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Ole Miss

WATCH: Hayden Dunhurst describe emotions on winning CWS title

Alex Weberby:Alex Weber•06/28/22
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Photo by C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images

Ole Miss coaches and players were overcome with emotion following the Rebels College World Series victory. Especially given their meteoric run from Last Team In to the NCAA Tournament to Last Team Standing in Omaha — or, OleMaha.

Gold Glove catcher Hayden Dunhurst was one of the many players caught up in the emotion of the end of a rollicking championship run. Ana Bell of Hurrdat Sports caught up with Dunhurst in the moments after the win. You can watch all of his comments in the tweet below or read what he had to say further down.

Bell simply asked Dunhurst about the emotions in the immediate afterthought. He responded:

“No words, really. Just proud of this team, man. After everything we’ve been through — just coming from the dark place we were in. Just happy, man. We had tears after the game, all types of stuff.”

Then, Bell asked what about this team Dunhurst is most proud of. He said:

“I’d probably say the way our guys handled everything. Just our mindsets and confidence and things like that. Everyone was kind of out of it, but then we all just kinda bought in and said ‘we don’t want it to end.’ Ended up winning our last game.”

Dunhurst then shared that he’s not sure the feeling of winning the title will ever fully soak in. “I don’t think it ever will. Maybe 20 years. But not right now,” he said.

Mike Bianco gives take on going from last team in to CWS champion

Head coach Mike Bianco coached his guys to the title and can still barely believe it. Following Ole Miss’ Game 2 win to clinch the title, he was interviewed and asked about his team’s epic run from final team in to final team standing. You can watch the interview on the tweet below, or the transcript of his answer afterward.

Here is Bianco’s full quote when asked about being the last team in and then winning the title:

“Well, I’ve said many times. We were the last team in. But we weren’t the 64th best team. We’re fortunate to get in it. A lot of teams didn’t get in it. There’s been years that we didn’t get in it. Credit our guys, because they put themselves in position in the last few weeks of the season to get in it. And once we got in it, we just kinda hit another gear. We’ve been so good the last three or four weeks. It’s been an incredible ride and I’m glad they’ve let me ride along.”

Oh coach. Don’t be so modest. “Glad they’ve let me ride along” — stop it. Take some credit, Mr. Bianco. A team that barely makes the field would never get out of the Regional if not for an iron wall of a coach. Heck of a job to not let seeding or home crowds or bumps during the regular season derail their blistering postseason run.