The University of Mississippi Athletics
Harrison Resigns as Ole Miss Head Baseball Coach
5/17/2000 | Baseball
May 17, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - After four years at the helm of the Ole Miss baseball program, Pat Harrison on Wednesday submitted his resignation to Athletic Director John Shafer.
"I want to thank Pat Harrison for his loyalty and dedication to Ole Miss over the last four years," Shafer said upon accepting the resignation.
Following last year's NCAA appearance, Shafer had extended Harrison's contract for one additional year, which currently runs through June 30, 2001.
"In light of the year remaining on his contract, we have agreed to give Coach Harrison a severance package," Shafer said. "I want to wish Coach Harrison and his family the very best in the future and extend my personal gratitude to him."
Shafer said he would begin an immediate national search to fill the head baseball coaching position. "It is my plan to do this as expeditiously as possible and then submit my recommendation to Chancellor Robert Khayat," Shafer added.
Harrison, who just completed his fourth year at Ole Miss, was hired in June of 1996 after two years as head coach at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.
During his four years with Ole Miss, Harrison compiled a 116-107 overall record and guided the Rebels to an appearance in the 1999 NCAA Regionals at College Station, Texas.
In his first season at Ole Miss, the Rebels finished 22-31. The next two years saw the Rebels' record improve. Ole Miss went 30-23 in 1998, including 13-15 in the SEC. The 1999 regional team registered a 34-28 mark and won a school-record 17 conference games.
Ole Miss compiled a 30-25 record this past season and went 12-17 in the SEC, finishing a half-game behind Kentucky for the eighth and final spot in this week's SEC Tournament in Birmingham.
In addition to serving as head coach at Pepperdine (1995-1996) and Ole Miss, Harrison was head coach at The Master's College, located in Los Angeles, Calif., from 1988-1990. His overall nine-year record as a head coach is 250-224-2.
PAT HARRISON'S YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD AT OLE MISS OVERALL SECYEAR W L PCT. W L PCT. SEC FINISH1997 22 31 .415 6 24 .200 6th- SEC West1998 30 23 .556 13 15 .464 6th- SEC West1999 34 28 .548 17 13 .567 5th- SEC West2000 30 25 .545 12 17 .414 5th- SEC WestTOTAL 116 107 .520 48 69 .410