Its a tradition that through the years has become the familys favorite. Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rebels? Nick Fortes and Hayden Dunhurst carried on the tradition in 2018 and 2021, earning Johnny Bench Award semifinalist nods. Vanderbilt and Louisville were also in the mix (Louisville is coached by Dan McDonnell, a former Ole Miss assistant who remains close to Bianco and his family), so it certainly would have been cool with Rebel fans if Mike had steered his son away from a division rival. 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. 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. On Sunday, the teams returned to the field for the third and final game of the series. Ole Miss' head coach decided long ago that he didn't want his sons playing college ball under him, so put away those #FireBianco hashtags and settle down. He decided to stay at LSU. Ole Miss won the game, 8-5, Drew nearly had a chance late in the game, as he came to the on-deck circle. Here is a look at LSU baseball infielder Drew Bianco, whose hometown is Oxford, Mississippi. He is married to the former Camille Marquette, and the couple has five children: sons, Michael, Benjamin, Andrew and Samuel, and one daughter, Catherine. Its almost March, let chaos reign supreme, Line em up: Heres how the Rebels will take the field versus Louisiana Tech, Ole Miss basketball gets a double bye with huge quad one road win over Alabama, The original Air Kiffin shirt is available here, Ole Miss took a critical SEC West series from the Tigers in Oxford, In a recent interview with RebelGrove.com. He wants his sons to be their own man. Their blossoming careers at Oxford brought up a rule Mike and Camie talked about long before the boys ever picked up a baseball. Published 9:38 am Thursday, November 9, 2017. 1 recruiting class in the history of not only the baseball program but all of Ole Miss athletics. The excitement on the field has spilled over into the stands, where Ole Miss baseball fans have taken notice and shown their appreciation. In 2010, Bianco was inducted into the Seminole High School Hall of Fame. With three brothers on one team the competition never stops. Title Time in Oxford Ron Bianco caught for @DelawareBASE. Such has been the story of the 2022 Ole Miss baseball season. He alsos set NC State's single-season home run record with 27. Less than a month into the season, the Oakland Athletics called up Bobby Wahl as the next Rebel to make his MLB debut. Sixteen years ago, Mike Bianco and his wife, Camille, made what could be considered a puzzling decision. Leading the way throughout the season were All-SEC Second Team reliever Wyatt Short, Ferriss Trophy finalist Scott Weathersby, and senior slugger Sikes Orvis. I hope I win and hes hoping he wins. But credit Mike for not letting selfish reasons interfere with letting Drew make his own decision. Chad Smith became the latest Rebel to make it to the "big leagues" in 2022, debuting for the Colorado Rockies. The win sent the Rebels to Fayetteville for a Super Regional date with No. Bianco, the son of Mississippi coach Mike Bianco and a graduate transfer from LSU, also made an electric play a week ago when he perfectly timed his jump at the wall to take away a homer from California's Caleb Lomavita. Michael was four years old, Ben was two, Drew was 10 months and the youngest Sam and Catherine werent even in the lineup yet. What I mean by that is I think going away sometimes is good.. Its a Sunday afternoon, with 80 degree sunshine and the perfect amount of breeze floating across the park, and the Biancos are at the diamond to watch Mike, Camies husband, Rons son and the father of Michael, Ben, Drew, Sam and Catherine, coach the Ole Miss Rebels. Ole Miss has ranked among the nations top 25 attendance leaders in all of Biancos 22 seasons. But if you think that makes it tough for the father and son, imagine how Drew Biancos mother, Camie, will manage it all. 2 Louisville and a road win over eventual national champion Coastal Carolina. Coming here they never get away from that. The Rebels have totaled 73 All-SEC nods under Bianco. Let them be Drew Bianco and Ben Bianco and (youngest son) Sam Bianco. Ole Miss also saw its first SEC Freshman of the Year as outfielder Seth Smith earned the honor from the league. Coach Mike Bianco's Tweets. 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 reachedthe majors in 2021, clobbering a home run in his debut with the Marlins. Maybe it was the trips he took with his sons to their favorite Major League ballparks, or the time they all watched as the Rebels made it to Omaha for the first time in 42 years. 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. 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. I love Ole Miss, and my dad. Younger brother Sam, still at Oxford, is a likely prospect as well. Award-Winning Rebels After the Tigers' 1997 College World Series title run, Bianco was named the head coach at McNeese State in July of that year. 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. He never wanted them to play because he coached. When his Rebels defeated Texas A&M 13-3 on Friday, April 26, Bianco won his 739th game as the head coach in Oxford, moving him to third all-time in SEC history ahead of South Carolinas Ray Tanner. In addition to the outstanding winning percentage, the demand for seats led to new renovations and additions at O-U Stadium/Swayze Field. Las Vegas, NV. Biancos Rebels have brought home a number of awards from the league office as well, including Stephen Heads 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. Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco. Please check your email for a confirmation. 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. His knack for the game is something Mike cant even explain fully. 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. Ben Bianco is a freshman at Louisville. So, well just see what happens. 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. WHAT?!?!?!!? 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. The SECs winningest active coach joined Ron Polk and Skip Bertman as the only coaches in conference history with 800 wins. 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. "No doubt about it," even Johnson said before the 2022 season. Mike Bianco and his wife, Cami, concluded when he took the job in 2000 none of their sons would play baseball for their dad at the collegiate level. The news was first reported by D1Baseball.com and later confirmed by Fox 26 Houston. the Rebels made it to Omaha for the first time in 42 years. When you grow up in that baseball family the field is where they go visit their dad, Camie said. The Bianco family planned its own spin on "Field of Dreams" before their four sons were old enough to wear spikes. 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. His dad was a catcher at LSU under coach Skip Bertman, Here's what LSU's pitching rotation should be in SEC Tournament, LSU baseball will reach NCAA postseason if it stays hot | Guilbeau, Drew Bianco homers on first pitch he sees against his father's Ole Miss team, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. Things almost immediately don't go as planned. Drew Bianco is a talented middle infielder for Oxford High School who currently ranks as the 99th best player nationally in the 2018 recruiting class by Perfect Game. Ole Miss has a strong history with Team USA. 0:04. Turner claimed the award in 2013, becoming the first catcher in program history to be tabbed as the national catcher of the year. The five Bianco children did in fact fall in love with the game of baseball, and not because they were pressured to. In 2018 and 2019, three Rebels were drafted as catchers in the top six rounds. 1 Miami. Just because this is what I do for a living it still has to be their passion. 1 ranked recruiting class in the history of Ole Miss Athletics. State and LSU, Bianco received his first head coaching opportunity, taking over the reins of McNeese State. 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. The last time Ron coachedhis son was when he was 12 years old but hes been guiding him in his career every day since. If baseball is the foundation this family was built on, Camie is the stitching that holds it all together. Bianco will have one year of eligibility remaining. In five seasons at LSU (1993-1997), the Tigers advanced to the College World Series four times and claimed three national championships. Braxton Lee earned MLB Reb when he earned a spot on the 2018 Opening Day roster for the Miami Marlins. The Cougars finished last season 37-24 overall and 13-11 in conference play. 17 ECUs Keith LeClair Classic. Gonzalez was also tabbed as a freshman All-American along with TJMcCants, giving Ole Miss two or more Freshman All-Americans for six consecutive seasons, a total of 14 in that span. Gambling problem? And Sam, 20, is a freshman infielder at Louisiana-Lafayette. Follow on, Shelton Sampson Jr., 5-star 2023 WR, announces SEC commitment, Suni Lee, Auburn star and Olympic gold medalist, flips while throwing out first pitch for Minnesota Twins, Former Alabama LB reportedly back in NCAA transfer portal, Nate Oats weighs in on Brandon Miller not earning SEC weekly awards, Nate Oats comments on Brandon Miller's 'pat down' intro routine: 'It won't happen again', Texas A&M guard reportedly fully cleared for basketball activities, 2023 NCAA Tournament Bracketology: Joe Lunardi's latest projections include 8 SEC teams, Overrated? Bianco learned the game from Bill Brinker at Seminole High School, Mike Easom at Indian River Community College and then Skip Bertman at LSU. After Biancos bunch eased past the Sooners in game one, an eighth-inning rally sealed the deal, securing the programs first national championship. The Chargers are on pace to win their third-straight region title and contend for another 5A state championship. I am a . The top ranking was the first No. The fact that this Rebels team is . Despite Rebel captain Tim Elkos warning of dont let the Rebs get hot, the college baseball world did just that. ___ AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 The Rebels have seen 126Major League Baseball draft picks in that time, including a combined 27 in the past fiveseasons. Sign up for the LSU Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. 2, according to NCBWA. Mike Bianco issues update on Hunter Elliott following first loss of 2023 season. Bianco was 3-for-12 with three RBIs in LSU's series victory at Ole Miss in April. Sam is just a freshman, but if he continues to play the way he is, Oxford coach Chris Baughman said, hell have a list of offers to choose from as well. Like, holy cow. Youve got to respect Mike Bianco, the Ole Miss baseball coach. His dad was a catcher at LSU under coach Skip Bertman in 1989 and '90 and twice went to the College World Series,. F inal. National Treasure In total, the Rebels have hosted 10 NCAA Regionals in the past 18 full season, further evidence that under Mike Bianco, Ole Miss baseball has truly become a national name. We do not target any individuals under the age of 21. 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 a recent interview with RebelGrove.com, the senior Bianco said that he and his wife decided 15 years ago that they didn't want any of their boys (Drew's brother, Ben, is a year older and also being recruited by top-flight programs) playing under their dad. The Biancos are a baseball family through and through, a love of the game passed down through the generations but never forced upon the next one. I guess the question is why should we have to handle it. 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. 6 ranking by Collegiate Baseball. The point is that's coach Bianco's boy. Mike and Camie met at LSU. This is my kid and his senior day. In 22 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. Seth Smith and Stephen Head both competed for the 2003 edition of the Collegiate National Team. The Rebels ranked in the top-15 nationally in hits, doubles, runs scored, slugging percentage, home runs, and batting average. LSU is a one of the nation's top programs and it's a prudent move for anyone trying to further their baseball career. "I don't really know if I can put it into words," he said. Personal Background His first recruiting class was rated as one of the nation's 10 best by both Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America, including a No. 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. Its her favorite view in a ballpark, perhaps second-only to her seat at Oxford High School. When they dont have a game of their own the Bianco boys and sister Catherine are watching Dads at Swayze. The reality, though, is that if the boys werent good enough to play for their dad at Ole Miss, no one would even know this rule existed. Here's my conversation with Mike Bianco about the series,. Ole Miss ultimately fell one game short of Omaha, falling in the Tucson Super Regional finale at No. The groundwork was laid for the future as the Rebels would reach even greater heights in the coming years. However, things were different this time around. Ole Miss has won 73.2 percent of its home games under Bianco, compiling a 542-198-1 record at Swayze Field. This comes just three days afterOle Miss took a critical SEC West series from the Tigers in Oxford. Last season with the Wolfpack, White posted a.362 batting average and tallied 85 hits, 12 doubles and 74 RBIs. It was the beginning of a steady climb to the top for Ole Miss. He helped coach Northwestern State to a 1991 Southland Conference (SLC) championship and an appearance in the 1991 NCAA South I Regional. . The Bianco Era Begins 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. Ole Miss emerged victorious at Swayze Field, earning their second consecutive and seventh overall Super Regional berth. Rebels Return to Omaha Since then, Bianco has become the winningestcoachin 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. It was special to be there today.. Drew Bianco is transferring to Houston after spending the last four years at #LSU, Brooke Kirchhofer (@brookechesney) July 3, 2022. Among those 166players, 32have made Major League rosters, including 21Rebels in the past 22 seasons. Attendance continues to rise under Bianco as Oxford-University Stadium has been established as one of the best atmospheres in college baseball. Mike Bianco, the Ole Miss baseball coach, and his son Drew, the LSU third baseman, had an emotional and once-in-a-lifetime Sunday. To make things even more difficult, Ole Miss was faced with the nations toughest schedule all season long. 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