You can now call Ocean Springs’ Brian Rea a Hall of Famer

Coming out of Nettleton High in the mid-1990s, Brian Rea was a lightly recruited dual-sport athlete. He was content to attend nearby Itawamba Community College — at least until Delta State started showing interest late in his senior year.

Rea made the long trek to DSU for a tryout — his first such trip to the Delta — and on his way home received a call saying he’d been offered a scholarship. He practically accepted on the spot.

It appears both Rea and the Statesmen made the right call. Delta State announced Wednesday he will be one of 10 inducted into the Delta State Sports Hall of Fame during homecoming weekend festivities, Oct. 5-6.

Other members of the class of 2017 are Karl Balls, Rory Bell, Meredith Coleman, Shorlone Crockam, Petya Petrova, Clark Richardson, Sean Spiegel, Chris Sykes, Joe Wun and Asa Atkinson.

“I’m humbled,” said Rea, who now coaches baseball at Ocean Springs High School. “Just a great honor. It’s something that I really hadn’t had a great opportunity to reflect on yet, other than Delta State University was so great to me and gave me a great opportunity to continue as a student athlete.

“I’m just one of those small-town Mississippi guys that they gave an opportunity to get an education and play baseball.”

Asked to reflect on his days at DSU, he laughed.

While he redshirted in 1996, the Statesmen posted a 52-8 record and finished third in the College World Series.

“After watching that team, I never thought I’d ever step on the field,” he said. “They were so good.”

He got his shot in 1997 and went on to start for four seasons, making the most of his opportunities.

He earned All-Gulf South Conference and All GSC West Division honors in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and ABCA All-South Central Region laurels in 1999. He also earned the Makamson Freshman of the Year Award in 1999 and the Sandifer Statesmen Award in 1999 and 2000.

His career accomplishments still litter DSU’s record books.

He ranks first in career hits (302), third in runs (227), fourth in games played (212), seventh in batting average (.387), seventh in total bases (397), eighth in walks (103) and ninth in career RBIs (165).

He hit .439 in 1998 and .429 in 1999, ranking second and third, respectively, on the single-season batting-average list. His 87 runs scored in 2000 and 91 hits in 1999 are tied for sixth in a single season. He also owns the single-game record with six runs scored against LeMoyne Owen in 1999. Additionally, he is still ranked second in the GSC in career hits (307) and third in career runs scored (227).

“Delta State is a special place,” he said. “You talk to anybody who has gone to school there or played for that baseball fraternity. There’s a bunch of us out there coaching. We’re all over the high school, junior college and four-year ranks.

“I think the love affair with baseball at Delta State University has long been going on. In my opinion, it’s the most tradition-rich baseball program in the state.”

Before he can be enshrined at DSU, Rea has some business to tend to with his Greyhounds. After earning a first-round bye, OSHS opens the second round of the MHSAA Class 6A playoffs at home against Brandon at 6 p.m. Friday.

This story was originally published April 26, 2017 at 3:18 PM with the headline "You can now call Ocean Springs’ Brian Rea a Hall of Famer."