Courtesy UM Media Relations

Ole Miss' annual Meet the Rebels Day will have extra special meaning this Saturday, August 11, as the Rebels will introduce their new on-field mascot during the festivities at the Manning Center.

In October 2017, the university announced the Land shark as the official mascot of the Ole Miss Rebels, a term that was first adopted by the football team's defensive unit in 2008, but quickly gained popularity from Ole Miss fans and student-athletes from other sports.

Doors for Meet the Rebels will open at 1 p.m., with the event concluding at 3 p.m. Fans should park in the parking garage attached to The Pavilion and enter through the west side of Vaught-Hemingway stadium at gate 33. Fans will then be able to enter the team tunnel on their way into the event.

Active Rebel Kids Club Members (with up to two parents or guardians) will be permitted early entry at 12:30 p.m., at the east entrance of the facility, by the Grill at 1810. The new and improved Rebel Kids Club is the official youth organization of Ole Miss Athletics and is open to kids eighth grade and below. To join, visit RebelKidsClub.com.

Admission is free, and autograph lines will be first-come, first-serve.

As the Manning Center opens, the Rebel soccer, volleyball, rifle and spirit squads will be greeting fans and signing autographs. In order to accommodate as many people as possible, fans are limited to one autographed item per individual player or coach, and photos or videos with football players will not be permitted.

Other important items to note:

Fans are prohibited from saving spaces in line.

Fans who exit a line for any reason must reenter the line at the end.

The Rebel Shop will be selling apparel, media guides and other merchandise. Additionally, the Ole Miss Athletics Ticket Office will be selling football season tickets, mini-plans and single-game tickets.

There will be lunch available for purchase at the event.

Ole Miss Baseball Adds Chris Cleary to Staff

Chris Cleary, a former assistant coach at Creighton and Butler, joined the Ole Miss baseball staff Monday as the Coordinator of Operations - External Affairs.

“I am extremely excited and thankful for the opportunity that Coach Bianco has granted me,” Cleary said. “I am honored to be a part of a program with such a rich history and tradition. It is my goal to work diligently to make a positive contribution to Coach Bianco’s staff, the players, baseball program and community.”

Cleary graduated from Menlo College in Atherton, California, with a degree in sport management in 2012. He played four seasons for the Oaks as a pitcher and middle infielder. A dean’s list student off the field, Cleary also led Menlo to a conference title in 2012.

A native of Fresno, California, Cleary joined the Menlo baseball program as the outfield coach for the 2013 season, where he helped lead the program to a record 34 wins and an appearance in the Cascade Conference Championship game. Under Cleary’s guidance, the Oaks ranked in the top five nationally in fielding percentage (.970). He was later elevated to pitching coach in 2013. During his time at Menlo, Cleary coached two MLB draftees, five All-Cascade Conference players, an NAIA All-American, and conference player of the year.

Cleary transitioned to Butler University in 2014, where he served as an assistant coach, working with infielders and assisting with hitters. In Cleary’s second year in the program, the Bulldogs set a program record in fielding percentage with a .970 mark.

In the fall of 2016, Cleary joined the staff at Creighton, where he served as the volunteer assistant coach and as a staff administrator. With Cleary in the fold, the Bluejays improved their record from 24-25 in 2017 to 34-16 in 2018. Last season, Creighton collected three first team All-Big East nods, one All-American and four MLB draftees, the program’s most since 2006.