Mike Bianco on his decision to remain at Ole Miss: "This is home."
In the world of college baseball, Mike Bianco and LSU in the same sentence can get Ole Miss anxious.
That anxiety returned this summer when Paul Mainieri announced on May 28 he was retiring as head coach of the Tigers once their 2021 season concluded.
Immediate speculation, and with logical reasoning, went to Bianco returning to his alma mater to take over the program. Bianco spent the 1988 and 1989 seasons with the Tigers, serving as the starting catcher his senior year.
Now, there were several factors in play, including his son, Drew, who currently plays for LSU and the fact Bianco has stated numerous times before he would never coach any of his three sons.
Other factors included the fact Bianco had lived in Oxford for over 20 years and raised his kids, with one still finishing up high school.
While talking with the Ole Miss Spirit last week on a range of topics, Bianco addressed the LSU opening and his ultimate decision to stay with the Rebels.
“When you try to separate yourself, if you’re a listener or a reader, it’s your alma mater (calling),” Bianco said. “I’ve been here 21, 22 years. I love this place. This is home. This is where my family, two of my children were born and the rest of them grew up. They grew up in Oxford. We’ve made this our home.
“We had a conversation at the end of the spring and something that my wife and I needed to do. It was a fair thing and right thing to do for us.”
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Bianco did have a conversation with LSU athletic director Scott Woodward regarding the opening, but ultimately his heart was still in Oxford.
On June 20, a week after the Rebels were eliminated by Arizona in the Super Regionals, Bianco and Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter jointly announced that Bianco would be returning along with a new four-year contract extension.
It was a second straight year that Bianco’s contract was extended after Carter opted not to following the 2019 season.
During Bianco’s tenure he has gotten the Rebels to the College World Series once (2014) and seven Super Regional appearances.
“After that conversation and talking about it we realize that this is our home we’re certainly glad to be in Oxford this year.”
Bianco will enter his 22nd season as the Rebels head coach when they begin the 2022 campaign on Feb. 18 against Charleston Southern.
