Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco named Manager of USA Collegiate National Team
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco has been named manager of the 2022 Collegiate National team by USA Baseball as announced today.
We're excited to announce @OleMissBSB's Mike Bianco has been named our 2022 @USABaseballCNT Manager 👏
The 2020 National Coach of the Year will make his #TeamUSA managerial debut this summer: https://t.co/WgtCme7LaK pic.twitter.com/FU5nZnMV4Y
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) February 3, 2022
Coach Bianco, in his 22nd season at the helm of the Rebels, was National Coach of the Year in 2020 and is the winningest coach in school history.
Bianco, who served as the pitching coach for the Collegiate National Team in 2013, helped lead the team’s pitching staff to a 20-3 record that summer with a 1.87 ERA and 222 strikeouts.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mike back to Team USA as the manager of the Collegiate National Team in 2022,” USA Baseball General Manager of National Teams Eric Campbell said.
“Mike is an outstanding baseball coach who has set a remarkable standard of excellence and success in his long tenure at the University of Mississippi. His expertise and passion for the game will be invaluable assets for these young athletes and we look forward to having him lead what will undoubtedly be an exceptionally talented team this summer.”
Eric Campbell, General Manager of National Teams
Bianco has a 812-462-1 (.637) record in 21 seasons at Ole Miss. Under his guidance, the Rebels have made 17 postseason appearances, seven Super Regionals, and a College World Series appearance in 2014.
“I am honored and humbled to be selected as the manager of the Collegiate National Team,” said Bianco.
“I did it as an assistant back in 2013 and it was one of those ‘dream come true’ scenarios. Anytime you can put USA across your chest and represent your country is a special thing and to do it again as the manager is a really cool feeling.”
Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco
Bianco has coached 89 All-America and Freshman All-America selections and 70 All-SEC Player
Rebels in the Pros
Coach Bianco has seen 119 of his Ole Miss players selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft — with 20 drafted in just the last four years.
20 of his former players have gone on to earn spots on Major League rosters, including 2017 All-Star Zach Cozart, two-time All-Star and 2011 World Series champion Lance Lynn, and 2016 All-Star and 2018 World Series champion Drew Pomeranz.
(Feature image: Josh McCoy, Ole Miss)
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.