Photo by Kiana Dale/Ole Miss Athletics
DALLAS – The National College Baseball Writers Association announced their 2026 Preseason All-America Teams Friday morning, selecting Ole Miss’ Hunter Elliott to the First Team and Judd Utermark to the Third Team.
Elliott has now been named a Preseason All-American by three different publications while this is the first honor for Utermark in his career.
Elliott made 16 starts for the Rebels as the team’s primary Friday night starter in 2025, posting a 10-3 record with an ERA of 2.94 and 102 strikeouts. He held opponents to a .197 batting average and picked off 13 baserunners, more than any other Rebel in the Modern Era.
Elliott became the fifth pitcher in Ole Miss history to record a 10-win, 100-strikeout season finishing with a 10-3 record and 102 punchouts. He also became just the fourth pitcher in program history to record 100+ strikeouts in two different seasons. His 2.94 ERA was the lowest by a Rebel starting pitcher since his freshman season when he finished with an ERA of 2.70.
Utermark started 63 games for the Rebels in 2025, the majority of them at second base. He led the team in RBI, home runs, and total bases. His 22 home runs were the second-most by a Rebel in a single season in program history and his 69 RBI were the fourth-most by a Rebel in a single season in program history.
Utermark hit a home run in each game of the Oxford Regional with six total home runs in five games and finished a combined 7-for-24 with nine RBI and eight runs scored. He was named to both the Oxford Regional All-Tournament Team and the SEC Championship All-Tournament Team.
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