​High school catcher Brett Harris, who has been battling cancer for three years, says Ole Miss baseball pulled his scholarship offer despite his four-year commitment to the Rebels. Harris, a product of Western Dubuque High School in Iowa, committed to Ole Miss in 2022 after his older brother, Calvin Harris, helped the Rebels win a national championship with his performance as a catcher.
Brett Harris was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2023, and in October 2025 doctors announced that the cancer had spread to two additional areas. He underwent radiation treatments over the winter and is currently playing his senior season of baseball. Harris told USA TODAY Sports that Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco called him on June 28 and informed him that his scholarship offer was being rescinded. “It didn’t hit me fully, because I was like, ‘There’s no way,’” Harris said. “A month and a half before (going to college), what’s a kid supposed to do? You’re not giving a kid much of a chance after four years of being loyal to you … You’re not giving him much of a chance to go out and find a new school.”
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said on July 9 that the university did not have an official comment. Harris, for his part, has not missed a game this season and enters July 7 with a .414 batting average and 31 RBIs. The timing of the decision was notable, coming just days after Ole Miss coaches were in attendance to watch Harris play. Harris’s father, Scott Harris, expressed disappointment, noting that the decision seemed to hinge less on his son’s ability—he has been performing well—and more on concerns about his medical care, such as whether Brett would need to go to Mayo Clinic or another medical facility during his time at Ole Miss. “We want to take the high road, but we also want to say our disappointment in letting a kid know a month before a school year is going to start,” Scott Harris said.
Harris did not have to look far for another opportunity. His brother had spent recent offseasons practicing at Iowa’s facilities in the minor leagues. Brett Harris and his father had also built relationships with Iowa’s coaches, which opened another avenue. Harris quickly reached out to the Hawkeyes, who offered him a spot on their team. “Every setback like this has helped me become stronger,” Harris said. “Ole Miss pulling my scholarship makes me stronger. It makes you tougher and helps you prepare for anything in life that comes your way.”
Ehsan Kassim contributed to this report. Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at Shutchens@gannett.com or on X at @Sam_Hutchens_. This article originally appeared on the Mississippi Clarion Ledger under the headline: Catcher fighting cancer says Ole Miss baseball pulled offer 4 years after he committed.