After three years as head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels Track and Field team, Brian O’Neal announced that he was resigning from the position last week.
“I am announcing today my resignation from Ole Miss as its head track coach. I do so with a heavy heart, but I believe this action to be in the best interests of the university and my own interests,” O’Neal said in an official statement from Ole Miss. “I am most appreciative to Ole Miss for my education, its role in shaping my opportunities, and for the opportunity to return to our track as its head coach and not simply as an athlete.”
“I am proud of our accomplishments during my tenure, both the success on the track and the academic and personal successes of our student athletes off the track,” O’Neal said. “I wish the program and Ole Miss the best and great success in the future.”
Ole Miss Athletics Director Ross was also quoted in the statement.
“We support Brian and the decision to resign from his position. We appreciate all his hard work as our head coach the last three years and his contributions as an assistant coach and student-athlete,” Bjork said. “Brian is a member of the Ole Miss family, and we wish him the best.”
The statement from Ole Miss said he was stepping down to pursue other professional opportunities. In his time as head coach, O’Neal broke multiple school records and was coming off a trip to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
At the championships, a school record of 17 athletes competed for Ole Miss, and the Rebels had their very first team compete in the 4×100-meter relay, which they placed seventh in. Nine of the Rebels who competed earned All-American honors in the process, which was another school record.
O’Neal was also the cross country coach, and had led the men’s and women’s teams to their best SEC finishes in school history. He also led the men to their first-ever NCAA cross country championships. He had led the men’s track and field team to its best NCAA finish as well.
Before taking the head coaching position at Ole Miss, O’Neal graduated from the university. He later became an assistant coach for the Rebels from 1995-2008 and an assistant coach at Florida from 2009-2012.
