Right-handed closer Brett Huber returned to Ole Miss for his senior season to fulfill some goals. Huber is already tied for the all-time saves leader in school history, but he is back and hopes to help push the Rebels into the College World Series.
File Photo (Cain Madden)
Senior right hander Brett Huber
Senior right-handed closer Brett Huber has been through a lot in his collegiate career.
From tying the school’s all-time saves mark to having surgery and rehabbing on bone chips in his elbow. Now, Huber is looking to close out his career in the red and blue on a high note.
“This is it, you know?” Huber said. “This is my last year. It is a big reason why Tanner Mathis and I came back. I talked to him and let him know that I think that all the years we’ve been here I think if we come back this will be the best year.”
Huber, who has 26 career saves, was named to the National Baseball Writers Association of America preseason watch list for Stopper of the Year this past Friday after posting 10 saves last season.
Although the individual accolades are nice, he is more focused on the team’s ultimate goal: Omaha.
“I’ve got goals this year,” Huber said. “Our main goal is to get to Omaha. I think we deserve it as a team and most of all coach Bianco deserves it as a coach. He’s worked so hard here for so many years.
“I have goals in the bullpen too. I want to set a few more records and things like that, but most importantly, I want to go win a national championship this year.”
Huber has also seen a change in this team internally – a team that Bianco called a “close-knit group.”
“We’ve hung out as a team more than I ever have,” Huber said. “I feel like as a team, we are ready to go. We are going to come out with a chip on our shoulder. It sucked last year, going home. It’s not fun. We’ve been waiting for a long time for this day to come.”
The wait has been even longer for Huber after battling injury and being forced to rehab and make a comeback. Huber said he feels the strongest he has at Ole Miss before a season began, and Bianco said he has positioned himself for a strong senior campaign.
“I’m proud of Brett,” Bianco said. “Obviously, he’s had a lot of success in his career here, but finally last year was one of those years where when he was healthy and was able to pitch he was really good.
“There were times last year with the bone chips in the elbow that he wasn’t able. I think that’s
File Photo (Cain Madden)
Senior right hander Brett Huber
tough. It’s tough for a kid, but its tough for a team, when you’re not sure whether your closer will be able to pitch that day. I agree with him. He’s never looked better.”
At the end of the season, Huber said he hopes to have left a lasting legacy on the baseball program.
“I just want them to think of a warrior,” Huber said. “Not only a warrior, but someone who cared a lot about Ole Miss, who came back their senior year because I love this place, this town, the coaches, the team. I want them to know every time I was out there on the field I gave everything I had.
“It’ll be fun having my name in the record book as the all-time saves leader, and this year, I want to put that out of reach. I want to leave my own legacy. I just want to let them know it’s all about Ole Miss.”
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