The University of Mississippi Athletics
Five Rebels Earn All-SEC Baseball Honors
5/18/2026 | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference announced the 2026 All-SEC Baseball Team Monday afternoon, naming five Rebels to three of the four different teams.
Walker Hooks was named to the First Team as one of three relief pitchers. Will Furniss, Cade Townsend, and Judd Utermark were all three named to the Second Team at their respective positions. Hunter Elliott was named to the All-Defensive Team as the only pitcher.
Hooks is the first Rebel to earn First Team All-SEC honors since Jacob Gonzalez in 2022, the first pitcher to earn First Team honors since Doug Nikhazy in 2021, the first relief pitcher to earn All-SEC honors since Parker Caracci in 2018, and the first relief pitcher in program history to earn First Team honors since the league began differentiating between starting and relief pitchers in 2004.
Hooks currently has a record of 3-1 with an ERA of 2.12 and seven saves over 22 appearances on the season. He has struck out 53 batters, issued just nine walks, and held opponents to a .181 batting average over 46.2 innings of work.
Hooks finished the regular season leading the SEC in ERA (1.73), WHIP (0.80), and appearances (17) during conference play. He was also tied for the league lead in saves with seven. The big left-hander was also ranked second in fewest walks allowed (6) and tied for fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.00) in league games.
Hooks has converted six of his last seven save opportunities and has allowed just three earned runs over his last 12 appearances.
Furniss currently leads the Rebels in batting average (.322) and on base percentage (.439). He posted a .315 batting average with 26 RBI and six home runs during conference play. His 52 total RBI are the 13th-most in the SEC.
Furniss has played in 213 career games for Ole Miss, tied for 13th-most in program history.
Utermark current leads the Rebels in slugging percentage (.649), runs scored (66), hits (67), home runs (20), and total bases (137). He finished the regular season fourth in the SEC in runs scored and ninth in total bases.
He recently became the Ole Miss career leader in home runs with his 49th blast in the final week of the regular season. He also became the first Rebel to ever post multiple 20-home run seasons in their career.
Townsend leads all Rebel starters in ERA (3.81), opposing batting average (.218), fewest home runs allowed (9), and batters struck out looking (26). Townsend carries a strikeouts per nine innings of 12.36 which is ranked eighth in the SEC. His WHIP of 1.12 and strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.76 are both ranked 11th in the SEC.
Back in April, Townsend became the first Rebel since 2021 to put together three-consecutive quality starts, going six innings and allowing two or fewer earned runs against Florida, LSU, and Tennessee.
Elliott leads all Rebels in strikeouts (96) and innings pitched (71.0) and has picked off four baserunners this season. Just five runners have stolen a base with him on the mound and there have been only seven total attempts over 71 innings.
With four more strikeouts, Elliott will cross the 100-strikeout mark for the third time in his career. He has 312 career strikeouts and recently became just the third Rebel to ever strikeout 300 batters in their career.
STAY CONNECTED
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss baseball on X at @OleMissBSB, on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleMissBaseball, on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemissbsb and on TikTok at @olemissbsb. Also, follow head coach Mike Bianco on X at @CoachMikeBianco.
Walker Hooks was named to the First Team as one of three relief pitchers. Will Furniss, Cade Townsend, and Judd Utermark were all three named to the Second Team at their respective positions. Hunter Elliott was named to the All-Defensive Team as the only pitcher.
Hooks is the first Rebel to earn First Team All-SEC honors since Jacob Gonzalez in 2022, the first pitcher to earn First Team honors since Doug Nikhazy in 2021, the first relief pitcher to earn All-SEC honors since Parker Caracci in 2018, and the first relief pitcher in program history to earn First Team honors since the league began differentiating between starting and relief pitchers in 2004.
Hooks currently has a record of 3-1 with an ERA of 2.12 and seven saves over 22 appearances on the season. He has struck out 53 batters, issued just nine walks, and held opponents to a .181 batting average over 46.2 innings of work.
Hooks finished the regular season leading the SEC in ERA (1.73), WHIP (0.80), and appearances (17) during conference play. He was also tied for the league lead in saves with seven. The big left-hander was also ranked second in fewest walks allowed (6) and tied for fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.00) in league games.
Hooks has converted six of his last seven save opportunities and has allowed just three earned runs over his last 12 appearances.
Furniss currently leads the Rebels in batting average (.322) and on base percentage (.439). He posted a .315 batting average with 26 RBI and six home runs during conference play. His 52 total RBI are the 13th-most in the SEC.
Furniss has played in 213 career games for Ole Miss, tied for 13th-most in program history.
Utermark current leads the Rebels in slugging percentage (.649), runs scored (66), hits (67), home runs (20), and total bases (137). He finished the regular season fourth in the SEC in runs scored and ninth in total bases.
He recently became the Ole Miss career leader in home runs with his 49th blast in the final week of the regular season. He also became the first Rebel to ever post multiple 20-home run seasons in their career.
Townsend leads all Rebel starters in ERA (3.81), opposing batting average (.218), fewest home runs allowed (9), and batters struck out looking (26). Townsend carries a strikeouts per nine innings of 12.36 which is ranked eighth in the SEC. His WHIP of 1.12 and strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.76 are both ranked 11th in the SEC.
Back in April, Townsend became the first Rebel since 2021 to put together three-consecutive quality starts, going six innings and allowing two or fewer earned runs against Florida, LSU, and Tennessee.
Elliott leads all Rebels in strikeouts (96) and innings pitched (71.0) and has picked off four baserunners this season. Just five runners have stolen a base with him on the mound and there have been only seven total attempts over 71 innings.
With four more strikeouts, Elliott will cross the 100-strikeout mark for the third time in his career. He has 312 career strikeouts and recently became just the third Rebel to ever strikeout 300 batters in their career.
STAY CONNECTED
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss baseball on X at @OleMissBSB, on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleMissBaseball, on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemissbsb and on TikTok at @olemissbsb. Also, follow head coach Mike Bianco on X at @CoachMikeBianco.
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