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It does not feel that long ago since Ole Miss basketball had an incredible NCAA Tournament run. Head coach Chris Beard has lost a lot of that roster but has reloaded via the transfer portal and has built another good-looking team that can go to the postseason in the 2025-26 season.

Beard spoke to the media ahead of summer workouts regarding the team and the upcoming season. The third-year Rebel coach stated the rest of the college basketball teams but confirmed it was not arrogance on the team’s part.

“You know, at Ole Miss, it’s not arrogance or self-promotion, but we will play anyone, anytime, anywhere, it’s the way we have always been. We want to play that schedule.”

Chris Beard

The comment came after Chris Beard discussed the game, scheduled against St. John’s in December, which would be played at Madison Square Garden. He gave a nod to the program and its head coach, Rick Pitino, with the Red Storm, one of the top teams in college basketball, making the second round in this past season’s NCAA Tournament.

The scheduled game backs up what Beard is looking to do at Ole Miss. Despite having an uber-competitive conference schedule with the SEC, the premium conference in college basketball, he still wants to have big teams in the non-conference schedule.

Last season, the Rebels faced BYU, Purdue, Louisville, Memphis, and Colorado State in non-conference play, all of which are NCAA Tournament teams from the 2024-25 season. They will face another ACC team in the SEC/ACC challenge, which is likely to be another top team from that conference, stacked in college basketball. They will also play Memphis once again this coming season.

Beard confirmed that they are working to get more top teams on the schedule, but it’s not easy after playing so well last season.

Latest Ole Miss News

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved proposed changes that are expected to enhance the flow of men’s college basketball beginning in the 2025-26 season, according to a release Tuesday. Those changes include allowing coach’s challenges to review out-of-bounds calls and goaltending or basket interference, as well as modifications to the rule on continuous motion on shot attempts.

Regarding the proposed coach’s challenge, much like in college football, teams must have a timeout to request an instant replay review. If the challenge review is successful, teams will be granted an additional video review challenge for the remainder of the game, including overtime. If unsuccessful, the team loses the ability to challenge any other calls in the game.

Coach challenges will not impact an officials’ use of instant replay for timing mistakes, scoring errors, shot clock violations, 2-point vs. 3-point field goal attempts, flagrant fouls, etc.

Officials can initiate video reviews on basketbat interference/goaltending and restricted arc plays in the final two minutes of regulation and in overtime. The NCAA revealed recent data showed these sort of reviews caused “minimal game interruptions,” and the Men’s Basketball Rules Committee members beliee the coach’s challenge “will have a significant impact on the flow of the game.” NCAA officials aren’t allowed to conduct video review on out-of-bounds calls unless first prompted by a coach’s challenge.

Other enhancements approved Tuesday include new points of emphasis for officials to address delay-of-game tactics, limiting time at the review monitor, improving game efficiency and reducing physicality.

With regard to the changes to the continuous motion rule, an offensive player who ends his dribble going toward the basket and takes contact from a defensive player is now permitted to pivot or complete the step and finish the field goal attempt. Currently, players are awarded the basket/field goal only when they’re are fouled in the process of shooting the ball.

Last month, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee also recommended the creation of a joint working group to gather feedback from conferences on potentially moving from halves to quarters, though any potential changes to the game’s format won’t come until the next rules change year.

“In considering the decisions last month, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee had conversations about ways to continue this direction in the upcoming years, which includes positive momentum for moving the men’s game from halves to quarters,” the NCAA release said Tuesday. “The committee realizes there are hurdles to implementing the quarter format to the game, including the structuring of media timeouts to accommodate commercial inventory. The committee recommended NCAA Division I conferences create a joint working group to provide feedback on the potential change from halves to quarters.”

Officials will now the the option to call a Flagrant 1 foul whenever a player makes contact with another player’s groin area. Previously officials could only call a common foul or a Flagrant 2, leading to an ejection for the offending player.

Other rules changes included involve a player using the rim to gain an advantage will be now called basket interference, and if one shot clock becomes inoperable, the other shot clock can be utilized. Previously, if one shot clock wasn’t working, both had to be turned off.

There are plenty of good vibes in Austin after Texas won its first Women’s College World Series championship earlier this month. The reinforcements are already on their way. Hannah Wells, the 54th-ranked prospect of the Softball America 2025 Class, was named the Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year on Tuesday.

From the Gatorade Press Release

The 6-foot senior right-handed pitcher led Coahoma (35-1) to the 3A Division II state championship this past season, the program’s third straight state title. Wells compiled a record of 22-1 in the circle with a 0.44 earned run average and struck out 258 batters in 127.2 innings pitched, recording 67 percent of her outs by way of the K. She recorded 15 shutouts in 23 starts, including a no-hitter and two perfect games. Wells also batted .602 with 75 RBI and a state single-season record 31 home runs, bringing her career total to a state-record 86 long balls. She mashed 48 extra-base hits in 108 at-bats, slugging 1.639 to post an OPS of 2.287 and an isolated power percentage of 1.037.

More than a trophy, Gatorade Player of the Year has a 40-year legacy recognizing and celebrating the next generation unlike anyone else, from one-on-one connections to their favorite pros to first access to Gatorade Drops and participation in community initiatives. From CEOs and coaches to elite professional athletes, Gatorade Player of the Year Winners showcase the power of sport, touting an impressive group of softball alumni that includes Cat Osterman (2000-01, Cypress Springs High School, Texas), Rachel Garcia (2014-15 & 2012-13, Highland High School, Calif.), Ava Brown (2022-23, Lake Creek High School, Texas) and Addisen Fisher (2023-24, Bend High School, Oregon).   

“Hannah’s remarkable talents and character on the field, in the classroom and in her community made her a clear choice for Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year,” said Gatorade Chief Brand Officer Anuj Bhasin. “The award shows the world who the athletes are on and off the field, and she couldn’t be more deserving of this top honor.” 

Each State’s Gatorade Softball Player of the Year

More from Softball America:

Show Me The Money Notebook
Teagan Kavan’s historic WCWS performance leads Texas to first national championship
Softball America Top 100 Players of the 2025 season

The transfer portal as a database was launched in Oct. 2018. Despite a slow start, the portal now rules the college world when it comes to roster management. Since its inception, Michigan has taken in 19 transfers.

Today we’re going to take a stab at ranking each of them.

19. Brandon Wade (Duquesne)

Wade was just the second player to transfer to Michigan via the transfer portal and was simply a part of the bench mob.

18. Jaron Faulds (Columbia)

Faulds, also a part of the bench mob for a few years, was a Michigan native who opted for a Michigan degree rather than an Ivy League degree. His impact on the court was minimal.

17. Tray Jackson (Seton Hall)

The first transfer on our list who came to Ann Arbor with a legitimate shot at playing time, Jackson was a bit of a disappointment in his one year at Michigan. He appeared in 28 games but scored just five points per game.

16. Sam Walters (Alabama)

Fans had high hopes for Walters as a lethal sharpshooter, but injuries prevented him from playing much in his one year at Michigan.

15. Jaelin Llewellyn (Princeton)

Like Walters, Michigan was hoping to rely on him before an injury shut him down for the year. In Llewellyn’s case, it was an ACL tear. However, even prior to the injury, he had been slightly disappointing as an up-transfer from the Ivy League.

14. Aday Mara (UCLA)

Here’s where the list starts to get complicated. Mara has yet to suit up for the Wolverines, but the 7-foot-3 big man should play a big part in the rotation next year. Mara could be much higher on this list by season’s end.

13. DeVante’ Jones (Coastal Carolina)

Jones got off to a rough start in a disappointing 2021-22 season. However, he picked up steam as the season went on, including a memorable performance against Ohio State. He was certainly a serviceable Big Ten point guard.

12. Rubin Jones (North Texas)

Jones played just one year in Ann Arbor. While not a stat stuffer by any means, he was a defensive pest who made key plays at key times. I’ll always remember him for his put-back slam at home in the upset win over Purdue.

11. Morez Johnson (Illinois)

Like Mara, it’s tough to project what this year’s incoming transfers will look like without seeing them in action just yet. However, Johnson is expected to be the starting center this year and should play a crucial role moving forward.

10. Roddy Gayle Jr. (Ohio State)

Year 1 at Michigan was full of ups and downs. His three-point shooting wasn’t stellar, but his superb free-throw shooting came up clutch. Gayle should be a major contributor to the 2025-26 team.

9. Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina)

Cadeau is an excellent playmaker and distributor who needs to get better at not turning the ball over. With Michigan projected to be a top-five team in the country this year, it’s hard not to include their presumed starting point guard in the top-10 incoming transfer rankings.

8. Olivier Nkamhoua (Tennessee)

Nkamhoua tends to get overlooked because of how poorly his lone season in Ann Arbor went for the team. However, the team’s failure was hardly his fault. He played 33.4 minutes per game and had 14.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He also battled a few nagging injuries. I firmly believe had the team around him been better, Nkamhoua would be remembered much more fondly.

7. Nimari Burnett (Alabama)

Burnett never quite lived up to his five-star recruiting profile, but that doesn’t make him a bad player by any means. He has been an excellent three-and-D defender at Michigan, and he will be one of the leaders of the team once again this season.

6. Mike Smith (Columbia)

The 2020 transfer portal haul of Mike Smith and Chaundee Brown was the first true taste of the portal for Michigan fans. Despite being undersized, Smith was lightning-quick in the backcourt. In his lone season at Michigan, he averaged nine points, 5.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game. While not the most talented player to ever transfer in, his impact was unparalleled, as he led Michigan to a Big Ten championship and an Elite Eight appearance.

5. Chaundee Brown (Wake Forest)

Like Smith, Brown may not have been the most talented transfer portal addition for the Wolverines, but his skillset was exactly what they needed. Brown averaged eight points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game off the bench. He was a wing who was not ball-dominant, which helped space the floor when the Wolverines desperately needed it.

4. Tre Donaldson (Auburn)

Admittedly, Donaldson was the player I had the toughest time placing on this list. He had an up and down season, but it ended emphatically on an up. He poured in 11.3 points, 4.1 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game last season, and was the catalyst to a Michigan offense that lacked playmaking at times. His game-winner against Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament will likely live in Michigan lore for some time.

3. Vlad Goldin (Florida Atlantic)

Goldin came to Michigan as a fairly polished big man. His back-to-the-basket game and touch around the basket were exquisite. At Michigan, he dominated throughout most of a grueling Big Ten schedule and helped the Wolverines make the Sweet Sixteen. He averaged 16.6 points, seven rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 assists per game.

2. Danny Wolf (Yale)

Goldin’s counterpart in Area 50-1 slots in just higher than him. In his one season in Ann Arbor, Wolf tallied 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. His ball-handling ability at 7-foot was second to none in college basketball. He will likely be drafted as high as the late lottery in the upcoming NBA Draft.

1. Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB)

Lendeborg has to be No. 1 on this list, as he was the top rated player in the portal this offseason. Having fended off the NBA for his services, Michigan will likely rely heavily on his talent across the board. He averaged a double-double at UAB last year with 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. He is also the type of player who should have no trouble up-transferring due to his physical brand of basketball.

The 2025 College World Series field is set. Eight teams are on their way to Omaha, Nebraska to compete for the national championship, and the bracket includes a multitude of surprises after the regional and super regional rounds reshaped the sport’s power dynamics. 

Murray State is the biggest shocker of them all as it defeated Duke to punch its ticket to the CWS for the first time in program history, but the Racers — at +3500 to win the title per FanDuel Sportsbook — are not alone in generating storylines that will define the race to college baseball glory.

Winners of the last five national titles, the SEC boasts more CWS participants than any other conference. But the margin by which the sport’s premier league stands atop the rest is much slimmer than most would have anticipated heading into the tournament. With just two teams remaining, the SEC saw 11 of its record 13 postseason squads fall out of contention over the last two weekends. In turn, six conferences are represented in the bracket, and Oregon State stands alone as an independent.

Parity across conference lines is a step away from the trends that defined the last handful of tournaments when the SEC and ACC separated themselves from the pack. Still, the former features the perceived frontrunner as Arkansas embarks on a potential run to its first national title.

With the College World Series set to begin Friday, here are five key storylines that define the 2025 tournament.

Murray State’s Cinderella run continues

Murray State plays its home games at an 800-seat stadium that until 2014 did not even have grandstand seating. Coach Dan Skirka does the groundskeeping. Reagan Field did not even have a padded outfield wall until less than a decade ago. Yet here are the Racers, as few as five wins from a national championship. The program is the most improbable story in college baseball this postseason, and it is not particularly close.

Jonathan Hogart smashed a pair of home runs in the decisive game of the Durham Super Regional to spearhead the Racers’ 5-4 victory, which sent them to Omaha. He stands in a tie for first place in program history with 22 round-trippers on the year, and the outfielder was instrumental in the entirety of this miraculous tournament run with hits in every postseason game and at least two knocks in every contest but one. He has six homers in tournament play.

With that triumph over Duke, Murray State became just the fourth regional No. 4 seed to punch a ticket to the CWS since the tournament expanded in 1999. The Racers joined Oral Roberts (2023), Stony Brook (2012) and Fresno State (2008) in that rare company. Oral Roberts went 1-2 in Omaha, Stony Brook lost both of its contests and Fresno State stands alone as the only No. 4 seed to win the national championship.

Six conferences represented, plus an independent

Last year’s CWS was the most consolidated across conference lines in NCAA Tournament history; the SEC and ACC were the lone representatives with four teams apiece. Just one season after those leagues tied the record for the most participants from a single conference, the 2025 field could not be much more different. The SEC still leads the way with its two squads (Arkansas and LSU), but six other conferences have a flag-bearer in Omaha and Oregon State made its way back as an independent.

If not for last offseason’s landscape-altering wave of realignment, though, the Pac-12 would be front and center. Arizona represents the Big 12, UCLA hails from the Big Ten and Oregon State, as mentioned, is the lone program to operate this year as an independent. Those perennial West Coast powers long dominated the Pac-12, but the conference did not sponsor baseball this season with just two members under its umbrella.

“There’s so many good coaches and good players on the West,” UCLA coach John Savage said after the Bruins swept the Los Angeles Super Regional. “We beat each other up. This is for the West.”

No repeat participants

For the first time since 1957, none of the eight teams in the CWS are returners from the previous year. It is not as though the participants are no-names, though. LSU and Oregon State are the definitions of blue-bloods as the only programs with three national titles this century, and each of Coastal Carolina, Arizona and UCLA climbed to the mountaintop since 2012.

What the fresh faces represent, though, is that college baseball still has a sizable upper class that goes well beyond the SEC and ACC, despite recent seasons indicating that those conferences are a cut above the rest. Other sports saw a flattening at the top as the transfer portal and NIL eras progressed, and this could be a sign that the same is underway in baseball.

Lone top-five seed Arkansas enters as betting favorite

Regionals and super regionals were unkind to national seeds, but Arkansas was immune to the upset epidemic that sent each of the other top five seeds packing. That the Razorbacks, the No. 3 team in the tournament, are one of just five national seeds remaining is a welcome development for a program that underperformed each of the last two years, failing in both instances to advance out of its home regional.

Dave Van Horn’s squad is the narrow favorite to hoist the trophy at the end of the tournament, and it holds +200 odds to win the national championship at FanDuel. LSU is not far behind at +230, but the Razorbacks and Tigers open CWS play against each other and only one can advance out of Bracket 2 to reach the championship series.

Oregon State (+650) and Coastal Carolina (+650) have equal odds to win the tournament. UCLA (+850) is the largest underdog of the five remaining national seeds. Arizona (+1400), Louisville (+1600) and Murray State round out the field as relative long shots.

Kevin Schnall defends Coastal Carolina’s College World Series return: ‘This is no Cinderella’

Cody Nagel

Coastal Carolina rides 23-game winning streak

Coastal Carolina is a mid-major program, but do not get it twisted; the Chanticleers are not an underdog story. First-year coach Kevin Schnall has his program on the hottest streak in the nation with 23 consecutive wins. That is the longest streak any team has carried into the CWS since 1999. The Sun Belt powerhouse is back in Omaha for the first time since it won the national title in 2016.

“This is no Cinderella,” Schnall said after the Chanticleers swept Auburn in the super regional round. “I wanna make sure that’s known. This is no Cinderella. Coastal Carolina the past century, only eight teams have made the regionals more than us. During that same period we have the sixth-best win percentage and the ninth-most wins. This is not a Cinderella story. We’re one of the most premier, most successful college baseball programs in the entire country.”

The Chanticleers are the first and only team to 50 wins this season with their sparkling 53-11 record. The perfect run through the postseason thus far moved them into the No. 4 spot in the RPI rankings, and Arkansas is the only active team ahead of them.