The University of Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Opens Fall Practice Monday
9/11/2000 | Baseball
Sept. 11, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - Forty-three players reported to the first day of fall baseball practice at Ole Miss Monday afternoon, under the direction of new head coach Mike Bianco.
The Rebels went through a 2 ?-hour workout at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field, focusing mainly on fundamentals. However, due to wet field conditions following rain in the Oxford-area Sunday evening, Ole Miss was not able to work on the infield as much as Bianco would have liked.
Still, the Rebels' first-year skipper was pleased with Monday's practice.
"The first day went well and we had a lot of enthusiasm," Bianco said. "You expect a lot of lot excitement the first day. We didn't get to do as much as we would have liked on the infield because of the field conditions. However, I still think we had a productive day.
"It was definitely a learning day. We have returning players but we don't have anybody that is a veteran of our system."
Ole Miss will go through five weeks of fall practice. The Rebels will hold their first intra-squad scrimmage Saturday at Swayze Field.
Bianco was hired on June 7 after serving three years as the head coach at McNeese State. He compiled a three-year mark of 100-71 with the Cowboys, and led them to an appearance in the 2000 NCAA Regionals.
Ole Miss is coming off a 30-25 season, the Rebels' third straight 30-win campaign, and has 19 returning players.