Scott Bittle

Classroom

Since transferring from North Texas Community College in the fall of 2006, Bittle has been a model student at the University of Mississippi.  He has made the UMAA honor roll (3.0 or higher semester gpa) in each of his four semesters:  Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Spring 2008 and Fall 2008.  He also made the Chancellor’s honor roll (3.75-4.00 semester gpa) for the Fall 2007 and Fall 2008 semesters.  He will graduate this May with a degree in Psychology.  Not only is Bittle a solid student, but he also encourages his teammates to attend classes, tutor sessions and adequately prepare for tests.  He has built a good rapport with his instructors and works hard to achieve all A’s and B’s.

Character

Scott Bittle’s character can best be summarized by looking at what he has meant to Ole Miss in terms of his community service, his athletic competitive spirit and his academic drive.  He has worked diligently to balance the different demands from all aspects of life faced by a student-athlete. Even after being drafted in the second round by the New York Yankees, he has maintained an academic drive and continued to focus on earning his degree. He showed tremendous character following his first season at Ole Miss, bouncing back from a tough season statistically and persevering to then become the SEC strikeout leader as a reliever and earning First-Team All-America status. He has never lost sight of what is important when it comes to a sense of community and giving back to those who have supported him as is evidenced through his commitment to community service in the local area.

Community

Bittle has been very active in the Oxford and Ole Miss community in his three years on campus. He has been a consistent presence in the area elementary schools as an active participant in the team’s “Reading With The Rebels” program with elementary aged children. He has also been a part in the Southeastern Conference Canned Food drive collecting items for local food pantries. He also has taken an active part in the local Jean Jones Cancer Walk to help raise funds to fight cancer. Scott also has made visits to St. Jude Children Hospital in Memphis to visit patients.

Competition

This talented pitcher has played a pivotal role in the success of the Ole Miss program over the past three seasons. His head coach has called Bittle “the most dominating pitcher that I have ever coached in all of my years in the coaching profession.” His 2008 season, in which he averaged two strikeouts per inning over his 70 innings on the mound, made him one of the most feared pitchers in college baseball. “From a competitive standpoint, Scott is one of the most focused, most determined, and surely the most game-controlling pitcher that I have ever had the honor of coaching. To accomplish what Scott has accomplished, and to have done so in the most challenging conference in all of collegiate baseball, is truly amazing.”