Mississippi’s delegation members have offered a resolution celebrating the Ole Miss baseball team’s recent national championship.
U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., introduced the resolution in the Senate on Tuesday, citing the university’s “magical” run throughout the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Representatives Trent Kelly, R-Miss., and Michael Guest, R-Miss., will introduce a companion resolution in the House of Representatives. Guest, Kelly, Shaheen, and Wicker all hold degrees from Ole Miss.
The resolution, which can be read in full below, also recognizes Justin Bench, Calvin Harris, Kevin Graham, Kemp Alderman, and Dylan DeLucia for being named to the 2022 NCAA Men’s College World Series All-Tournament Team.
Congratulating the University of Mississippi Rebels baseball team for winning the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I baseball championship.
Whereas, on Sunday, June 26, 2022, the University of Mississippi baseball team won the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association (referred to in this preamble as the ‘NCAA’’) Men’s College World Series at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska;
Whereas, by defeating the University of Oklahoma by a score of 4 to 2, the University of Mississippi baseball team became the first team in school history to win the NCAA Division I baseball championship;
Whereas the University of Mississippi baseball team lost only 1 game throughout the entirety of the 2022 NCAA-Division I Baseball Tournament Men’s College World Series, finishing the postseason with a record of 10–1;
Whereas the Rebels completed a magical run through the postseason, finishing on top after being among the last teams included in the field of 64 for the NCAA tournament;
Whereas, on June 26, 2022, University of Mississippi pitcher Dylan DeLucia received the Jack Diesing, Sr., Most Outstanding Player of the Series Award for pitching a complete-game shutout against the Arkansas Razorbacks, becoming the first recipient of the award in school history;
Whereas infielders Justin Bench and Calvin Harris, outfielder Kevin Graham, designated hitter Kemp Alderman, and pitcher Dylan DeLucia were named to the 2022 NCAA Men’s College World Series All-Tournament Team;
Whereas Head Coach Mike Bianco, having coached the University of Mississippi baseball team for 22 seasons, including 18 postseason appearances, led the team to a 42–23 record and the 2022 NCAA National Championship victory;
Whereas Head Coach Bianco was named National Coach of the Year by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and the American Baseball Coaches Association;
Whereas the University of Mississippi baseball team hit back to-back-to-back home runs and 16 hits in Game 1 of the 2022 NCAA National Championship, the first team to do so since 1998;
Whereas Tim Elko became only the sixth player in history to have 4 hits in a Men’s College World Series final and recorded 46 career home runs, the second-most in school history;
Whereas Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field on the campus of the University of Mississippi is the home of the 2022 NCAA National Champions;
Whereas the victory of the University of Mississippi baseball team has brought back-to-back Men’s College World Series wins to the State of Mississippi;
Whereas the University of Mississippi athletic program, through its football and baseball teams, was 1 of only 2 athletic programs in the country to appear in both a New Year’s Six bowl game and the Men’s College World Series this year;
Whereas the University of Mississippi now boasts 30 total NCAA national championships;
Whereas the University of Mississippi baseball team, under the leadership of Head Coach Bianco, displayed outstanding dedication, teamwork, and sportsmanship throughout the 2021–2022 season; and
Whereas the University of Mississippi baseball team has brought great pride and honor to—
(1) the University of Mississippi;
(2) loyal fans of the University of Mississippi; and
(3) the entire State of Mississippi: Now, therefore,
Resolved, That the Senate—
(1) congratulates the University of Mississippi baseball team, including the athletes, coaching staff, administration, faculty, students, and alumni, for winning the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I baseball championship;
(2) recognizes the University of Mississippi for its excellence as an institution of higher education; and
(3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to—
(A) the chancellor of the University of Mississippi, Dr. Glenn Boyce;
(B) the athletic director of the University of Mississippi, Keith Carter; and
(C) the head coach of the University of Mississippi baseball team, Mike Bianco.
