The final 2013 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Rankings were released Tuesday and Ole Miss is back in the top 10 for the 15^th time in the last 20 years ending the year at No. 10. 

After further research, it should be noted what an accomplishment that is.  The Rebels are one of just four teams to finish the season ranked top 10 at least 15 times in the last 20 years.  UCLA (19), Georgia (17) and Stanford (16) are the other three.  

Here is a breakdown of the Rebels' final ranking the last 20 years:

1994: T10

1995: 3

1996: 4

1997: 4

1998: 6

1999: 3

2000: 14

2001: 10

2002: 9

2003: 8

2004: 5

2005: 3

2006: 13

2007: 7

2008: 6

2009: 4

2010: 19

2011: 28

2012: 14

2013: 10

The Rebels return four of the top six in 2014 including All-American Nik Scholtz and fellow All-SEC honoree William Kallberg, so perhaps another top-10 finish is in the cards.

 

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We have surpassed our all-time high of members (7,133 in 2009) with 7,188 as of today. Thank you! Join today at RebelGiving.com

-- OleMissAthFoundation (@OleMissAF) May 28, 2013

The Ole Miss Athletics Foundation surpassed its all-time record for Foundation members with 7,188 members, as of today. Among the 7,188 members, 4,200 have joined or renewed since the rebranding March 1. A member is anyone who donates toward priority seating for baseball, basketball or football, or someone who donates philanthropically toward membership or the Vaught Society.

FOUNDATION OVERVIEW from Ole Miss Rebels on Vimeo.

Heading to NC. State regional - going to be fun! Expecting a lot of Rebel fans back in my home state!

-- Cliff Godwin (@cgodwin23) May 27, 2013

The road to Omaha begins in Raleigh, NC vs William and Mary! #Team114 #roadwarriors

-- Coach Mike Bianco (@CoachMikeBianco) May 27, 2013

NC State to take care of business #RebsBSB #WinOrGoHome

-- Andrew Mistone (@Mistone25) May 27, 2013

NC State Regional to handle business! #Team114 #WinOrGoHome

-- Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) May 27, 2013

So ready for this NC State Regional. Road to Omaha starts now baby

-- Brett Huber (@B_Hube38) May 27, 2013

NC State Regional. Here we come! #Team114

-- Preston Overbey (@PrestonOverbey1) May 27, 2013

Time to hit the road! #Team114

-- Aaron Greenwood (@AaronGwood44) May 27, 2013

The Ole Miss baseball team advanced to the NCAA Tournament on Monday when it was announced the Rebels would be the second seed and face third-seeded William & Mary at the Raleigh Regional hosted by North Carolina State on Friday. They will play at 1 p.m. CT in game one of the regional, and it can be watched on ESPN3. Ole Miss will then either face host and first-seeded North Carolina State or fourth-seeded Binghamton in the second game of the tournament on Saturday.

The Raleigh Regional is paired with the Eugene Regional with host and national No. 8 seed Oregon, second-seeded Rice, third-seeded San Francisco and fourth-seeded South Dakota State.

Complete Bracket

No. 1 North Carolina State

Location: Raleigh, N.C.

Nickname: Wolfpack

Conference: Atlantic Coast (ACC)

2013 Record: 44-14

2013 Conference Finish: 19-10/4th

Team Batting: .280 AVG / .365 OBP / .389 SLG / 6.4 runs/game

Team Pitching: 3.24 ERA / .218 B/AVG / 1.21 WHIP / 4.0 runs/game

Top Hitters: SS Trea Turner (.376 AVG, 6 HR, 40 RBI, 24-of-30 SB-ATT, .460 OBP, .567 SLG), OF Bryan Adametz (.320 AVG, 31 RBI), OF Jake Fincher (.317 AVG, 25 RBI, 14-of-18 SB-ATT)

Top Pitchers: LHP Carlos Rodon (8-2, 3.48 ERA, 151 Ks, .199 B/AVG), RHP Logan Jernigan (1-0, 1.07 ERA, .196 B/AVG), RHP Chris Overman (1-1, 0.39 ERA, 6 SV, .114 B/AVG)

Official Website

Official Twitter account

No. 2 Ole Miss

Location: Oxford, Miss.

Nickname: Rebels

Conference: Southeastern (SEC)

2013 Record: 37-22

2013 Conference Finish: 15-15/6th

Team Batting: .276 AVG / .358 OBP / .366 SLG / 5.1 runs/game

Team Pitching: 3.11 ERA / .244 B/AVG / 1.30 WHIP / 3.7 runs/game

Top Hitters: C Stuart Turner (.381 AVG, 5 HR, 50 RBI, .452 OBP, .533 SLG), 3B Andrew Mistone (.316 AVG, 34 RBI), SS Austin Anderson (.300 AVG, 38 RBI)

Top Pitchers: RHP Bobby Wahl (9-0, 1.99 ERA, 76 Ks, .189 B/AVG), RHP Mike Mayers (5-5, 2.98 ERA, 70 Ks, .231 B/AVG), RHP Brett Huber (3-2, 1.54 ERA, 12 SV, .181 B/AVG)

Official Website

Official Twitter Account 

No. 3 William & Mary

Location: Williamsburg, Va.

Nickname: Tribe

Conference: Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)

2013 Record: 37-22

2013 Conference Finish: 17-10/2nd

Team Batting: .296 AVG / .383 OBP / .378 SLG / 6.2 runs/game

Team Pitching: 4.16 ERA / .279 B/AVG / 1.35 WHIP/ 5.0 runs/game

Top Hitters: 1B Michael Katz (.365 AVG, 5 HR, 47 RBI, .453 OBP, .563 SLG), 2B Ryan Lindemuth (.363 AVG, 4 HR, 47 RBI), OF Ryan Brown (.328 AVG, 30 RBI, 21-of-26 SB-ATT)

Top Pitchers: RHP John Farrell (11-2, 2.80 ERA, 86 Ks, .259 B/AVG), RHP Brett Koehler (6-5, 4.44 ERA, 65 Ks, .321 B/AVG), LHP Matt Wainman (4-3, 3.90 ERA, 8 SV, .242 B/AVG)

Official Website

Official Twitter Account

No. 4 Binghamton

Location: Vestal, N.Y.

Nickname: Bearcats

Conference: America East

2013 Record: 30-23

2013 Conference Finish: 16-13/2nd

Team Batting: .266 AVG / .358 OBP / .353 SLG / 5.1 runs/game

Team Pitching: 3.67 ERA / .259 B/AVG / 1.28 WHIP / 4.4 runs/game

Top Hitters: OF Jake Thomas (.382 AVG, 5 HR, 36 RBI, .528 OBP, .541 SLG, 2B Daniel Nevares (.314 AVG, 34 RBI), 3B David Schanz (.307 AVG)

Top Pitchers: RHP Jack Rogalla (5-4, 2.82 ERA, .252 B/AVG), RHP Jake Lambert (7-2, 2.95 ERA, 76 Ks, .263 B/AVG, RHP Anthony Grillini (4-0, 3.71 ERA, 3 SV, .230 B/AVG)

Official Website

Official Twitter Account

WHAT HAPPENED VS. ALABAMA: For the third time in the SEC Tournament, Ole Miss scored first with three runs in the second, then battled back to tie the 5-5 in the seventh, but fell to Alabama 7-5 in 10 innings. With the loss, the Rebels were eliminated from the SEC Tournament.

After a leadoff double by senior third baseman Andrew Mistone in the second, junior first baseman Preston Overbey and sophomore right fielder Will Jamison each followed with 2-out RBI to give Ole Miss a 3-0 lead.

Alabama scored two runs in the fourth, then three in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead. Ole Miss tied the game at 5-5 in the seventh, as junior catcher Stuart Turner delivered a 2-out, 2-RBI single to left after the Rebels loaded the bases on three straight 2-out walks.

Senior right-hander Brett Huber entered the game with runners at second and third and one out, then got two swinging strikes against Alabama shortstop Mikey White, who then delivered the big hit, a 2-RBI single up the middle through the drawn-in infield to give Alabama a 7-5 lead.

OLE MISS AWAITS NCAA TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCEMENT: The Field of 64 will be announced on May 27 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPNU. Ole Miss finished the season 37-22 with a No. 18 RPI and No. 8 strength of schedule, which includes series wins against Arkansas and Mississippi State.

WAGUESPACK IN HIS SECOND CAREER START: Freshman right-hander Jacob Waguespack got the start on the mound, his second of the season, and retired the first nine Alabama batters in order, including three strikeouts. 

He gave up two runs on two hits with two walks and a career-high three strikeouts in a career-long 3.2 innings of work, as he left with a 3-2 lead.

"I'm proud of his effort," head coach Mike Bianco said. "We challenged him. We knew that he would throw the ball in the strike zone without fear, and that's why we went with him. He deserved it. He's pitched well every time out. And as he mentioned, he's getting stronger and stronger. He's going to be a good."

Waguespack, who dealt with an elbow injury for much of the season, had made five appearances and allowed four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 9.1 innings prior to Thursday's start.

"Like every guy on the staff, whenever you're called upon, you try to do your job, whether it's out of the bullpen, or whenever coach wants to start me," Waguespack said. "I'm just looking to contribute and get better every day."

BIANCO CONFIDENT IN BULLPEN: In the first two games of the SEC Tournament, the Ole Miss bullpen allowed one run on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Against Alabama, it allowed five runs -- four earned -- on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 6.1 innings.

"Besides today for a couple of innings, a couple of pitches, I thought we pitched really well," Bianco said. "We gave ourselves an opportunity the first two games. We gave up two earned runs in 19 innings, and then today another 10-inning game. We hurt ourselves win an error one inning. 

"Scott (Weathersby) fell behind a little bit in his stint, but I thought besides him, we pitched pretty well today. So that's good going forward. That's been the Achilles' heel the last three or four weeks. Hopefully, we shored that up this week and got back to where we were with the bullpen a month ago."

Bianco noted it was good to see junior right-hander Aaron Greenwood and junior left-hander Jeremy Massie pitch well. 

Massie allowed just one hit with a walk and two strikeouts in 3.2 scoreless innings against Kentucky and Alabama. Greenwood took the loss against Arkansas, but allowed just one run on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

GETTING WAHL BACK ON SCHEDULE: Junior right-hander Bobby Wahl did not pitch for Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament this week. In his last start, May 18 against LSU, he gave up six runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 2.2 innings.

"Bobby would have pitched tomorrow, would have started tomorrow," Bianco said. "We talked about it prior to the game. Now, we'll just have to figure out what we want to do, as far as maybe a simulated bullpen, simulated game to let him throw a little bit. 

"He needed the rest as well. Unfortunately, we didn't stay here long enough for him him to pitch. For him personally, I don't think it's going to be a bad thing next week. Not pitching for him, I don't think is going to be a bad thing at all."

Summer is approaching which means the magazine stands are starting to fill up with preseason football publications. I swung by the convenient store Wednesday, and it looks like Sporting News and Athlon won the war of getting their season previews out first. As you see below, Bo Wallace is featured on both of the regional covers, and both media outlets have the Rebels finishing fourth in the SEC West and pegged for a trip to the Music City Bowl. Here are more notables from the mags, and we'll keep you posted as more come out.


National Rank: #25
Recruiting Rank: #7 (247Sports)
Bowl Prediction: Music City vs NC State
SEC Rank: West #4
SEC's Best Recruiter: Hugh Freeze
SEC's Top Impact Frosh: Robert Nkemdiche












National Rank: #33
Recruiting Rank: #6 (consensus)
Bowl Prediction: Music City vs Georgia Tech
New Coach of 2012 #4: Hugh Freeze
SEC Rank: West #4
SEC LB Unit Rank: #3
SEC WR/TE Unit Rank: #5
All-SEC 2nd team: Donte Moncrief, Aaron Morris, CJ Johnson, Denzel Nkemdiche
All-SEC 3rd team: Cody Prewitt, Tyler Campbell

Track & Field News published today a comprehensive listing of the best marks in the world and U.S. this year, combining indoors and outdoors (full lists here).

Several current and former Ole Miss athletes found themselves on the lists, as shown below.

Notables include Isiah Young ranked No. 3 in the world and first among Americans in the 200 meters, Sam Kendricks No. 7 in the world and second among Americans in the pole vault and former Rebel Brittney Reese tops in the world in the women's long jump.

Current Rebel men:

Isiah Young - 100m (10.09)
- #9 U.S.

Isiah Young - 200m (20.20)
- #3 World
- #1 U.S.

Ole Miss - 4x100m relay (39.69)
- #26 U.S.

Ricky Robertson - High Jump (7-6)
- #4 U.S.

Sam Kendricks - Pole Vault (19-0.75)
- #7 World
- #2 U.S.

Ricky Robertson - Triple Jump (52-8.25)
- #19 U.S.

Morris Kersh - Triple Jump (51-11.75)
- #36 U.S.

Former Rebel men:

Antwon Hicks - 110m Hurdles (13.25)
- #4 World
- #3 U.S.

Current Rebel women:

Mary Ashton Nall - Heptathlon (5397)
- #29 U.S.

Former Rebel women:

Brittney Reese - Long Jump (23-9.5)
- #1 World
- #1 U.S.

No. 6 Ole Miss (37-21, 15-15 SEC) vs. No. 7 Alabama (33-25, 14-15 SEC)

May 23 | 9:30 a.m. | Hoover, Ala. | SportSouth/ESPN3

UM Fr. RHP Jacob Waguespack (0-1, 2.89 ERA) vs. UA So. RHP Spencer Turnbull (4-3, 3.61 ERA)

Ole Miss NCAA Tournament resume:

Overall Record: 37-21

SEC Record/Finish: 15-15/6th

RPI (Warren Nolan): 18

Strength of Schedule: 8

Record vs Top 50 RPI: 13-17

Record vs. 51-100 RPI: 5-2

Record vs. 100+ RPI: 19-2

Ole Miss NCAA Tournament projection:

Mark Etheridge, SEBaseball.com (May 22): No. 2 seed in Louisville Regional

Kendall Rogers, Perfect Game (May 20): No. 2 seed in Clemson Regional

Bianco in SEC Tournament elimination games: Head coach Mike Bianco has advanced to 11 SEC Tournaments in his 13-year tenure at Ole Miss. He is 9-9 all-time in SEC Tournament elimination games, including a 4-1 win against Kentucky on Tuesday. With a 1-1 record this year, he is 20-19 all-time in SEC Tournament games.

Rebels sweep in regular season: Ole Miss and Alabama met for a three-game series in Oxford with the Rebels winning all three games. 

Bobby Wahl and Aaron Greenwood combined for a two-hit shutout in game one, as Ole Miss won 6-0. The Rebels clinched the series with a 5-2 win in game two, then Tanner Mathis delivered a bases-loaded single in the 11th to sweep the series with a 4-3 win in the series finale.

Waguespack to make second career start: Freshman right-hander Jacob Waguespack will start for Ole Miss against Alabama. The 6-foot-6, 215-pounder from Prairieville, La., dealt with an elbow injury for much of the season and made his season debut April 16 against Southern Miss.

Waguespack has made five appearances, including one start, and allowed four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 9.1 innings. In his one start, he took the loss against Southern Miss, as he gave up two run on four hits in three innings.

Another turn for Mississippi native Turnbull: Jacob Waguespack will be opposed on the mound by Spencer Turnbull, a sophomore right-hander from Madison, Miss. 

Earlier this year, he took a no-decision in a 4-3 loss to Ole Miss, as he allowed two runs on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts in six innings. He pitched in relief against the Rebels in 2012 and took the loss, as he allowed four runs on four hits a strikeout in 0.2 innings.

This season, the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder is second on the team with 13 starts and 77.1 innings pitched this season. He holds a 4-3 record with a 3.61 ERA, .295 B/AVG, 1.46 WHIP and 41-to-30 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Turnbull has also thrown two complete games this season, including a four-hit shutout against Auburn.

Bianco, on availability of Bobby Wahl: "Bobby threw a little bit off the mound today. He could probably throw tomorrow in an emergency. It's not health-wise. We got to be careful with him. We want to do what's right for him and for the program. And as much as we want to have success here, we're going to have to win the following day as well, so somebody else has to pitch. 

"We've really pushed him over the last couple of weeks, as far as short rest and throwing one inning on Friday, then coming back on Sunday, then coming back on two days' short rest. I think we got to get closer to what his normal routine is."

Bianco, on 10 different ineups over last 13 games: "Part of it, I think is trying to find the right matchup... The top five have been pretty solid the last few games with Mathis, Anderson, and then Turner, Mistone, Boz... You just try to find the right matchup for that pitcher that day."

Ole Miss Lineup (career vs. UA SO RHP Spencer Turnbull)

LF Tanner Mathis (1-for-2, 2B, BB)

SS Austin Anderson (1-for-2)

C Stuart Turner (0-for-1, 2 BB)

3B Andrew Mistone (1-for-3)

CF Auston Bousfield (2-for-3, BB)

DH Sikes Orvis (0-for-2)

1B Preston Overbey (2-for-3)

2B Christian Helsel (0-for-0)

RF Will Jamison (1-for-2)

Alabama Lineup (season batting average)

3B Kenny Roberts (.251)

CF Georgie Salem (.272)

2B Kyle Overstreet (.279)

RF Ben Moore (.289)

SS Mikey White (.278)

1B Austen Smith (.277)

C Brett Booth (.283)

LF Andrew Miller (.237)

DH Chance Vincent (.214)

Behind Bobby Wahl and Mike Mayers, sophomore right-hander Sam Smith has quietly put together a stellar season in his own right. The regular third starter in the weekend rotation, the Lake Charles, La., native is 3-0 with a 3.11 ERA and 1.38 WHIP.

"I have always thought I had the potential to go out there and pitch in the SEC," Smith said. "That's why I came here. I just hadn't showed it yet. I think I have done that."

Smith took a no-decision in Wednesday's 4-1 loss to Arkansas, but he continued his success on the mound, giving up just one run on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts in six innings. In the third, he retired three batters in order after back-to-back singles to start the inning, then pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth.

"My defense helped me out a lot," Smith said. "Andrew Mistone made some really good plays. It helped a lot I was able to fill up the zone with all my pitches. I got my slider in the second or third inning. That was a good pitch for me. I was able to locate that well. I was able to keep them off balance, and that was big for me."

His six innings of work tied a career high, most recently against Mississippi State, in which he picked up his third win of the season. He gave up three runs -- one earned -- on eight hits with two strikeouts, as Ole Miss won 10-8.

"I was getting pretty tired, but I was still able to throw all my pitches for strikes," Smith said of pitching six innings. "I think as long as I could do that, I was fine. I felt OK."

Over his last seven starts, dating back to April 14 against Alabama, Smith has allowed just 10 runs, eight of which were earned, in 35 innings.

"Coach (Carl) Lafferty has worked a lot with me in the bullpen," Smith said. "We have been working on a lot of things. My defense has really what has given me the most confidence. I'm not scared to go after people and let them hit the ball because they have made some great plays for me."

Smith said he feels like he has been pitching about the same, just doing a better job throwing pitches for strikes and keeping the ball down. He also credited Wahl and Mayers, and their approach on the mound. 

"Those guys compete harder than anyone I have ever seen," Smith said of Wahl and Mayers. "I try to model my competitiveness after them. They're fun to watch. I think a lot of what I need to work on was runners in scoring position, two outs and making big pitches to get out of the inning. I think I have been doing a better of job of that."