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NCAA: Hunter Elliott and Austin Fawley Returning to Ole Miss for 2026 Season

 Alfred Ezman - World Baseball Network  |    Jul 15th, 2025 3:59pm EDT

This week, the Ole Miss Rebels received big news regarding the 2026 college baseball season.  

Friday night starter Hunter Elliott and breakout hitter Austin Fawley will be returning to Ole Miss for the 2026 season. Both players took to X to make the announcement via their social media accounts.  

Ole Miss Gets Their Ace Back for 2026 – In 2025, Elliott made up for the 2024 season, which he missed due to an injury. He had a 2.94 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings of work. In 16 starts, he had a 10-3 record on the mound.  

He also gave up just four home runs all season and had an allowed opposing batting average of .197. 

He won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award and was named a third-team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.  

Heading into next season, Elliott has a shot at being one of the best pitchers in the country. He already has some good draft stock to his name. In 2024, he was drafted in the 20th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Fawley Returns to Ole Miss After a Breakout 2025 Season Fawley returning to Oxford is great on the offensive side of the ball for the Rebels.  

The Kentucky transfer made a big impact on the Ole Miss offense in 2025. He was second on the team in home runs with 21. His teammate Judd Utermark was the only player with more.  

Ole Miss was a top five home run hitting team in the country last season with 124 home runs as a team. Fawley played a massive role in that.  

Fawley was also third on Ole Miss in RBI with 53 this season. Utermark and outfielder Isaac Humphrey were ahead of Fawley and had 60+ RBI apiece.  

A catalyst from the Rebels’ good 2025 offense will be back for the 2026 season.  

2025 Season Results for the Rebels – In 2025, Ole Miss finished 43-21 overall and was 16-14 in SEC play. They made the NCAA Tournament and hosted a regional at Swayze Field in Oxford.  

The Rebels also finished as the 2025 SEC Tournament runner-up to Vanderbilt in Hoover. 

Photo: Ole Miss pitcher Hunter Elliott (26) throws during an NCAA baseball game against Arizona on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

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Alfred Ezman - World Baseball Network