The University of Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Signs Centreville Academy's Matthew Tolbert
7/17/2000 | Baseball
July 17, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - Shortstop Matthew Tolbert, from Woodville, Miss., and Centreville Academy, has signed a national letter of intent to play baseball at Ole Miss, head coach Mike Bianco announced Monday.
Tolbert, 6-feet-0, 170-pounds, was an all-state standout in both baseball and football at Centreville Academy. He batted .421 with seven HRs and stole 26 bases this past spring. As a junior in 1999, he hit .444 with six HRs and swiped 25 bases and was the district's Co-MVP.
On the gridiron as a running back, Tolbert was the District 4-AAA MVP last fall as he registered 3,219 all-purpose yards and scored 37 touchdowns. He led Centreville Academy to the Mississippi Private School Association (MPSA) AAA state championship, where he carried 43 times for 206 yards and three TDs in the title game. Tolbert was selected to play in both the MPSA baseball and football All-Star games and was named MVP in both contests.
"Matthew was an outstanding two-sport athlete in high school," Bianco said. "He is a tremendous athlete that we feel will be able to compete in the Southeastern Conference as a freshman."
Bianco was hired as the Rebels' new head coach on June 7 after three seasons as head coach of McNeese State. He guided the Cowboys to three straight 30-win seasons, including a 39-20 mark last year and made the school's third-ever appearance in a NCAA Regional.