Ole Miss Continues Athletics Momentum with Carter Extension
OXFORD, Miss. – (Release) In the midst of an historic era for Ole Miss Athletics, the University of Mississippi will continue that momentum by extending the contract of Keith Carter as vice chancellor for intercollegiate athletics through 2029.
“As a key member of the university leadership team for more than six years, Keith has elevated Ole Miss Athletics to new heights, strengthening our competitive excellence and delivering an unmatched student-athlete experience,” Chancellor Glenn F. Boyce said. “Ole Miss continues to build extraordinary momentum across every aspect of the university, and we’re excited to see how our strong foundation and shared vision will drive continued success.”
Carter’s five-plus years as athletics director have marked one of the most successful periods in the university’s history, producing two NCAA team championships, record postseason results, four teams ranked No. 1 nationally and its best finishes ever in the Learfield Directors’ Cup, which honors college athletics excellence across all sports.
The Rebels are coming off a 2024-25 season that featured four individual national titles across three sports and four teams achieving or equaling their best NCAA finish, including the softball team’s first trip to the Women’s College World Series. Both basketball squads reached the Sweet 16, while the football team recorded its third 10-win season in the last four years.
“It’s an incredible honor to continue leading Ole Miss Athletics, and I’m grateful to Chancellor Boyce for his support and the trust he’s placed in me and our team,” Carter said. “His guidance and friendship have provided me great strength to confidently direct our department.
“I am also indebted to the Athletics Foundation and its membership for their belief in me and our program as a whole. We could not compete at this championship level without their passionate support.
“While we take pride in what we’ve achieved thus far, we firmly believe the best is yet to come. We’re excited to build on our success and further strengthen our position as one of the top brands in college athletics.”
Ole Miss placed 27th in the Learfield Cup this year, marking just its third finish of 27 or better in the cup’s history and all in the last five years under Carter’s leadership. The Rebels’ 20th-place finish in 2021-22 stands as the highest ever for a Mississippi school and came on the heels of a No. 22 rank following the 2020-21 campaign.
Before Carter’s tenure, Ole Miss recorded only two top-40 finishes and five top-50 since the 1994 launch.
The Rebels have experienced landmark moments under Carter, including the first outright NCAA team title by the women’s golf team in 2021. Another national championship came a year later with the 2022 Men’s College World Series crown, while the football program’s first 11-win campaign came in 2023 and included a victory over Penn State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and its highest AP final ranking – No. 9 – since 1969.
Rebel student athletes have also excelled outside of competition. In November, Ole Miss Athletics achieved a record-setting 94% graduation success rate, three points above the national single-cohort rate of 91 and tied for third in the SEC. Six teams posted a perfect 100% GSR.
Carter’s administration has brought facility growth including a $45 million renovation of the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center that was completed in July 2023 and the $32 million construction of the new Ole Miss Softball Stadium that opened in February. Other projects in the near future include renovations at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium and Ole Miss Golf Complex.
-Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
Adam Brown
Adam Brown joins The Rebel Walk as the Managing Editor after being on the Ole Miss beat as a Sports Editor for over 11 years. He is a lifelong Oxford resident. Brown graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Prior to The Rebel Walk, Brown was the sports editor of HottyToddy.com covering every Ole Miss sport and local high school sports in the community.
