Mike Smith

Mike Smith resigned as the head softball coach at Ole Miss on Sunday.

The Ole Miss Spirit reported in November that Smith had been suspended pending what athletics director Keith Carter termed an external audit of the softball program due to what was described as "cultural" concerns surrounding the program.

“We are committed to a healthy culture and overall experience for our student-athletes,” said Carter in a statement released Sunday evening. “Our primary focus is to foster success for everyone involved with our program, on and off the field, while continuing our rise as one of the premier softball programs in the nation. Coach Smith helped establish our softball program as a national contender and we wish him all the best.”

Calls to Smith's cell phone Sunday night were not answered. As of this writing, messages left were not returned.

Associate head coach Ruben Felix will serve as the interim head coach for the upcoming 2020 season.

The Spirit spoke with several sources inside the Ole Miss athletic department Sunday evening who expressed surprise at the resignation. Sources tell the Spirit that Smith was given the choice to resign or be terminated. Those same sources say developments transpired rapidly Sunday afternoon leading to the resignation.

Softball America editor Maren Angus believes the departure of Smith will have consequences for the Ole Miss program.

"I think this sets the program back to where it was before he got it," Angus told the Ole Miss Spirit on Sunday. "It's not that I don't believe in the athletes that are on the team or that I don't believe in Ruben taking over, it's just that I believe a lot of these girls came to Ole Miss for Mike Smith."

Smith guided the Rebels for the past five seasons and amassed an overall record of 187-112. His teams earned four NCAA Regional berths and twice advanced to Super Regionals. They captured the program’s first SEC Championship in 2017.