Walker Hooks, a sophomore pitcher for Ole Miss, has been invited to attend USA Baseball’s 2026 Collegiate National Team training camp this summer, according to university sources.
Hooks is scheduled to join the team after the college season concludes, participating in exhibition games in Burlington, North Carolina, and Danville, Virginia, at the end of June. He will also compete in the Stars vs. Stripes series in Cary, North Carolina, from June 30 to July 4.
The final roster for the Collegiate National Team will be announced on July 5. The team is set to compete in the inaugural World Collegiate Baseball Championship in Taichung City, Taiwan, from July 11 to 15.
If selected, Hooks would become the first Ole Miss player to join the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team since Jacob Gonzalez and Hunter Elliott in 2022, the school said.
Currently, Hooks holds a 3-1 record with seven saves, a 2.22 ERA, and 58 strikeouts over 52.2 innings this season. He has established himself as a key reliever for the Rebels, especially in high-leverage situations. During SEC play, he led the conference with a 1.73 ERA, a 0.80 WHIP, and 17 appearances, tying for the league lead with seven saves.
Hooks also ranked second in the SEC for fewest walks allowed (six) and was tied for fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 6.00 in league games. He has converted six of his last seven save opportunities and allowed only five earned runs over his last 14 appearances, according to Ole Miss athletics.
