Ole Miss named Mike Bianco head coach of the Rebel baseball program on June 7, 2000. Since then, Bianco has become the winningest coach in program history, led the Rebels to the only national championship in program history and established Ole Miss as one of the premier programs in college baseball.
In 23 seasons leading the program, Bianco has delivered 18 postseason appearances, including eight Super Regional berths and a pair of trips to the College World Series. He has racked up 879 victories, holding a 879-514-1 (.631) record. Those wins are the most in Rebel baseball history and rank second all-time among coaches in the SEC. He also stands as the winningest and longest-active coach in the SEC among the sports of baseball, men’s basketball and football. The Rebels have reached the 30-win plateau in all but one of Bianco’s 22 full seasons, including 10 40-win campaigns, proving that the Rebels don’t rebuild under Bianco—they reload.
To become the all-time winningest coach in Ole Miss history, Bianco passed Rebel legend Jake Gibbs with his 486th win on March 9, 2013, against Lipscomb in non-conference action. On April 4, 2023 Bianco became the second-winningest SEC coach of all-time, earning his 871st win and passing the legendary Skip Bertman.
A road SEC win at Texas A&M on May 8, 2021 gave Bianco 900 for his career, including 800 in a Rebel uniform to become one of 16 active head coaches with 900 career victories and one of just two in the SEC alongside LSU’s Paul Mainieri and Arkansas’ Dave Van Horn. The SEC’s winningest active coach joined Ron Polk and Skip Bertman as the only coaches in conference history with 800 wins.
The winning tradition has led to a wealth of success in the nation’s strongest baseball conference. Under Bianco, the Rebels have won four SEC Western Division titles, two SEC Tournament titles and one SEC regular-season championship, coming in 2009. Ole Miss captured the SEC Tournament title in 2006 and again in 2018. The Rebels also won the SEC West crown in 2018, becoming just the second in program history to win both a divisional and tournament title in the same season.
National Champion Rebels
In a career that has been filled with memorable seasons, the pinnacle without a doubt came during the 2022 campaign. Once sitting at 7-14 in the SEC and left for dead by fans and media across the country, Bianco’s Rebels responded with one of the most miraculous turnarounds in college baseball history to not only right the ship, but finish on top.
Ole Miss finished 7-2 over its last three SEC series, including its first-ever sweep over LSU in Baton Rouge, to bolster its resume and ultimately garner the very last bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Despite Rebel captain Tim Elko’s warning of “don’t let the Rebs get hot,” the college baseball world did just that. Once in the postseason, the Rebels never looked back, cruising through three-straight wins to claim the Coral Gables Regional and topping Southern Miss in the Hattiesburg Super Regional to advance to Omaha for the second time under Bianco.
Even at the College World Series, the Rebels couldn’t be cooled down as Ole Miss defeated Auburn and took down Arkansas twice to advance to the championship series against Oklahoma. After Bianco’s bunch eased past the Sooners in game one, an eighth-inning rally sealed the deal, securing the program’s first national championship.
Following the triumphant season, the longtime Rebel skipper was tabbed the National Coach of the Year by D1Baseball, USA Baseball, the ABCA, and Collegiate Baseball. It was the second season in which Bianco was named the national coach of the year, receiving the honor from Collegiate Baseball after leading Ole Miss to a 16-1 start to the 2020 season prior to the halting of play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
MLB Rebs
The excellence on the field has not gone unnoticed over the past 23 seasons under Bianco. The Rebels have seen 130 Major League Baseball draft picks in that time, including a combined 31 in the past six seasons.
At least three Rebels have been selected in each of the past 19 full seasons of the Bianco Era. Prior to Bianco’s arrival, Ole Miss eclipsed four draftees just three times.
In the Bianco Era, Rebel pitchers have accounted for 72 selections in the MLB Draft, including three first-rounders. Drew Pomeranz was selected fifth overall in 2010, becoming the highest-selected Rebel ever, part of a class that featured five Ole Miss pitchers taken in the top 100 picks. Ryan Rolison joined Pomeranz as a first-round selection in 2018 when he was taken 22nd overall by the Colorado Rockies. Gunnar Hoglund became the third Rebel pitcher coached by Bianco selected in the first round, earning the No. 19 pick from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Bianco has also tutored 20 catchers who have gone on to sign professional contracts. In 2018 and 2019, three Rebels were drafted as catchers in the top six rounds. Nick Fortes signed with the Miami Marlins after they chose him in the fourth round in 2018, while Thomas Dillard (5th Round – Milwaukee Brewers) and Cooper Johnson (6th Round – Detroit Tigers) were quickly taken off the board in 2019. Hayden Dunhurst and Calvin Harris have added to the recent run of Rebel backstops drafted highly, with Dunhurst being selected in the sixth round by the Kansas City Royals in 2022 and Harris going to the Chicago White Sox in the fourth round in 2023.
In his 29 years as either an assistant or head coach at Northwestern State, LSU, McNeese State and Ole Miss, Bianco has coached 171 players who have gone on to sign professional contracts. Among those 171 players, 34 have made Major League rosters, including 23 Rebels in the past 23 seasons.
T.J. Beam (New York Yankees) was the first player from the Bianco Era to be called up in 2006, followed by Seth Smith (Colorado) in 2007 and Matt Tolbert (Minnesota) in 2008. Chris Coghlan (Florida) was named the 2009 National League Rookie of the Year, while Matt Maloney (Cincinnati) made his MLB debut that same season. Alex Presley (Pittsburgh) became the sixth Bianco-coached Rebel to get the call to the majors in 2010.
Right-hander Lance Lynn (St. Louis), shortstop Zack Cozart (Cincinnati) and left-hander Drew Pomeranz (Colorado) became the next crop of player to make their Major League debuts, getting the call to the big leagues in 2011. Those call ups gave the Rebels eight players active in the Majors in the 2011 season, the second most of any Southeastern Conference team that season. Seven players appeared on Major League rosters in the 2013 season, including the call up of right-hander Phillip Irwin (Pittsburgh) that year. Right-hander Aaron Barrett (Washington) made his Major League debut on March 31, 2014.
Matt Tracy was called up to the big leagues by the New York Yankees, April 11, 2015, and made his debut later that day. Just over one month later, another former Rebel pitcher made his Major League debut as David Goforth began pitching out of the bullpen for the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2016, Mike Mayers (St. Louis) became the 14th Bianco-coached Rebel to see his big league dream come true, earning a start for the Cardinals against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball.
Johnny Bench Award winner Stuart Turner saw his dream come true when he made the Cincinnati Reds roster to start the 2017 season. Less than a month into the season, the Oakland Athletics called up Bobby Wahl as the next Rebel to make his MLB debut. Braxton Lee earned MLB Reb when he earned a spot on the 2018 Opening Day roster for the Miami Marlins.
Two more Rebels added their names to the MLB ranks in 2019 as pitchers Chris Ellis (Kansas City) and Jacob Waguespack (Toronto) toed the rubber in the bigs and former backstop Nick Fortes reached the majors in 2021, clobbering a home run in his debut with the Marlins. Chad Smith became the latest Rebel to make it to the “big leagues” in 2022, debuting for the Colorado Rockies.
Two former Rebels made their Major League debuts in 2023 as Grae Kessinger achieved his dream with the Houston Astros and James McArthur put together a stellar month of September on the mound for the Kansas City Royals.
Award-Winning Rebels
On the field, Bianco has established a tradition of developing some of the nation’s top players, as the Rebels have seen a combined 94 selections to All-America and Freshman All-America teams over the past 23 seasons.
Three Rebels received All-American nods during Ole Miss’ national championship campaign in 2022. College World Series Most Outstanding Player Dylan DeLucia was named a Third Team All-American by Baseball America, while three-time Rebel captain Tim Elko landed on the NCBWA’s Third Team All-America squad. Rookie hurler Hunter Elliott received three different Freshman All-American designations, receiving plaudits from Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game and D1Baseball.
During the 2021 campaign, Doug Nikhazy became the program’s fourth two-time All-American and its third unanimous All-American. Taylor Broadway and Jacob Gonzalez joined Nikhazy on the All-American teams, Gonzalez being just the second true freshman in program history, alongside Stephen Head, to be named an All-American. Gonzalez was also tabbed as a freshman All-American along with TJ McCants, giving Ole Miss two or more Freshman All-Americans for six consecutive seasons, a total of 14 in that span.
Ole Miss also became the first school to produce two different finalists for the Johnny Bench Award in consecutive seasons when Stuart Turner and Will Allen were named as finalists in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Turner claimed the award in 2013, becoming the first catcher in program history to be tabbed as the national catcher of the year. Nick Fortes and Hayden Dunhurst carried on the tradition in 2018 and 2021, earning Johnny Bench Award semifinalist nods.
Grae Kessinger added to the award-winning tradition in 2019. The Rebel legacy was named the Brooks Wallace Award Winner, given annually to the nation’s top shortstop, becoming the first player in program history to win the award.
Another Rebel shortstop made history in 2021 when Jacob Gonzalez became the program’s first National Freshman of the Year, bestowed by D1Baseball.
The Rebels have totaled 76 All-SEC nods under Bianco. Most recently, Kemp Alderman, Jacob Gonzalez, and Calvin Harris were each named to the 2023 All-SEC Second Team.
Bianco’s Rebels have brought home a number of awards from the league office as well, including Stephen Head’s SEC Player of the Year laurel in 2004, Drew Pomeranz earning SEC Pitcher of the Year honors in 2010 and the Rebels’ trio of SEC Freshman of the Year winners: Seth Smith in 2002, Head in 2003 and Jordan Henry in 2007. In 2021, Tim Elko became the program’s first SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Bianco has also coached six C Spire Ferriss Trophy winners, given annually to the best college baseball player in Mississippi. Head was the first to win it in 2004, followed by Brian Pettway in 2005, Scott Bittle in 2008, Pomeranz in 2010 and Auston Bousfield in 2014. Kemp Alderman won the award in 2023, bringing the trophy back to Oxford for the first time in almost a decade.
The Rebels have also celebrated great academic success under Bianco. Nine of his Rebels have been named CoSIDA Academic All-District. The SEC’s First-Year Academic Honor Roll has included 103 Bianco-coached Rebels, while 266 student-athletes have been selected to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
National Treasure
Bianco’s on-field accomplishments have been recognized nationally, as the Rebel skipper was tapped as the manager of the USA Collegiate National Team before the start of the 2022 season. Under Bianco, the boys in Red, White and Blue earned the Bronze Medal at Honkbalweek in Haarlem, Netherlands.
Three Rebel players joined Bianco on the Collegiate National Team, with Jacob Gonzalez and Hunter Elliott making the travel squad that competed in The Netherlands and Mason Nichols earning a spot on the initial Collegiate National Team training camp roster that competed in the Stars vs. Stripes intrasquad series in North Carolina.
Ole Miss has a strong history with Team USA. 12 Rebels have competed internationally for USA Baseball in the Bianco Era. Seth Smith and Stephen Head both competed for the 2003 edition of the Collegiate National Team. Zack Cozart made the national squad in 2006, and Cody Satterwhite and Lance Lynn kept that going in 2007.
Drew Pomeranz became the sixth Rebel to sport the American flag uniform in 2009, followed by Bobby Wahl in 2012 and Dallas Woolfolk in 2017. Parker Caracci carried on the tradition in 2018, earning a spot on the Team USA roster, where he posted a perfect 0.00 ERA with two saves and opposing batting average of .094 in 9.2 innings of work. Doug Nikhazy made it three straight seasons with a Rebel arm wearing the Stars and Stripes, earning a spot on the 24-man roster for the 2019 summer.
Electric Atmosphere at Swayze
The excitement on the field has spilled over into the stands, where Ole Miss baseball fans have taken notice and shown their appreciation. Attendance continues to rise under Bianco as Oxford-University Stadium has been established as one of the best atmospheres in college baseball.
Ole Miss has ranked among the nation’s top 25 attendance leaders in all of Bianco’s 23 seasons. That streak also includes 17 consecutive years ranked in the top five. For the first time in program history, the Rebels finished No. 1 in the nation in attendance in 2021.
The Rebels have taken that crowd support and turned it into a distinct home field advantage. Ole Miss has won 72.4 percent of its home games under Bianco, compiling a 559-213-1 record at Swayze Field.
In addition to the outstanding winning percentage, the demand for seats led to new renovations and additions at O-U Stadium/Swayze Field. Grilling areas, picnic pavilions and terraced seats were added beyond the wall in left field in the Oakes Pavilion. Beyond the right field wall, new terracing along with more grilling areas and picnic pavilions were built in the area heavily populated by Ole Miss students.
Additions to the grandstand including skyboxes and additional grandstand seating were completed in 2009 as O-U Stadium expanded to accommodate the standing room only crowds that have become a mainstay for the Rebels under the leadership of Bianco. Prior to the 2016 season, the Rebels added a new HD video board to the outfield that measures 30’x48’ in size to enhance the game day experience.
The latest renovations to O-U Stadium will benefit both players and fans. A $19 million project, completed right after the 2018 season, included a new Baseball Performance Center, a field level club, additional box seating, a rooftop plaza down the first base line and an expansion/realignment of the left field terrace, as well as an additional videoboard down the right field line to accommodate those enjoying the outfield seating.
With the success on the field and support in the stands, Oxford has evolved into a top destination for fans of postseason baseball. Bianco and the Rebels hosted four straight NCAA Regionals and two Super Regionals from 2004-2007. Ole Miss posted the largest crowds for any NCAA Super Regional in 2005 and 2006 and posted the highest attendance of any NCAA Regional in 2006. The 2005 NCAA Regional in Oxford drew the second-largest crowd among all Regionals.
When the Rebels hosted again in 2009 at the newly renovated Oxford-University Stadium, new attendance marks were again set; Ole Miss hosted the then-largest crowd in school history as 10,323 fans came to see the Rebels take on Virginia in game two of the Super Regional. All-told, 29,646 fans came to the Super Regional, making it the most attended Super Regional of the season and the highest attendance for a Super Regional at an on-campus facility in NCAA history at the time.
In the 2014 NCAA Regional, the Rebels ranked second nationally with 49,314 fans packing the stadium for the six-game event as Ole Miss began its run to the College World Series.
More than 10,000 fans packed Swayze for all four of Ole Miss’ NCAA Regional contests in 2018 for a grand total of 42,437 over the weekend. That trend continued in 2019, when 29,352 fans witnessed a three-game Rebel sweep of the Oxford Regional, the fourth-most in the country.
On Monday, June 13, 2005, the Rebels’ Super Regional game against eventual national champion Texas was the third-most watched television broadcast of a college baseball game in the history of ESPN.
In total, the Rebels have hosted 10 NCAA Regionals in the past 19 full season, further evidence that under Mike Bianco, Ole Miss baseball has truly become a national name.
The Bianco Era Begins
Since Bianco took the helm of the program 23 years ago, he has raised the bar for expectations at Ole Miss with each successive season.
After being picked to finish sixth in the SEC Western Division in his first season, the Rebels defied expectations, finishing second in the West with a 17-13 record and an overall record of 39-23-1. The 39 wins were then one shy of the school record for a single season, while the 17 conference wins tied the school record at the time.
Ole Miss rose in the national spotlight that season, breaking into the top 10 in the national rankings for the first time since the 1972 season. The Rebels closed out the year with a trip to the NCAA Regional in New Orleans as the No. 2 seed.
Four Rebels earned spots as All-SEC selections on either the first or second team, while outfielder Burney Hutchinson earned second team All-America honors from Baseball Weekly. It was the beginning of a steady climb to the top for Ole Miss.
The Rebels again found themselves in the national spotlight in the 2002 season as Ole Miss climbed as high as No. 6 in the national rankings following a series win at then-No. 2 Alabama. It was the highest national ranking for the Rebels since finishing the 1969 season ranked No. 6 by Collegiate Baseball. Ole Miss also saw its first SEC Freshman of the Year as outfielder Seth Smith earned the honor from the league.
The 2003 season again saw Ole Miss in the postseason as the Rebels earned a berth in the Houston Regional. Bianco’s Rebels were led by a young but stout pitching staff, featuring five freshmen throwing more than 60 percent of the innings on the season. That young group led the SEC in ERA at 3.45 for the year, hit the 35-win mark for the third straight season on the way to the postseason. The appearance in the NCAA Regional was the second in three years for Bianco’s program and only the fourth for Ole Miss since the 1977 season.
One member of that pitching staff, two-way player Stephen Head, was named SEC Freshman of the Year and also earned national Freshman of the Year along with All-America honors. The groundwork was laid for the future as the Rebels would reach even greater heights in the coming years.
Ole Miss set the stage for the move to the next level in 2004 as the Rebels earned another berth in the postseason, marking the first time in program history that Ole Miss reached an NCAA Regional in back-to-back seasons. However, things were different this time around.
Instead of heading on the road for the postseason in 2004, the Rebels were selected as one of the 16 host sites for an NCAA Regional. It was the first time Ole Miss ever served as a Regional host, but it wouldn’t be the last.
On the way to the postseason, Bianco’s Rebels notched 18 wins in Southeastern Conference play on the way to an overall mark of 39-21. The Rebels were also ranked in all four major college baseball polls each week of the season, including eight total weeks in the top 10 in at least one of the polls. Ole Miss was in the top 10 for six-straight weeks from March 22-April 26, moving as high as fourth nationally in the March 29 edition of the Collegiate Baseball rankings.
Stephen Head, then a sophomore, earned All-America honors for the second-straight season, becoming the school’s third two-time All-American in 2004. He also was named Co-Player of the Year in the SEC and was selected as one of five finalists for the 2004 Golden Spikes Award, amateur baseball’s most prestigious award. It was the first time a Rebel player had ever been a finalist for the award. Head also brought the first “Boo” Ferriss Award home to Oxford, given to the top baseball player in the state of Mississippi.
Not satisfied with the accomplishments of the previous season, Ole Miss added to its list of firsts in 2005. The Rebels hosted a second-straight NCAA Regional and advanced to an NCAA Super Regional for the first time, playing host to the eventual national champion Texas Longhorns. The Rebels broke the 40-win mark for the first time under Bianco, setting a school record at 48-20 on the season and claiming the SEC Western Division Championship.
Ole Miss also saw the second-straight Ferriss Trophy come to Oxford when Brian Pettway was named as the award’s recipient as well as being named an All-American for the first time in his career. He joined Head, who became the program’s first-ever three-time All-American when he earned the distinction again in 2005.
Title Time in Oxford
Not to be content with the success of previous years, Bianco’s Rebels used the achievements of 2005 to springboard into the 2006 season.
The Rebels posted a 44-22 record, marking the first time in history that Ole Miss had turned in back-to-back 40-win seasons. Ole Miss also claimed the 2006 SEC Tournament Championship on the way to hosting its third-consecutive NCAA Regional as well as a second-straight Super Regional against the Miami Hurricanes.
The Rebels again had two players gain national recognition as Zack Cozart and Cody Satterwhite were named All-Americans and three Rebels gained All-SEC honors. With the conclusion of the 2006 season, Ole Miss found itself holding a spot as one of the top teams in the nation and atop the Southeastern Conference. The Rebels were the only team in the SEC to post a winning record in conference play each of the previous four seasons. Ole Miss also posted more wins in the SEC than any other program over the same time frame.
Ole Miss extended that streak in 2007 as the Rebels posted a fifth-straight winning season in SEC action, remaining the league’s winningest program in a five-year span. The Rebels also set a new standard with a third consecutive 40-win season as Ole Miss advanced to the Tempe Super Regional and posted a 40-25 mark on the year. The Rebels became one of only two schools to have hosted an NCAA Regional each of the previous four years and one of only four schools to have advanced to Super Regional play three-straight years.
Several players pulled in honors in 2007 as Ole Miss added a third SEC Freshman of the Year in Jordan Henry and seven Rebels took slots on All-SEC teams. Cozart was named an All-SEC First Team selection, while Henry, Lance Lynn and Cody Satterwhite were named to the second team. Henry also joined Nathan Baker and Zach Miller on the SEC All-Freshman team. The trio also pulled in Freshman All-America honors, marking the first time the Rebels earned the honor for three players in the same season.
The honors continued to come in for the Rebels in 2008 as Ole Miss advanced to a sixth-straight NCAA Regional, playing in Coral Gables at No. 1 Miami. The Rebels advanced to the championship game before falling to the top-ranked Hurricanes. Scott Bittle brought home the program’s third Ferriss Award as the state of Mississippi’s top collegiate player and also earned First Team All-America honors.
Ole Miss continued to pull in the accolades in 2009 as the Rebels claimed the SEC Regular-Season Championship for the first time since 1977 with a 20-10 record in conference play. The 20 wins set the school record for wins in SEC play and helped Ole Miss secure a seventh straight berth in the NCAA Tournament, hosting for the fifth time in Bianco’s nine years. The Rebels advanced to an NCAA Super Regional for the fourth time in five seasons, becoming one of only six schools to advance to at least four Super Regionals in that time.
In 2010, the Rebels made an appearance in the postseason with an eighth consecutive berth, competing in an NCAA Regional at the University of Virginia. With the appearance, Ole Miss became one of only 12 schools nationally to advance to eight straight NCAA Tournaments. Left-hander Drew Pomeranz claimed SEC Pitcher of the Year honors, becoming the first Rebel to claim the award since its inception, and also garnered All-SEC and All-America honors. Right-hander Brett Huber also claimed postseason accolades as he was also named an All-SEC selection and earned Freshman All-America honors. Pomeranz became the highest draft pick in school history when he was taken fifth overall by the Cleveland Indians and led a group of five Rebels drafted in 2010. The left-hander also became the fourth Rebel to claim the Ferriss Trophy, giving Ole Miss more winners of the award than any other program in the state.
In 2011, the Rebels continued to bring in postseason accolades as Alex Yarbrough was named an All-SEC selection. Ole Miss also continued the trend of sending Rebels to the pros with six players selected in the 2011 MLB Draft.
The 2012 season saw the Rebels advance to the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in the Bianco era as Ole Miss advanced to the championship at the College Station Regional hosted by Texas A&M. The Rebels defeated the eighth-ranked Aggies on the way to the program’s sixth regional championship game in an eight-year span, a feat accomplished by only 15 teams nationally at the time. Yarbrough was tabbed as an All-SEC and All-America selection at the conclusion of the season and was one of six Rebels drafted in the 2012 MLB Draft.
Ole Miss made the NCAA Tournament in 2013 with a berth in the Raleigh Regional hosted by N.C. State after a 38-win season and advancing to the third day of play at the SEC Tournament. Stuart Turner and Bobby Wahl became All-SEC and All-America honorees, while Turner was named the winner of the Johnny Bench Award as the top collegiate catcher in the nation. Ole Miss also continued the trend of sending players to the professional ranks with five players drafted, marking the 10th consecutive season with at least five players taken in the MLB Draft.
Rebels Return to Omaha
The 2014 season will go down as one of the best in Ole Miss history. The Rebels advanced to the College World Series for the fifth time in program history and the first time since the 1972 season.
Ole Miss claimed the SEC Western Division title for the third time under Bianco’s leadership, posting a 19-11 record before hosting an NCAA Regional for the sixth time during the head coach’s watch. The Rebels blew through the Regional with a win over Jacksonville State and a pair of wins over Washington on the way to a fifth NCAA Super Regional in 10 seasons.
In the NCAA Super Regional, the Rebels traveled to face top-ranked Louisiana-Lafayette and rallied after losing the first game to claim the NCAA Super Regional with wins in game two and three to secure the program’s berth in the College World Series.
In Omaha, the Rebels faced No. 1 seed Virginia, falling to the Cavaliers 2-1 in the opening-round game before picking up win a dramatic walk-off win over Texas Tech and a 6-4 victory over TCU in elimination contests to set up another showdown against Virginia with a berth in the CWS Championship Series on the line. Ole Miss fell to the Cavaliers to end the season with a third-place finish, tying the best finish in the CWS by an Ole Miss team with the 1956 Rebels.
Maintaining Excellence
After advancing to the College World Series for the fifth time in program history during the 2014 season, Bianco had a young team with little experience take the field for the 2015 campaign. Gone from the team that made it to Omaha were 17 players, including eight that were selected in the 2014 MLB Draft. Three position players returned to the starting lineup along with a cast that was just getting its first taste of baseball at the highest collegiate level. To make things even more difficult, Ole Miss was faced with the nation’s toughest schedule all season long. Despite the youthful team and the difficult schedule, the Rebels were relentless and determined to continue the program’s excellence under Bianco. With five wins over teams ranked No. 1 in the country, including series wins over Florida and Vanderbilt, Ole Miss fought through the gauntlet to earn another postseason berth, the 13th during Bianco’s tenure.
Leading the way throughout the season were All-SEC Second Team reliever Wyatt Short, Ferriss Trophy finalist Scott Weathersby, and senior slugger Sikes Orvis. Short recorded 10 saves in 2015, while Weathersby moved from the bullpen to a spot in the weekend rotation, willing to be called upon whenever his team needed him to lead the way. Orvis, a fan favorite and face of the program, finished his career as a Rebel by climbing into the Ole Miss top-10 career home runs list.
The experience that the Rebels gained in 2015 paid dividends in the 2016 season. Ole Miss got off to a hot start, winning 20 of its first 22 games, including a series win over No. 2 Louisville and a road win over eventual national champion Coastal Carolina. With 40 regular season wins, the Rebels tied a school record and eclipsed the victory mark for the sixth time under Bianco. Ole Miss finished with a 43-19 record and hosted an NCAA Regional for the seventh time in the last 13 years. J.B. Woodman became the 23rd All-American in program history, while also earning All-SEC honors alongside second baseman Tate Blackman and catcher Henri Lartigue. A trio of Rebels collected Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America accolades in pitchers Brady Feigl, James McArthur and Andy Pagnozzi. Following the season, six Rebels were taken in the 2016 MLB Draft to mark the 12th-straight year at least four Ole Miss players were chosen.
Prior to the 2017 campaign, the Rebels brought in the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class, the first No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the history of Ole Miss Athletics. The talented youth made an immediate impact on the diamond as three freshmen found themselves in the everyday lineup, while five more saw action on the mound. For only the second time in program history, as well as the second consecutive season, three Rebels earned Freshman All-America honors in pitchers Will Ethridge, Ryan Rolison and Houston Roth. The pitching staff was the strength of the 2017 squad, cracking the country’s top 25 in six different categories; Ole Miss led the SEC and ranked third nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.21), while finishing ninth in the country with 1.22 walks and hits per inning (WHIP).
The 2018 campaign brought one of Bianco’s best seasons to date. The Rebels won 48 games for the first time since heading to Omaha in 2014, were crowned SEC West Co-Champions, and went on to win the SEC Tournament Championship. Ole Miss opened the season with the best start to a year in program history, coming in at 17-1, as well as 20-2 at just before the halfway point. The Rebels entered postseason play tied for their highest ranking in program history at No. 2, according to NCBWA. They were a consensus top-five team by the end of the year, and spent most of the season as one of the nation’s best teams. One of the best years to date offensively made Ole Miss one of the most feared teams by opposing pitchers, and rightfully so. The Rebels ranked in the top-15 nationally in hits, doubles, runs scored, slugging percentage, home runs, and batting average. Every Rebel who started a game in 2018 recorded a home run, but no one contributed more to the offense than the hot bat of Ryan Olenek, who had a record year that saw the junior hit .350 with 83 hits in 61 games, including the third-longest hitting streak in program history at 23 games. After running through the SEC Tournament, capped by a 9-1 win over LSU in the conference title game, the Rebels hosted an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2016 after missing a year in 2017. After opening with a decisive victory over Saint Louis, the Rebels exited the tournament after two heartbreaking losses in one day to the nation’s top hitting team, Tennessee Tech.
The success continued in 2019 as Ole Miss notched yet another 40-win season, finishing 41-27 after a tremendous SEC Tournament run, an NCAA Oxford Regional Championship and a berth in the Fayetteville Super Regional. The Rebels held a spot in the top 25 all season thanks to a powerful offense that finished in the top 25 nationally in hits, walks, runs scored and home runs. The 2019 squad set program records for walks drawn (351), fielding percentage (.978) and stolen bases (93) en route to a strong year. Ole Miss made a spectacular run and nearly won it second straight SEC Tournament, falling one out short in a walk-off defeat to eventual NCAA Champion Vanderbilt. That run was enough for the Rebels to earn the No. 12 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Ole Miss hosted its ninth NCAA Regional under Bianco and swept at Swayze Field, winning three straight against Jacksonville State, Clemson and Jacksonville State once more to capture its 10th regional title and sixth Super Regional bid. The win sent the Rebels to Fayetteville for a Super Regional date with No. 5 seed Arkansas. The Rebels delivered an emphatic 13-5 victory in Game 2 at Baum-Walker Stadium but ultimately fell short of a trip to Omaha, dropping the finale to cap Bianco’s 19th season.
The Rebels looked destined for a deep postseason run in 2020. Ole Miss lost its season opener against No. 1 Louisville and eventual top-10 MLB Draft pick Reid Detmers. The Cardinals’ lefty ace was the only pitcher to beat the Rebels in 2020, as they came back to win the series and reel off 16 consecutive wins, including a sweep of No. 17 ECU’s Keith LeClair Classic. Ole Miss outscored its opponents 161-58, or by an average of six runs per game. Just as the Rebels were rising to the top of the national rankings and preparing for SEC play, the 2020 season ended due to the spread of COVID-19.
Ole Miss picked up right where it left off in 2021, topping three top-10 teams at the State Farm College Baseball Showdown to earn its first No. 1 ranking in program history. The Rebels remained one of the top teams in college baseball all season despite several injuries, including the loss of Friday night ace Gunnar Hoglund. Nonetheless, Ole Miss broke a program record for strikeouts en route to its third straight 40-win season and a third straight berth in the SEC Tournament semifinals. From there, the Rebels hosted their 10th NCAA Regional under Bianco. Ole Miss emerged victorious at Swayze Field, earning their second consecutive and seventh overall Super Regional berth. Ole Miss ultimately fell one game short of Omaha, falling in the Tucson Super Regional finale at No. 5 Arizona.
Top Recruiter
Not only have fans and the media covering college baseball noticed Ole Miss’ resurgence under Bianco, some of the top talent in the country is also taking a close look at the Rebels.
Eighteen of Bianco’s 23 recruiting classes at Ole Miss have garnered top-20 national rankings, including 10 that have placed in the top-10. His first recruiting class was rated as one of the nation’s 10 best by both Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America, including a No. 6 ranking by Collegiate Baseball.
The 2003 recruiting class was ranked No. 10 by Collegiate Baseball, while the 2011 class was ranked third nationally by Collegiate Baseball and fifth by Baseball America. It marked the first top-5 recruiting class for Bianco at Ole Miss. In the fall of 2016, Rebel Baseball earned the No. 1 ranking in national recruiting rankings by both Baseball America and D1Baseball.com. The top ranking was the first No. 1 recruiting class in the history of not only the baseball program but all of Ole Miss athletics.
Just when that 2016 class cycled through, the Rebels reloaded with another elite class. The 2019 Ole Miss class ranked No. 2 in the nation, highlighted by four prospects who were taken in the MLB Draft but chose instead to play in Oxford. The 2019 group included four of Perfect Game’s top 50 prospects—the only class in the country of its kind. Bianco brought in another top-five class in 2022 with Perfect Game’s No. 4 ranked recruiting class.
Foundation of Success
Bianco’s winning ways can be traced back to his playing days. After spending two seasons at Indian River (Fla.) Community College, he played two seasons for Skip Bertman at perennial national-power LSU in 1988 and 1989. He was the starting catcher and team captain for the Tigers’ 1989 team that finished third at the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. He homered in LSU’s 6-3 win over Miami (Fla.) in the 1989 CWS to help advance the Tigers to the semifinals.
While working behind the plate for LSU, Bianco caught major league pitchers Ben McDonald, Russ Springer, Curtis Leskanic, John O’Donoghue, Chad Ogea and Paul Byrd.
His time behind the plate as a player would later benefit him as he served as LSU’s pitching coach during three World Series championship teams in the 1990s. Bianco also worked with the pitchers during his three years as head coach at McNeese State, and continues to serve in that same capacity with the Rebels.
Omaha Experience
Following his playing career, he joined Jim Wells’ (former head coach at Alabama) coaching staff at Northwestern State, where he served two seasons from 1991-1992 as a graduate assistant. He helped coach Northwestern State to a 1991 Southland Conference (SLC) championship and an appearance in the 1991 NCAA South I Regional.
He then returned to Baton Rouge where he joined Bertman’s staff at LSU. In five seasons at LSU (1993-1997), the Tigers advanced to the College World Series four times and claimed three national championships. LSU also won three Southeastern Conference crowns and two SEC Tournament titles in that five-year span.
After the Tigers’ 1997 College World Series title run, Bianco was named the head coach at McNeese State in July of that year.
Bianco Earns Head Coaching Experience
After seven seasons as an assistant at Northwestern (La.) State and LSU, Bianco received his first head coaching opportunity, taking over the reins of McNeese State.
He quickly displayed his abilities to develop a competitive program. In his first season with the Cowboys in 1998, he engineered an 11-game improvement from 1997, posting a 30-26 record – the first of three 30-win seasons. The 1998 season also saw the Cowboys rise to third in the conference standings and qualify for the SLC Tournament.
Following a 31-25 campaign in 1999, Bianco’s 2000 team produced one of the most successful seasons in McNeese State history. The Cowboys finished 39-20, including winning a school-record 20 SLC games en route to claiming their first conference title since 1988, and making their third-ever appearance in the NCAA Regionals. In recognition, Bianco was named the SLC’s Coach of the Year.
Bianco’s 2000 McNeese State team raked in the individual postseason awards. Four Cowboys were named to the SLC’s first team, including the conference’s Hitter and Newcomer of the Year in Chris Williamson, and the SLC’s Pitcher of the Year in Chris Howay.
Power hitting was the Cowboys’ trademark under Bianco, as they hit 212 home runs in his three seasons, including a school-record 81 in 1999. His 2000 team batted .305 and set a new school standard for hits in a season with 600.
Personal Background
Bianco, 55, was born May 3, 1967, and is a native of Seminole, Florida. He is married to the former Camille Marquette, and the couple has five children: sons, Michael, Benjamin, Andrew and Samuel, and one daughter, Catherine.
Bianco was inducted into the Indian River Community College Hall of Fame in 2003. He was also named to the All-Alex Box Omaha Era Team by LSU in 2008. In 2010, Bianco was inducted into the Seminole High School Hall of Fame.
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