.
This debate is part of a bigger discussion about transgender athletes in sports. Some believe transgender women should be allowed to compete, while others think it creates an unfair advantage.
Similar discussions have emerged around Lansdell, though no official reports confirm the claims made in the Facebook post.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Ashton Lansdell grew up playing baseball, starting at age 4 with her father’s coaching. She switched to softball in her sophomore year of college at Florida International University (FIU) and quickly became a standout shortstop, ranking among Conference USA’s top base stealers with 26 in 2023.
- She played professional baseball with the Savannah Bananas, a popular exhibition team, on a three-week contract in 2024. She also competed in MLB’s Home Run Derby X, hitting .412 with 15 home runs in a series against Canada in 2019.
- Lansdell has played for the USA Women’s National Baseball Team, winning a gold medal at the 2019 COPABE Pan-American Games and a silver medal at the 2024 Women’s Baseball World Cup.
