Fans Enjoy Opportunity to Mingle with Ole Miss Teams
By Brian Scott Rippee, OleMissSports.com
OXFORD, Miss. – Fans flooded into the Manning Center on Saturday for Meet the Rebels Day, a chance for to interact with the Ole Miss football, soccer, volleyball and rifle teams as well as the spirit squads.
A long, winding line of Rebel fans waited to get an autograph from new head coach Matt Luke and offer their support. Luke greeted many members of Rebel Nation and posed for photos.
“These fans that show up are true Ole Miss Rebel fans,” Luke said. “I am just excited to be their head coach and want to put a product on the field that they are proud of.”
Luke remembers coming to Meet the Rebels as a kid growing up, and now is at the center of it as head coach.
“I came to a bunch of these when my brother played,” Luke said. “I told our players before we came out here the kids that show up look up to you. You are their hero. We want to make sure we represent Ole Miss the right way.”
Fans ranging from all ages came to meet the student-athletes they cheer for on the field, like Brandon resident Keith King who brought his 4-year-old grandson, Sam, to his first ever Meet the Rebels.
“I’ve enjoyed this one even more,” King said. “I think that’s because he is here with me. I also felt like I needed to come up here and let the teams know we are still supporting you. We are still here.”
Sam grinned clutching a poster littered with autographs and said his favorite part was getting a picture with the cheerleaders.
“The fans are the reason we are here,” Luke said. “They come and support us. They are the reason we have jobs, and we just want to represent them.”
Luke and the Rebel football team kick off their 2017 campaign Sept. 2 against South Alabama at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at OleMissTix.com.
Soccer begins its season Aug. 18 against Alabama State at 7 p.m., while the volleyball squad opens the year Aug. 25 against Louisiana Tech.
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