Ole Miss Pitcher Walker Hooks Selected for 2026 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss pitcher Walker Hooks has been named to the 2026 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, the organization announced Tuesday. Hooks is the 16th Rebel to earn this honor and the first since Hunter Elliott and Jacob Gonzalez in 2022.
Hooks, a sophomore, will compete in the inaugural World Collegiate Baseball Championship, which runs from July 11-15 at the Taichung City Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taiwan. The roster was finalized after 11 days of workouts, practices, and scrimmages held across North Carolina and Virginia, according to USA Baseball.
The left-hander finished the 2026 season with a 3-1 record, nine saves, a 3.24 ERA, and 63 strikeouts over 58.1 innings. His nine saves were the most by a Rebel since Brandon Johnson recorded 12 in 2022. During conference play, Hooks led the SEC in ERA (1.73), WHIP (0.80), and appearances (17). He was tied for the league lead in saves with seven and ranked second in fewest walks allowed (six). Additionally, he was tied for fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.00) in league games, according to Ole Miss athletics.
Hooks’s selection highlights his standout performance this season. The Rebel pitcher continues a proud tradition of Ole Miss players representing the United States at the international level, with the team aiming for success in Taiwan this summer.
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