Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss Rebels
University University of Mississippi
Conference Southeastern Conference
NCAA Division I/FBS
Athletic director Ross Bjork
Location Oxford, Mississippi
Varsity teams 18
Football stadium Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field
Basketball arena The Pavilion at Ole Miss
Baseball stadium Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field
Mascot Rebel Black Bear
Nickname Rebels
Fight song Forward Rebels
Colors Navy Blue and Red[1]
         
Website www.olemisssports.com

The Ole Miss Rebels are the intercollegiate athletic teams officially representing the University of Mississippi. Originally known as the "Mississippi Flood", the teams were renamed the Rebels in 1936[2] and compete in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I. The only exception is the rifle team, which participates in the Great America Rifle Conference because the SEC does not sponsor that sport. The school's colors are red (PMS 186) and navy blue (PMS 2767), purposely chosen to mirror the school colors of Harvard and Yale, respectively.[3] With a long history in intercollegiate athletics (Ole Miss began football in 1890), the university competes in 18 men's and women's sports. Student-athletes, 630 in all, received all-conference academic honors from 1995–2004.

Although a campus committee adopted the Rebel Black Bear as an on-field mascot for sporting events to replace Colonel Reb, the teams retain the name Rebels.[4]

National team championships

NCAA Runners Up

Team titles not sponsored by the NCAA:

Football

The Ole Miss Rebels football team represents the University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, in the sport of American football. The Rebels compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The football history of Ole Miss includes the formation of the first football team in the state and the 26th team on the list of college football's all-time winning programs. The Ole Miss Rebels posted their 600th win on September 27, 2008 when they defeated the (then ranked No. 4 and future 2008 BCS National Champ) Florida Gators 31–30 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida.

Throughout the 115-year history of Ole Miss football, the Rebels have won six Southeastern Conference titles (1947, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963) and three national championships (1959, 1960, 1962).

Baseball

The Ole Miss Rebels baseball team represents the University of Mississippi in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the West division of the Southeastern Conference. They are currently coached by head coach Mike Bianco and assistant coaches Carl Lafferty and Matt Mossberg. They are currently the second most populated team in the nation - an achievement reached by keeping extra utility players on the roster. They play home games at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. Ole Miss has played in the College World Series five times, most recently in 2014.

Men's basketball

The Mississippi Rebels men's basketball represents the University of Mississippi in intercollegiate men's basketball. They have participated in the NCAA Tournament in 1981, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2013 and 2015. In 2008 and 2010, the team made it to the National Invitation Tournament Semifinals at Madison Square Garden. The Rebels have won the SEC Western Division in 1997, 1998, 2001, 2007, and 2010. From 1999-2006, Rod Barnes coached the Rebels basketball team, and compiled a record of 141-109 during his tenure. In 1981, the Ole Miss basketball team won their first SEC tournament championship in Birmingham, Alabama and earned their second one in 2013 at Nashville, Tennessee.

Women's basketball

The Ole Miss women's basketball program began in 1974, and has been a fixture in post-season tournaments since that time. The Rebels have appeared in the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship tournament seventeen times, including the inaugural 1982 tournament; they also appeared in the tournament in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2004, 2005, and 2007. They have reached the Sweet Sixteen eight times and the Elite Eight five times (1985, 1986, 1989, 1992, and 2007). They have also appeared in the Women's National Invitation Tournament in 1999, 2001, and 2006. Entering the 2008 season, the program has an all-time win-loss record of 686-353, for a 66% average.[5]

The 1992 team won the SEC with an 11-0 conference record, and finished the season with a final record of 29-3, the most wins in team history.

The program has produced such outstanding players as sisters Peggie Gillom, who still holds the school records for scoring and rebounding, and Jennifer Gillom, an Olympic medalist, Kodak All-American, and SEC Female Athlete of the Year.[6]

Perhaps the most decorated player in the program's history, guard Armintie Price, joined the Rebels for the 2003-2004 season and immediately collected SEC Freshman of the Year honors. In her collegiate career, Price was named to the All-SEC First Team three times and became the first player to be named SEC Defensive Player of the Year twice. With Cheryl Miller she is one of only two players in NCAA history to record 2000 points, 1000 rebounds, 400 assists and 400 steals. As a senior she was a finalist for the Wooden Award and was named to the Kodak All-American Team; she led her team to their first Elite Eight appearance since 1992. Price was drafted third overall in the 2007 WNBA Draft and went on to an outstanding first season with the Chicago Sky, culminating in Rookie of the Year honors.

Coaching legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Van Chancellor built his legacy with eighteen years as the Rebels' head coach, where he compiled a record of 439 wins and 154 loses. Chancellor's legacy also includes several players-turned-coaches, including Jennifer Gillom, who helped Chancellor coach the US Senior Women's National Team to the 2002 World Championship; head coach Carol Ross, who returned to her alma mater in 2003; and current associate head coach Peggie Gillom.

Carol Ross resigned as head coach on April 26, 2007. During her four-year tenure, the Rebels' posted 77 wins and 50 loses. She was replaced by assistant coach Renee Ladner. Ladner resigned at the end of the 2011–12 season after having gone 70–82 in five seasons.[7] Adrian Wiggins, who had led Fresno State to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, was hired as her replacement.[8] However, Wiggins was fired before the start of the 2012–13 season amid an investigation of potential NCAA recruiting violations.[9] Assistant Brett Frank was named as interim head coach in the wake of Wiggins' firing.[10]

After the 2012–13 season, Ole Miss hired Matt Insell, the son of Middle Tennessee head coach Rick Insell, as permanent head coach. The younger Insell had spent the previous five seasons as an assistant under Matthew Mitchell at Kentucky.[11]

Tennis

Volleyball

The 2008 Rebels finished the season at 14-15 and 10-10 in the SEC.

Notable non varsity sports

Lacrosse

The Ole Miss Men's Lacrosse Club team is a member of the Southeast Lacrosse Conference D1 (SELC) in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA).

Rugby

Founded in 1974, Ole Miss Rugby Football Club plays college rugby in the Western Division of the Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference against its traditional SEC rivals such as Mississippi State. Ole Miss has seen some great crowds at recent matches since 2011.[12] Ole Miss is led by head coach Warren Miconi.[13]

Rivals

See also: Egg Bowl

Ole Miss' major athletic rivals are with the Mississippi State Bulldogs (MSU), the LSU Tigers (see Magnolia Bowl), and the Arkansas Razorbacks. (see Arkansas – Ole Miss rivalry)

In football, Ole Miss and MSU close each season with the Egg Bowl, with the victor receiving possession of the Golden Egg Trophy. Ole Miss leads the series 63–43–6.

In basketball, MSU leads the series 138–105[14] In baseball, according to Ole Miss records, Mississippi State now leads the series 231–196–5 (239–195–5 according to MSU records). However, as recently as 1978, Ole Miss led the series by some six games before Mississippi State became a leader both in the SEC and nationally in baseball. Since 1978, Ole Miss is 52–90 against MSU.

LSU has a 58–40–4 advantage in the all-time football series with Ole Miss.[15]

Songs and cheers

The 1893 Ole Miss baseball team.

Songs

Main article: Forward Rebels

The school's fight song is "Forward Rebels."[16] It is played by the Ole Miss "The Pride of the South" marching band at official university sporting events.

The song "Dixie"[17] was played by the Ole Miss band for years at athletic events. Dixie has long been associated with secession, racism, terrorism, white supremacist movements, and violence.

A modification of the Elvis Presley song An American Trilogy, now known as From Dixie with Love[16] or Slow Dixie, was also played during football games, both home and away. The song was first played during the half-time performance at the Ole Miss/LSU game of 1980 in Tiger Stadium. Upon its completion, the band received a standing ovation from more than 70,000 people on hand that day. It soon became a staple of the band for many years. During Ole Miss's winning streak of 2003,[18] audiences began chanting "The South will rise again" in place of "His truth is marching on" at the end of the song. The chant remained a staple for the next several years. In 2009, with Ole Miss in the national spotlight for football success, political pressure mounted to do away with the chant. The Student Body Government proposed to call for the chant to be changed to "To Hell with LSU". When this proposal was not enacted, the university asked the band to quit playing the song.[19]

A modification of "Dixie" called "Dixie Fanfare"[20] is also played by the band.

References

  1. ↑ "Licensing FAQ's". Department of Licensing – University of Mississippi. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
  2. ↑ Cleveland, Rick (June 19, 2003). "Colonel not exactly a longtime tradition". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Traditions". Mississippi Rebels. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Rebel Black Bear Selected As New On-Field Mascot for Ole Miss Rebels" (Press release). Ole Miss Mascot Selection Committee. October 14, 2010. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2009-08-11./pdf1/152266.pdf?&DB_OEM_ID=2600
  6. ↑ "2007-08 Ole Miss Women's Basketball Media Guide". Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
  7. ↑ "Ladner Steps Down As Ole Miss Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). University of Mississippi Sports Information. March 2, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Wiggins Named Ole Miss Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). University of Mississippi Sports Information. March 2, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  9. ↑ Reisbeck, Jessob (October 21, 2012). "Adrian Wiggins Fired From Ole Miss". Visalia, CA: KMPH-TV. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Ole Miss Names Brett Frank Acting Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). University of Mississippi Sports Information. March 2, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Matt Insell Tabbed to Lead Ole Miss Women's Basketball" (Press release). University of Mississippi Sports Information. March 2, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  12. ↑ Rugby Mag, SCRC Poll Has LUS, Tennessee at Top, Feb. 3, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/men's-dii-college-/3299-scrc-poll-has-lsu-tennessee-at-top.html
  13. ↑ http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/olemissrugbyfootballclub/s/players-coaches-43680.html?player_id=387362
  14. ↑ 133-105
  15. ↑ "Mississippi Opponents". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved December 20, 2009.
  16. 1 2 OleMissSports.com: Ole Miss Traditions - School songs
  17. ↑ Listen to "Dixie" as played by the Ole Miss "The Pride of The South" Marching Band
  18. ↑ Associated Press: Ole Miss head wants song halted over South chant
  19. ↑ BREAKING: Chancellor asks band to stop playing 'From Dixie with Love'
  20. ↑ Listen to "Dixie Fanfare" as played by the Ole Miss "The Pride of The South" Marching Band
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