“Burn, baby burn” will likely ring out at Swayze Field once again, with Ole Miss first baseman Will Furniss announcing a return for a fifth season.
Furniss made the announcement on social media Wednesday morning. His post entailed a highlight reel, with The Trammps’ “Disco Inferno,” playing in the background. The familiar chorus is notably Furniss’ walkout song. He was arguably Mike Bianco’s most consistent hitter last season, as he boasted a .306 batting average, with 71 hits, 9 home runs, and 57 RBI.
Furniss’ veteran presence at the plate also helped the Rebels reach the College World Series for the first time since 2022 — the year Ole Miss won the national championship.
— Will Furniss (@WillFurniss) August 19, 2026
The infielder’s path to eligibility was opened by a federal judge issuing a preliminary injunction allowing NCAA Division I student-athletes who began college in the 2022-2023 academic year and exhausted their four years of eligibility by spring 2026 to gain a fifth season, with certain exceptions.
Furniss was part of the 2022 class and began his time with the program in the 2023 season and did not sign any professional contracts following the 2026 campaign. Ole Miss has not confirmed to SuperTalk Mississippi News that Furniss is eligible to compete in 2027, but if he is, he will join ace pitcher Hunter Elliott as one of the veteran elder statesmen of the team.
Bianco and company would also welcome Furniss’ bat and fielding, as the Ole Miss coaching staff had to reload the roster in the offseason after losing multiple key pieces, including third baseman Judd Utermark, catcher Austin Fawley, and right fielder Tristan Bissetta, along with a myriad of pitchers.
