Ole Miss Spirit Staff Directory

Ben Garrett (Editor) — Ben Garrett joined the Ole Miss Spirit in 2008, fresh off graduating from Ole Miss and spending six months toiling away at a media relations desk job in New Orleans. Previous stops include FOX Sports, USA Today, the Clarion-Ledger, the Daily Journal and VSporto.

Ben is the lead recruiting analyst and co-lead, along with Chuck Rounsaville, breaking news reporter for the Spirit. He also hosts a twice-weekly Ole Miss podcast, Talk of Champions, which can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

He and his wife, Emily, have daughters Gracie and Rylee. Did you know the Dallas Cowboys, Ben’s favorite team, have the lowest playoff winning percentage, outside of the Detroit Lions, since 1996? Ben does. At least the Atlanta Braves won the World Series.

Ben can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter, @SpiritBen.

Chuck Rounsaville (Publisher) — Ole Miss Spirit Publisher Chuck Rounsaville was one of a trio of Rebels who started The Spirit in 1982 out of Leland, MS, and has spent his professional life reporting on his beloved Rebels. In 1986, he became the sole proprietor of The Spirit and has ushered it from a tabloid newspaper format into an internet fan site that is turned to by thousands of Reb fans.

Chuck’s philosophy on covering the Rebels has always been “optimistically objective.” He makes no apologies for being an Ole Miss fan – his father, Babe, was a Rebel gridder in the early to mid 1930s – and a self-described “homer.” He wears the title proudly. Recently, Rounsaville started an NIL fund – Spirit LLC – to help Ole Miss athletes receive compensation for promoting fellow Rebels’ businesses.

Chuck, a Byhalia, MS, native, and his family have lived in Oxford since 1986. His wife, Wanda, is a retired schoolteacher and his two daughters, Michelle and Gina, still reside in Oxford along with his four grandchildren. Recently, Rounsaville started an NIL fund – Spirit LLC – to help Ole Miss athletes receive compensation for promoting fellow Rebels.

Chuck can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter, @SpiritChuck.

Zach Berry (Recruiting Analyst) — Zach Berry comes to OMSpirit and On3 Sports after spending the last eight years covering the Ole Miss Rebels for various media outlets, including SB Nation and Rivals. In addition to his analysis and writing, Zach also hosted a podcast covering Ole Miss for seven years and was a producer at Sports 56 WHBQ in Memphis.

Zach earned his BA in journalism and mass communications with a minor in history from the University of Mississippi. Before joining the team at OMSpirit, Zach was the managing editor at Red Cup Rebellion, Ole Miss’ team site at SB Nation and a recruiting analyst at Rivals.

Zach, who is originally from Memphis, Tenn., and is based out of Nashville, can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter, @Zach_Berry.

Jake Thompson (Staff Writer) — Jake Thompson joined the Ole Miss Spirit in November of 2021 as the team coverage beat writer. For the last 11 years, Jake has covered Ole Miss athletics for different publications including the Daily Mississippian, The Oxford Eagle and now with the Spirit. During football season, Jake does the pregame tailgate radio show in The Grove on home games.

An Ole Miss graduate, Jake returned to Oxford in 2010 to finish up school and received his degree in 2013. A lifelong Ole Miss fan, Jake is living his “dream job” of covering the Rebels and providing the best coverage for Ole Miss fans everywhere.

Jake can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter, @JakeThompsonOn3.