Mike Bianco: 'Don't know if you can describe' feeling of winning Ole Miss' first national championship
Ole Miss entered Selection Sunday with doubt. A losing record in conference play and a loss in the SEC Tournament meant the Rebels had a solid chance of not making the NCAA Tournament. The committee put head coach Mike Bianco and his squad in as the 64th team and as it turns out, they find themselves as national champions.
Bianco has been at the helm for over two decades, with this season being just his second College World Series appearance. He said at times in the past, not breaking through has been a major disappointment. However, this year and this team were one of the best he’s ever had and capped it off with a championship.
“As you can imagine, so much goes into it,” Bianco said. “We’ve had so many great teams over the years and so many times, we came short of this place. It’s been really disappointing. But for 22 years, a lot of guys have worn the uniform. They are a part of this but the biggest part goes to these guys. You’ve talked about our story all week and I’ve never seen a group of kids that were more resilient, more relentless. Of course, super, super proud.”
Eight different times, Ole Miss has made it to a Super Regional under Bianco, including three straight. Not appearing in Omaha has frustrated the fan base at times but the waiting ended up paying off, winning just the school’s second-ever national championship, regardless of sport.
Bianco knew if his team was able to pull through and hoist the trophy at the end of the day, it would be a special moment for everyone involved. He revealed what the mindset for the Rebels was going into the NCAA Tournament and how it translated as they advanced.
“I don’t know if you can describe it,” said Bianco. “As we continued to play, continued to get a chance in the NCAA Tournament, we talked about the journey. We talked about what a great story this would be and it was. We had a lot of great moments along the way. A lot of them ended Omaha and you know, one of the challenges, when we won in Hattiesburg, was — don’t go there just to show up. Go to win.”
Seniors lead the way to Ole Miss championship
All season, Ole Miss was led by their senior class. Players such as Tim Elko and Justin Bench have been in Oxford for a while and experienced a lot of heartbreak. They nearly were not able to cap of their careers with an NCAA Toruanment appearance, let alone a title.
Bianco talked about what the senior class meant not only throughout the season but during their entire careers. He said they were the true leaders of the team, even when Ole Miss was down in the dumps.
“I’ve said this a few times,” Bianco said. “How disappointing and unfair it would have been for them to not be in the tournament. I know there’s a few teams that didn’t get in but there’s not a group of seniors that ever won the Ole Miss uniform that won as many games as these guys. They’ve won so many games and to get this opportunity, they made the most of it. You talked about our struggles but the reason we’re here today is because of that leadership. They were awesome and they deserve every second of this.”
Mike Bianco credits his coaching staff
When asked what winning meant to him, Bianco was quick to deflect away. Instead, he gave credit not only to his players, but also to the “greatest assistant coaches in the country.” Spending time with them along with his family will be top priority during celebrations.
“It’s not about me,” said Bianco. “I’ll have another team next year but these 40 guys, it’s the last time they’ll be together and it is their moment. For me personally, the coaching staff. The greatest assistant coaches in the country. It’s neat, it’s satisfying and I can’t wait to kiss my wife and huge my kids. It’s a great day.”
Bianco has long had one thing absent from his resume during his time at Ole Miss — a national championship. Over 20 years later and plenty of heartbreak, he can add the a trophy to his collection and party it up with Rebels fans, coaches, and players.