Mike Bianco National Coach Of The Year

by • Featured Stories

TUCSON, Ariz. — University of Mississippi Head Coach Mike Bianco has been named Collegiate Baseball’s National Coach of The Year.

He led the Rebels to a 16-1 record before the season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mississippi started the season against pre-season No. 1 ranked Louisville. After losing the first game, the Rebels won the next two and never stopped winning as they rolled off 16 straight victories before the season stopped. It was the longest winning streak at the time of the stoppage.

The Rebels were one win shy of tying the program record for wins in a row and finished third in the final Collegiate Baseball national poll presented by Big League Chew.

It marks the first time Collegiate Baseball has named Bianco National Coach of The Year. It is the 14th time that a Southeastern Conference coach has been named National Coach of The Year by Collegiate Baseball dating back to the 1980 season.

Ole Miss led the nation with 37 home runs in 17 games and was third in scoring (9.5 runs per game) as well as third in slugging percentage (.549). The pitching staff was exceptional with a 2.92 ERA that fanned 179 batters and walked 51.

Another reason Bianco was chosen National Coach of The Year is that fellow coaches in the Southeastern Conference picked Ole Miss to finish sixth in the Western Division of the SEC (second to last) in the pre-season poll. They were much better than that.

In 20 years with Ole Miss, he has guided the Rebels to a 767-440 record and is the winningest coach in program history and one of the top coaches in the SEC while establishing Ole Miss as one of the premier programs in college baseball.

Prior to this coronavirus shortened season, Bianco has delivered 16 post-season appearances in 19 years, including six Super Regional berths and a trip to the College World Series in 2014. He is the longest active coach in the SEC among the three major men’s sports of baseball, basketball and football.

The Rebels have reached the 30-win plateau in Bianco’s first 19 seasons, including eight 40-win campaigns, and were well on their way to a 20th straight 30-win season in 2020 before games were halted.

Under Bianco, the Rebels have won four SEC Western Division titles, two SEC Tournament titles and one SEC regular-season championship.

Prior to this season, Ole miss has seen 114 Major League Baseball draft picks over the span of 19 years, including a combined 15 in 2018-19.

Bianco has also tutored 18 catchers who have gone on to sign professional contracts.

In 2018 and 2019, three Rebels were drafted as catchers in the top six rounds.

To obtain the June 12, 2020 edition of Collegiate Baseball which features the 2020 Freshmen All-American team and the regular NCAA Div. I All-American squad, plus the 50 greatest moments of the College World Series, an in-depth story of our National Player of The Year (Nick Gonzales of New Mexico St.), our 2020 National Coach of The Year, plus much more, purchase this issue or subscribe by CLICKING HERE.

Previous Collegiate Baseball National Coaches of The Year include:

2019: Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt
2018: Pat Casey, Oregon St.
2017: Kevin O’Sullivan, Florida
2016: Gary Gilmore, Coastal Carolina
2015: Brian O’Connor, Virginia
2014: Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt
2013: John Savage, UCLA
2012: Andy Lopez, Arizona
2011: Ray Tanner, South Carolina
2010: Ray Tanner, South Carolina
2009: Paul Mainieri, Louisiana St.
2008: Mike Batesole, Fresno St.
2007: Pat Casey, Oregon St.
2006: Pat Casey, Oregon St.
2005: Augie Garrido, Texas
2004: George Horton, Cal. St. Fullerton
2003: Wayne Graham, Rice
2002: Augie Garrido, Texas
2001: Jim Morris, Miami (Fla.)
2000: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.
1999: Jim Morris, Miami (Fla.)
1998: Mike Gillespie, Southern Calif.
MMMMMike Batesole, Cal. St. Northridge
1997: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.
1996: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.,
MMMMAndy Lopez, Florida
1995: Augie Garrido, Cal. St. Fullerton
1994: Larry Cochell, Oklahoma
1993: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.
1992: Andy Lopez, Pepperdine
1991: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.
1990: Steve Webber, Georgia
1989: Dave Snow, Long Beach St.
1988: Larry Cochell, Cal. St. Fullerton
1987: Mark Marquess, Stanford
1986: Jerry Kindall, Arizona
1985: Ron Fraser, Miami (Fla.)
1984: Augie Garrido, Cal. St. Fullerton
1983: Cliff Gustafson, Texas
1982: Ron Fraser, Miami (Fla.)
1981: Jim Brock, Arizona St.
1980: Jerry Kindall, Arizona