View source for Ole Miss Rebels

{{Short description|Intercollegiate sports teams of the University of Mississippi}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox college athletics
| name = Ole Miss Rebels
| logo = Ole-miss logo from NCAA.svg
| logo_width = 150
| university = [[University of Mississippi]]
| association = NCAA
| conference = [[Southeastern Conference|SEC]] (primary)<br />[[Patriot Rifle Conference]] (women's rifle)
| division = [[NCAA Division I|Division I]] ([[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision|FBS]])
| director = [[Keith Carter (basketball)|Keith Carter]]
| location = [[University, Mississippi]]
| teams = 18
| stadium = [[Vaught–Hemingway Stadium]]
| basketballarena = [[The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss|The Sandy and John Black Pavilion]]
| baseballfield = [[Swayze Field|Oxford-University Stadium at Swayze Field]]
|softballstadium=Ole Miss Softball Complex| arena2 =
| mascot = [[Tony the Landshark]]
| nickname = [[Johnny Reb|Rebels]]
| fightsong = "[[Forward Rebels]]"
| pageurl = https://olemisssports.com/
| altlogo  = [[file:Olemiss rebels wordmark 2020.png|200px]]
}}

[[File:SEC logo in Ole Miss colors.svg|thumb|150px|SEC logo in Ole Miss colors]]

The '''Ole Miss Rebels''' are the 18 men's and women's [[College sports in the United States|intercollegiate athletic]] teams that are funded by and represent the [[University of Mississippi]], located in [[Oxford, Mississippi|Oxford]]. The first was the [[Ole Miss Rebels football|football team]], which began play in 1893.

Originally known as the "Mississippi Flood", the teams were renamed the Rebels in 1936.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cleveland|first=Rick|title=Colonel not exactly a longtime tradition|url=http://orig.clarionledger.com/news/0306/19/srick.html|newspaper=[[The Clarion-Ledger]]|date=June 19, 2003|access-date=January 12, 2010|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715223139/http://orig.clarionledger.com/news/0306/19/srick.html|archive-date=July 15, 2012}}</ref> They compete in the [[Southeastern Conference]] (SEC) of the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA)'s [[NCAA Division I|Division I]], except for the [[NCAA Rifle Championship|rifle]] team, which participates in the [[Patriot Rifle Conference]] because the SEC does not sponsor that sport.

The school's colors are red ([[Pantone|PMS]] 186) and navy blue (PMS 2767), chosen to mirror the respective school colors of [[Harvard University|Harvard]] and [[Yale University|Yale]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Traditions|url=http://www.olemisssports.com/trads/ole-miss-trads.html|publisher=Mississippi Rebels|access-date=July 11, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630004439/http://www.olemisssports.com/trads/ole-miss-trads.html|archive-date=June 30, 2016}}</ref> The team's mascot is [[Tony the Landshark]], which replaced the [[Rebel Black Bear]] in 2018, which replaced [[Colonel Reb]] in 2011.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Rebel Black Bear Selected As New On-Field Mascot for Ole Miss Rebels |url=http://mascot.olemiss.edu/?p=333|date=October 14, 2010|publisher=Ole Miss Mascot Selection Committee|access-date=October 14, 2010 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904072014/http://mascot.olemiss.edu/?p=333|archive-date=September 4, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.olemisssports.com/genrel/100617aaa.html|title=Fins Up, Rebels! |access-date=October 7, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007221121/http://www.olemisssports.com/genrel/100617aaa.html|archive-date=October 7, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/20939377/ole-miss-rebels-retire-rebel-bear-mascot-replaced-landshark|title=Ole Miss replaces bear mascot with Landshark|date=October 7, 2017|access-date=October 7, 2017|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007030639/http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/20939377/ole-miss-rebels-retire-rebel-bear-mascot-replaced-landshark|archive-date=October 7, 2017}}</ref>

Between 1995 and 2004, 630 Ole Miss student-athletes received all-conference academic honors.

== Sports ==
{| class="wikitable" style=" "
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Ole Miss Rebels|Men's sports|Women's sports|border=2}}
|-
| [[Ole Miss Rebels baseball|Baseball]] || [[Ole Miss Rebels women's basketball|Basketball]]
|-
| [[Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball|Basketball]] || Cross country
|-
| Cross country || Golf
|-
| [[Ole Miss Rebels football|Football]] || Rifle
|-
| Golf || Soccer
|-
| [[Ole Miss Rebels tennis|Tennis]] || [[Ole Miss Rebels softball|Softball]]
|-
| Track & field<sup>†</sup> || [[Ole Miss Rebels tennis|Tennis]]
|-
| || Track & field<sup>†</sup>
|-
| || Volleyball
|-
| colspan="2" style="{{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Ole Miss Rebels}}" | {{small|† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor.}}
|}

=== Baseball ===
<!-- Editors, please do not add any content here but instead add it to the main article, [[Ole Miss Rebels baseball]]. -->
{{Main|Ole Miss Rebels baseball}}
[[File:Mike Bianco discussion.jpg|thumb|Players of Ole Miss in 2019]]
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 Chris Cleary. 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 six times, most recently playing and winning it in 2022.<ref name="l442">{{cite web | last=Sepe-Chepuru | first=Shanthi | title=Ole Miss wins College World Series for first time | website=MLB.com | date=2022-06-27 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ole-miss-wins-college-world-series-for-first-time | access-date=2025-03-12}}</ref>

=== Men's basketball ===
<!-- Editors, please do not add any content here but instead add it to the main article, [[Ole Miss Rebels basketball]]. -->
{{Main|Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball}}
[[File:Mississippi 1927-28 basketball team.jpg|thumb|1927–28 Ole Miss team]]
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, 2015 and 2019. 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 to 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 ===
{{Main|Ole Miss Rebels 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 Division I Women's 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.olemisssports.com/ |title=OleMissSports.com—Official Web Site of University of Mississippi Athletics |access-date=August 11, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105160114/http://olemisssports.com/ |archive-date=January 5, 2009 }}/pdf1/152266.pdf?&DB_OEM_ID=2600</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.olemisssports.com//pdf5/99689.pdf?SPSID=99943&SPID=740&DB_OEM_ID=2600 |title=2007-08 Ole Miss Women's Basketball Media Guide |access-date=December 11, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105160114/http://olemisssports.com/ |archive-date=January 5, 2009 }}</ref>

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 [[WNBA Rookie of the Year|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 losses. 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 losses. 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.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/030212aab.html |title=Ladner Steps Down As Ole Miss Women's Basketball Coach |publisher=University of Mississippi Sports Information |date=March 2, 2012 |access-date=March 29, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119092004/http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/030212aab.html |archive-date=November 19, 2012  }}</ref> [[Adrian Wiggins]], who had led [[Fresno State Bulldogs women's basketball|Fresno State]] to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, was hired as her replacement.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/032612aac.html |title=Wiggins Named Ole Miss Women's Basketball Coach |publisher=University of Mississippi Sports Information |date=March 2, 2012 |access-date=March 29, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111120417/http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/032612aac.html |archive-date=January 11, 2016  }}</ref> However, Wiggins was fired before the start of the 2012–13 season amid an investigation of potential NCAA recruiting violations.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.kmph.com/story/19873268/adrian-wiggins-fired-from-ole-miss |title=Adrian Wiggins Fired From Ole Miss |first=Jessob |last=Reisbeck |publisher=[[KMPH-TV]] |location=Visalia, California |date=October 21, 2012 |access-date=March 29, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620035145/http://www.kmph.com/story/19873268/adrian-wiggins-fired-from-ole-miss |archive-date=June 20, 2013  }}</ref> Assistant [[Brett Frank]] was named as interim head coach in the wake of Wiggins' firing.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/102412aaa.html |title=Ole Miss Names Brett Frank Acting Head Women's Basketball Coach |publisher=University of Mississippi Sports Information |date=March 2, 2012 |access-date=March 29, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119071345/http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/102412aaa.html |archive-date=November 19, 2012  }}</ref>

After the 2012–13 season, Ole Miss hired [[Matt Insell]], the son of [[Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders women's basketball|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 (basketball coach)|Matthew Mitchell]] at [[Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball|Kentucky]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/032813aaa.html |title=Matt Insell Tabbed to Lead Ole Miss Women's Basketball |publisher=University of Mississippi Sports Information |date=March 2, 2012 |access-date=March 29, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909015954/http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/032813aaa.html |archive-date=September 9, 2013  }}</ref>


Insell was fired in 2018 and was replaced by Jacksonville head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, popularly known as “Coach Yo”. Coach Yo’s teams would struggle at first, even going winless in conference play during her second year. However, the team made national headlines when star center Shakira Austin transferred to Ole Miss from Maryland in 2020. Also that year, freshman Madison Scott won SEC Freshman of the Year and the Rebels finished as the runner-up to Rice in the WNIT.

The following season, Ole Miss made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in over a decade. Shakira Austin was drafted 3rd overall by the Washington Mystics in the WNBA Draft.

Perhaps the best season under Coach Yo was the 2022–23 season. Ole Miss went 11–5 in the SEC with near upsets of Top 5 teams LSU (the eventual national champions) and South Carolina. The Rebels were once again selected for the NCAA Tournament as an 8-seed, defeating 9-seed Gonzaga 71–48 in the First Round. In the Second Round, Ole Miss beat Stanford, the top seed in their regional, by a score of 54–49 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2007 when Carol Ross coached the team to the Elite Eight. The Rebels lost to 5-seed Louisville 72–62 in the Sweet Sixteen and finished 25–9. It was their best record in over 15 years.

In 2023–24, Ole Miss won 12 SEC games for the first time in program history and advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, losing 71–56 to Notre Dame to finish 24–9 on the season. Marquesha Davis was drafted 11th overall by the New York Liberty in the WNBA Draft.

In 2024–25, Ole Miss started the season with a close loss to #3 USC in Paris, France. They went 9–3 in non-conference play with additional losses to #2 UConn in the Baha Mar Women's Championship and NC State at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. In SEC play, the Rebels went 10–6, highlighted with upset wins over #15 Kentucky at home on February 10 and #7 LSU in Baton Rouge in the regular season finale. They earned a 7-seed in the SEC Tournament. Additionally this season, Madison Scott had a career-high 30 points in a 71–63 road win against rival Mississippi State.

=== Football ===
<!-- Editors, please do not add any content here but instead add it to the main article, [[Ole Miss Rebels football]]. -->
{{Main|Ole Miss Rebels football}}
{{multiple image
| align = 
| total_width = 300
| image1 = Ole Miss Football Game.jpg
| caption1 = Ole Miss game in 2024
| image2 = Ole Miss football practice fields 2.jpg
| caption2 = Practice field
}}
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 led by quarterback Jacob Bennett, who was also the coach have won six Southeastern Conference titles (1947, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963) and claim three national championships (1959, 1960, and 1962). However, only the 1960 title is officially recognized by the NCAA.

In 2019, the NCAA vacated 33 of the team's victories and levied a two-year ban on post-season play as punishment for recruiting and academic violations under head coaches [[Houston Nutt]] and [[Hugh Freeze]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college-football/2019/02/12/ole-miss-vacates-wins-ncaa-violations|title=Ole Miss to vacate 33 FB wins after violations|website=SI.com|language=en|access-date=March 25, 2019}}</ref>

The current head coach is [[Lane Kiffin]], who in 2021 led the team to its first-ever 10–2 regular season.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Jackson|first=Wilton|title=Lane Kiffin Celebrates Ole Miss' First 10-Win Season Ever: "#PartyInTheSip Tonight"|url=https://www.si.com/college/2021/11/26/lane-kiffin-ole-miss-celebrate-first-10-win-season-ever-partyinthesip-tonight|access-date=2021-12-18|magazine=Sports Illustrated|language=en-us}}</ref>

=== Softball ===
<!-- Editors, please do not add any content here but instead add it to the main article, [[Ole Miss Rebels softball]]. -->
{{Main|Ole Miss Rebels softball}}
[[File:SEC logo in Ole Miss colors.svg|thumb|130px|SEC logo in Mississippi's colors]]

=== Tennis ===
<!-- Editors, please do not add any content here but instead add it to the main article, [[Ole Miss Rebels tennis]]. -->
{{Main|Ole Miss Rebels tennis}}

===Golf===
[[Braden Thornberry]] won the [[2017 NCAA Division I men's golf championship|2017 NCAA Division I individual championship]]. [[Michael La Sasso]] won the [[2025 NCAA Division I men's golf championship|2025 NCAA Division I individual championship]].

The women's golf team has seen recent success with the team winning conference and regional titles including the [[NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships|national championship]] in 2021 under the direction of coach Kory Henkes. This was Ole Miss' first women's NCAA title in any team sport.

=== Volleyball ===
The 2017 Rebels finished the season at 22–14 and 8–10 in the SEC. Entering the inaugural postseason [[National Invitational Volleyball Championship]] as an at-large invitee, they lost only one set in five matches en route to winning the tournament.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oxfordeagle.com/2017/12/12/ole-miss-volleyball-caps-historic-season-nivc-title/ |title=Ole Miss volleyball caps historic season with NIVC title |publisher=The Oxford Eagle |date=December 12, 2017 |access-date=December 14, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215000024/http://www.oxfordeagle.com/2017/12/12/ole-miss-volleyball-caps-historic-season-nivc-title/ |archive-date=December 15, 2017  }}</ref>

==Championships==
===NCAA team championships===
Ole Miss has won two [[NCAA Division I]] team national championships.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/champs_records_book/Overall.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-05-24 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320185655/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/champs_records_book/Overall.pdf |archive-date=2014-03-20 }}</ref>
*'''Men's (1)'''
** [[College World Series#Team appearances|Baseball]] (1): 2022
*'''Women's (1)'''
** [[NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships#Team titles|Golf]] (1): 2021

===Other national team championships===
Below are seven national team titles that are not bestowed by the NCAA:

*Men's:
**Football: [[1959 Ole Miss Rebels football team|1959]], [[1960 Ole Miss Rebels football team|1960]], [[1962 Ole Miss Rebels football team|1962]]<ref name="fbschamps">{{cite news |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf|title=Football Bowl Subdivision Records |work=NCAA |publisher=NCAA.org |year=2009 |access-date=March 6, 2011}}</ref>
*Women's:
**Cheerleading: 2018, 2022, 2023, 2025
*See also
**[[List of Southeastern Conference national championships#NCAA team championships|SEC national team championships]]

===NCAA individual championships===
Ole Miss athletes have won 29 [[NCAA Division I]] individual championships.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/champs_records_book/Overall.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2021-12-04 }}</ref>

*'''Men's (19)'''
** [[NCAA Boxing Championship|Boxing]] (1): Steve Wilkerson (1938)
** [[NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship|Golf]] (2): [[Braden Thornberry]] (2017), Michael La Sasso (2025)
** [[NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships|Indoor Track]] (7)
*** [[800 metres]]: [[George Kersh]] (1991)
*** [[55 metres]]: Greg Saddler (1994)
*** [[Long jump]]: [[Savanté Stringfellow]] (2001)
*** [[60 metres hurdles]]: [[Antwon Hicks]] (2004, 2005)
*** [[Distance medley relay]]: Nick DeRay, Robert Domanic, [[Craig Engels]] and Sean Tobin (2017)
*** [[Mile run]]: [[Mario García Romo]] (2022)
** [[NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships|Outdoor Track]] (7): 
*** [[Long jump]]: Ralph Spry (1983), [[Savanté Stringfellow]] (2000, 2001)
*** [[800 metres]]: [[George Kersh]] (1991)
*** [[3000 metres steeplechase]]: Barnabas Kirui (2007)
*** [[Pole vault]]: [[Sam Kendricks]] (2013, 2014)
** [[NCAA Division I Tennis Championships|Tennis]] (2)
*** Doubles: [[Mahesh Bhupathi]] and [[Ali Hamadeh]] (1995)
*** Singles: [[Devin Britton]] (2009)
*'''Women's (10)'''
** [[NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships|Indoor Track]] (5)
*** [[Long jump]]: [[Brittney Reese]] (2008)
*** [[Shot put]]: [[Raven Saunders]] (2017)
*** [[Weight Throw]]: Shey Taiwo (2022), Jalani Davis (2023, 2024)
** [[NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships|Outdoor Track]] (4)
*** [[Long jump]]: [[Brittney Reese]] (2008)
*** [[Shot put]]: [[Raven Saunders]] (2016)
*** [[Hammer throw]]: [[Janeah Stewart]] (2018)
*** [[1500 metres]]: [[Sintayehu Vissa]] (2022)
** [[NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships|Tennis]] (1)
*** Singles: [[Arianne Hartono]] (2018)

==Notable non-varsity sports==

===Lacrosse===
The Ole Miss Rebels Men's Lacrosse Club team is a member of the Southeast Lacrosse Conference D1 (SELC) in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA).
The Women's Lacrosse Club team also competes in the Southeast Women's Lacrosse League (SWLL) in the Women's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (WCLA).

===Rugby===
Founded in 1974, the Ole Miss Rugby Football Club plays collegiate rugby in Division II of the [[Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-19 |title=Welcome to The Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference |url=https://southeasternrugby.org/ |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference |language=en-US}}</ref> against traditional rivals such as Mississippi State and other in-conference collegiate programs such as Memphis.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ole Miss Rugby Club Official Website |url=https://www.olemissrugbyclub.org/ }}</ref> The team is also sanctioned under [[National Collegiate Rugby]] which is the primary national governing body for collegiate rugby in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Collegiate Rugby |url=https://www.ncr.rugby/ |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=www.ncr.rugby}}</ref> During the Spring semester of 2024, the club celebrated its 50th anniversary on campus by playing a match against Ole Miss Rugby Club alumni.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Daley |first=Jake |date=2024-02-26 |title=Ole Miss Rugby Club celebrates 50th anniversary, looks ahead to future |url=https://thedmonline.com/ole-miss-rugby-club-celebrates-50th-anniversary-looks-ahead-to-future/ |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=The Daily Mississippian |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Hockey ===
The Ole Miss Hockey Club was founded in 2009 by Colin Knight, and the team competes against traditional SEC rivals in the [[South Eastern Collegiate Hockey Conference]] (SECHC) of the Collegiate Hockey Federation (CHF). Prior to the 2021 season, the team competed at the division three level of the [[American Collegiate Hockey Association]].

The program won their first SECHC Championship on February 9, 2020, with a 3–1 win in the championship game over the Arkansas Razorbacks. The team was led by Captain Braden Storner and Head Coach Josh Herbert. Ole Miss goaltender Ryan Troy was named tournament MVP. Following the team's victory, the program received recognition from several notable members of the university community including Chancellor [[Glenn Boyce]] and legendary Ole Miss and NFL quarterback [[Eli Manning]], as well as several other Ole Miss media outlets. An online petition campaign to convert the [[Tad Smith Coliseum]] into an ice rink received over 600 signatures.

For the first several years of the program's existence, the team played home games at the [[BancorpSouth Arena]] in [[Tupelo, Mississippi|Tupelo]], but the team now practices and plays home games at the Mid-South Ice House in [[Olive Branch, Mississippi|Olive Branch]]. Despite being nearly an hour away from the Ole Miss campus, the team is known for drawing large and passionate crowds, especially for rivalry games against teams representing the [[University of Arkansas]], the [[University of Georgia]], and [[Mississippi State University]].

== Debate over past symbols ==
=== Mascot ===
In 2010, the university changed the team mascot from [[Colonel Reb]], "a white-goateed, cane-toting Southern plantation owner that many have criticized as racist and anachronistic," to a black bear.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/15/us/15mascot.html |title=Controversy over Mascots at Ole Miss |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 14, 2010 |last1=Brown |first1=Robbie }}</ref>

In 2017, the Ole Miss student body government held a referendum on whether to change the mascot from the Black Bear to the Landshark.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.facebook.com/olemissasb/photos/a.557535150977746.1073741827.200792269985371/1546931505371434/?type=3&theater |title=University of Mississippi Associated Student Body, From the Desk of the President |publisher=University of Mississippi Associated Student Body |date=September 18, 2017 |access-date=November 28, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513174644/https://www.facebook.com/olemissasb/photos/a.557535150977746.1073741827.200792269985371/1546931505371434/?type=3&theater |archive-date=May 13, 2018  }}</ref> A reference to a [[Saturday Night Live]] [[Land Shark (Saturday Night Live)|skit]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-08-06 |title=Tracing the origin of Ole Miss' Landshark defense |url=https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/ole-miss-football/origin-of-ole-miss-landshark-tradition/ |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=Saturday Down South |language=en-US}}</ref> the Landshark was originated in 2008 by senior linebacker Tony Fein and adopted by the Ole Miss football team's defensive unit.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.olemisssports.com/trads/landshark.html |title=Landshark Traditions |publisher=University of Mississippi Sports Information |date=October 2017 |access-date=November 28, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201035706/http://www.olemisssports.com/trads/landshark.html |archive-date=December 1, 2017}}</ref> From September 26 through September 29, students cast more than 4,100 votes; 81% supported the change.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.facebook.com/olemissasb/photos/a.557535150977746.1073741827.200792269985371/1557707670960484/?type=3&theater |title=Associated Student Body Press Release |publisher=University of Mississippi Associated Student Body |date=September 29, 2017 |access-date=November 28, 2017 |url-status=live 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513174644/https://www.facebook.com/olemissasb/photos/a.557535150977746.1073741827.200792269985371/1557707670960484/?type=3&theater |archive-date=May 13, 2018  }}</ref> On October 6, university chancellor [[Jeffrey Vitter|Jeffrey S. Vitter]] announced that the university was switching its official mascot to the Landshark.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.olemisssports.com/genrel/100617aaa.html |title=Fins Up, Rebels! Ole Miss Announces Landshark as Official Mascot |publisher=University of Mississippi Sports Information |date=October 6, 2017 |access-date=November 28, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130180621/http://www.olemisssports.com/genrel/100617aaa.html |archive-date=November 30, 2017  }}</ref>

==Rivals==
{{See also|Egg Bowl}}

Ole Miss' major athletic rivals are the [[Mississippi State Bulldogs]] (MSU) and the [[Louisiana State Tigers]] (LSU). They have also developed rivalries with the [[Alabama Crimson Tide]], the [[Arkansas Razorbacks]], and the [[Auburn Tigers]].

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 64–46–6.
<!-- Editors, please do not add any content here but instead add it to the main article, [[Egg Bowl]]. -->

In basketball, MSU leads the series 138–105<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mstateathletics.com/fls/16800/pdf/mbk/mbk_postgame_013109.pdf?&SPSID=90866&SPID=10994&DB_OEM_ID=16800|title=133-105}}</ref> 
In baseball, Mississippi State now leads the series 231–196–5.

LSU has a 64–41–4 advantage in the all-time football series with Ole Miss.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/mississippi/opponents.php |title=Mississippi Opponents |work=College Football Data Warehouse |access-date=December 20, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216132346/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/mississippi/opponents.php |archive-date=February 16, 2010  }}</ref>

Arkansas and Ole Miss have a big baseball rivalry. The two schools are usually among the elite programs each year and even met in the College World Series in 2022, with Ole Miss winning 2 out of 3 times to advance to the National Championship where they defeated Oklahoma to win their first national title in baseball.

==The Hotty Toddy cheer==

The Hotty Toddy cheer is a chant unique to [[University of Mississippi|Ole Miss]]. The cheer is primarily used at Ole Miss sporting events, and is commonly started by cheerleaders, fans, and players.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2017/10/19/complicated-history-ole-miss-hotty-toddy-cheer/|title=The complicated history of Ole Miss' 'Hotty Toddy' cheer|date=October 19, 2017|website=The Oxford Eagle}}</ref> The [[The Pride of the South|Ole Miss Band]] plays the cheer with a drum cadence following the school's fight song, ''Forward Rebels''.<ref>DeJournett, Bill and Sayre, Anna McGahey, "The Pride of the South 1928-2014: The Ole Miss Band, A History" (2015). Faculty Books. 53.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/libarts_book/53</ref> The band also plays a version of the cheer put to the tune of "[[Rock and Roll (Gary Glitter song)|Rock N Roll Part 2]]” by [[Gary Glitter]], known as "Hey, Go Rebs!".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://band.olemiss.edu/|title=Index|website=Ole Miss Band - The Pride of the South}}</ref> The two-word phrase "Hotty Toddy" is commonly used as a greeting between students, alumni, and fans associated with Ole Miss, similar to the University of Alabama's "[[Roll Tide]]" and Auburn University's "[[War Eagle]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://olemisssports.com/sports/2018/7/20/trads-ole-miss-trads-html.aspx|title=Ole Miss Traditions|website=Ole Miss Athletics}}</ref>

===Lyrics===

{{poemquote|1=
Are you Ready?
Hell Yeah! Damn Right!
Hotty Toddy, Gosh Almighty,
Who in the hell are we? Hey!
Flim Flam, Bim Bam,
Ole Miss By Damn!<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1609661-hotty-toddy-understanding-the-ole-miss-cheer-its-history-significance|title=Hotty Toddy: Understanding the Ole Miss Cheer, Its History & Significance|first=Seph|last=Anderson|website=Bleacher Report}}</ref>
}}

===History===
[[File:Daily Mississippian November 19, 1926.jpg|thumb|First media appearance of the "Hotty Toddy Cheer", published on ''The Daily Mississippian'', November 19, 1926]]
The cheer first appeared in print on November 19, 1926, in the student newspaper ''The Mississippian'', now known as ''The Daily Mississippian''. The Hotty Toddy was printed along with all of the popular sports cheers used by the students at the time. However, the lyrics were slightly different from the version used today. The original cheer was printed:<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/sports/2013/09/what_is_a_hotty_toddy_and_why.html|title=What is a Hotty Toddy, and why do Ole Miss fans get so excited about it? (video)|first=Cheryl|last=Wray|date=September 27, 2013|website=al}}</ref>

{{poemquote|1=
Heighty! Tighty! Gosh A Mighty
Who in the hell are we?
Rim! Ram! Flim! Flam!
Ole Miss By Damn.
}}

'''Possible Origins'''

While there are many theories as to where the Hotty Toddy cheer started, the exact origins remain a mystery. Perhaps the leading theory suggests that the cheer was created by the school's cheerleaders or band.<ref>University of Mississippi, "The Ole Miss" (1924). The Ole Miss Annual (1897-2013). 28.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/yearbooks/28</ref> The cheer was printed several days before Ole Miss was set to face off against instate rival Mississippi State, who were said to refer to Ole Miss fans as "Hoity-Toitys.<ref>The Ole Miss Experience (9th Ed) edited by Leslie Showalter.
Nautilus Publishing Company, 2019, {{ISBN|978-1-949455-08-3}}</ref>"  Ole Miss had lost thirteen straight games going into the 1926 matchup in Starkville. Prior to the game, Ole Miss held pep rallies on campus and even organized a train to take the students and the newly formed [[The Pride of the South|Band]] to the game.<ref>University of Mississippi, "The Ole Miss" (1925). The Ole Miss Annual (1897-2013). 29.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/yearbooks/29</ref> After Ole Miss won the game, the Rebel fans stormed the field and attempted to tear down their goalposts.  A brawl ensued between the two schools, and the following season, the [[Egg Bowl|Egg Bowl Trophy]] was introduced to maintain the peace.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/2017/11/23/ole-miss-mississippi-state-egg-bowl-history|title=Why is Ole Miss–Mississippi State called the Egg Bowl?|first=Khadrice|last=Rollins|magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> The iconic game that led to the creation of the [[Egg Bowl]] could also have solidified the Hotty Toddy cheer at Ole Miss.

The cheer also appeared in the school's original fight song. According to ''The Ole Miss Experience'', music professor Arleen Tye wrote a fight song for the school in 1931 entitled “Ole Miss.” The song's chorus included “Hi-ty, Ti-ty, Gosh a’mighty, Who the heck are we?”.<ref name="auto">Banahan, Leslie. The Ole Miss Experience: First-Year Experience Text. The Nautilus Publishing Company, 2015.</ref> While the original fight song was discontinued, the school's current fight song, ''Forward Rebels'', includes the Hotty Toddy cheer as well. Some historians believe the Ole Miss Band may have borrowed the cheer from the Virginia Tech Regimental Band,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vtcc.vt.edu/content/vtcc_vt_edu/en/band/band-history.html|title=The Highty-Tighties: Our History|website=vtcc.vt.edu}}</ref> which was nicknamed the, “Highty-Tighties” in 1919<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hottytoddy.com/2014/07/29/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-hotty-toddy/|title=Everything You Need to Know About the 'Hotty Toddy'|first=Rachel|last=West|date=July 29, 2014}}</ref>

Some other theories suggest that the cheer was fashioned by Ole Miss legendary cheerleader<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.olemiss.edu/meet-james-blind-jim-ivy/|title=Meet James "Blind Jim" Ivy|first=Edwin|last=Smith|date=March 4, 2014|website=Ole Miss News}}</ref> and sports fan, '''Blind Jim Ivy'''.<ref name="auto"/> Also, it is believed that the alcoholic beverage, [[Hot toddy|Hot Toddy]], could be the basis for the cheer.<ref name="auto1"/>

'''Hotty Toddy In Pop Culture'''

Prior to every home football game, Ole Miss plays a video of a celebrity starting the Hotty Toddy cheer. Some of the celebrities that have participated include [[Russell Crowe]], [[Snoop Dogg]], [[Betty White]], [[Katy Perry]], [[Morgan Freeman]], [[Duck Dynasty|The Robertson Family from Duck Dynasty]], [[Sandra Bullock]], [[Jack Black]], and more<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.olemiss.edu/understanding-the-history-and-significance-of-hotty-toddy/|title=Understanding the History and Significance of 'Hotty Toddy'|first=Edwin|last=Smith|date=April 9, 2014|website=Ole Miss News}}</ref> A variation of the cheer also appeared in the series, [[Band of Brothers (miniseries)|Band of Brothers]], written as ''Highty Tighty, Christ Almighty, Who the hell are we? Zim ram, Goddamn, we’re Airborne Infantry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hottytoddy.com/2013/12/19/ole-miss-notes-from-the-past/|title=Ole Miss Notes from the Past|date=December 19, 2013}}</ref>''

===School Songs===
{{Main|Forward Rebels}}

The school's fight song is "Forward Rebels."<ref name="songs">{{cite web|url=http://www.olemisssports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=2600&ATCLID=1088639|title=OleMissSports.com: Ole Miss Traditions – School songs|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113145447/http://www.olemisssports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=2600&ATCLID=1088639|archive-date=January 13, 2010}}</ref> It is played by the Ole Miss "[[The Pride of the South]]" marching band at official university sporting events.

The song "[[Dixie (song)|Dixie]]"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fightmusic.com/mp3/sec/Mississippi__Dixie.mp3|title=Listen to "Dixie" as played by the Ole Miss "The Pride of The South" Marching Band|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107023442/http://fightmusic.com/mp3/sec/Mississippi__Dixie.mp3|archive-date=January 7, 2010}}</ref> was played by the Ole Miss band for years at athletic events until the University of Mississippi Athletic Department requested to remove the song from the Ole Miss Football and Ole Miss band playlist in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thedmonline.com/ole-miss-dixie/|title=Dixie Will No Longer Be Played at Ole Miss Football Games|date=August 19, 2016|website=thedmonline.com|access-date=January 30, 2019|archive-date=January 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130220929/https://thedmonline.com/ole-miss-dixie/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

A modification of the Elvis Presley song "An American Trilogy", now known as "[[From Dixie with Love]]"<ref name="songs"/> or "Slow Dixie", was also played during football games, both home and away. The song was first played during the halftime performance at the Ole Miss/LSU game of 1980 in [[Tiger Stadium (LSU)|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,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hYZchGNpfehQCPms8szK9zLkgZHQD9BT1ACG0|title=Associated Press: Ole Miss head wants song halted over South chant}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://olemisslife.com/content/breaking-chancellor-asks-band-stop-playing-dixie-love|title=Breaking: Chancellor asks band to stop playing 'From Dixie with Love'|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215043723/http://olemisslife.com/content/breaking-chancellor-asks-band-stop-playing-dixie-love|archive-date=December 15, 2009}}</ref>

The band also plays a modification of "Dixie" called "Dixie Fanfare."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fightmusic.com/mp3/sec/Mississippi__Dixie_Fanfare.mp3|title=Listen to "Dixie Fanfare" as played by the Ole Miss "The Pride of The South" Marching Band|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106233937/http://fightmusic.com/mp3/sec/Mississippi__Dixie_Fanfare.mp3|archive-date=January 6, 2010}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|University of Mississippi athletics}}
* {{Official website}}

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