{"id":157188,"date":"2026-04-09T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=157188"},"modified":"2026-04-08T15:37:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T20:37:19","slug":"brett-young-to-deliver-2026-um-commencement-address","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/brett-young-to-deliver-2026-um-commencement-address\/","title":{"rendered":"Brett Young to Deliver 2026 Commencement Address"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The University of Mississippi’s 173rd annual Convocation slated for May 9 in the Grove<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Diamond-certified country\u00a0artist and former Ole Miss<\/strong> baseball player Brett Young<\/strong> will headline the University of Mississippi’s 2026 Commencement<\/strong> as the featured speaker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young will deliver his speech at the university’s 173rd Convocation, set for 9 a.m. May 9 in the Grove.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We look forward to welcoming Brett Young back to campus to address the Class of 2026 for this meaningful, celebratory milestone in their lives,” Chancellor Glenn Boyce <\/strong>said. “His journey of perseverance from collegiate pitcher to renowned country music vocalist with a devoted following will resonate with our students as they head into the world to chart their own paths of success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We’re grateful to Brett for contributing to our long-standing tradition of featuring prominent voices for our graduating students and their families.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Brett Young went to No. 1 with his first seven singles, and his songs have been streamed more than 8.5 billion times globally. He will deliver the University of Mississippi’s Commencement address in May 9 in the Grove. Submitted photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Young enrolled as a freshman at the university in 1999 and played one season for the baseball Rebels. Despite his time at Ole Miss<\/a> being short, the Hotty Toddy spirit greatly influenced Young.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Weekend tailgates in the Grove were like nothing I’d ever seen,” the 2018 Academy of Country Music New Male Vocalist of the Year<\/strong> said. “Hotty Toddy<\/a> is more than a chant or a war cry; it’s a tradition and a culture all its own.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The right-handed pitcher experienced the Hotty Toddy excitement when he started for the Rebs for the first time on a Friday night against Vanderbilt<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Before he scored No. 1 singles, Brett Young was a starting pitcher for the Ole Miss baseball Rebels. He returns to Oxford May 9 as the featured speaker at the University of Mississippi’s 2026 Commencement. Photo courtesy UM Department of Athletics<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“Earning the Friday night starting spot as a freshman in the SEC was an honor and an experience I’m very proud of and will never forget,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What he learned from his time at the university endures. Young has been back to visit several times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He filmed a video for his single “Catch<\/strong>” on campus and at Swayze Field<\/strong> in 2019, threw out the first pitch in 2022 against Mississippi State<\/strong> and performed in 2024 at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion<\/strong> at Ole Miss. His song “Hell Yeah, Damn Right<\/strong>” is regularly played at home athletics events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“My experience with true Southern hospitality at Ole Miss was more than something that made me feel welcome there,” Young said. “It was a lesson in how to treat people in life and something that has stuck with me and will be taught and passed down to my family.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He left UM in 2000 and eventually landed at Fresno State University<\/strong> to continue playing baseball. An elbow injury there ended his baseball career but opened the door to one in music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through his honest lyrics and West Coast-meets-Southern sound, Young developed his own signature music style dubbed “Caliville.<\/strong>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His first seven singles went to No. 1, and his self-titled debut spent 37 weeks inside the Top 20. His hits include “In Case You Didn’t Know<\/strong>,” “Mercy<\/strong>,” “Sleep Without You<\/strong>,” “Like I Loved You,<\/strong>” “Here Tonight<\/strong>,” “Catch<\/strong>” and “Lady<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His music has been streamed more than 8.5 billion times globally. He was named ASCAP’s Country Songwriter Artist of the Year <\/strong>in 2018 and has earned nominations from Billboard, Teen Choice, CMT <\/strong>and the CMA Awards<\/strong> throughout his music career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young is not only a songwriter, but also a children’s book author.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His first book, “Love You, Little Lady<\/strong>” (Tommy Nelson, an imprint of Harper Collins, 2021), was inspired by the lyrics of “Lady” and is about a father’s love for his daughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A similar familial love brings him back to Ole Miss to offer encouragement and advice to graduates. He plans to encourage students to follow their own paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Your journey might not make sense to some people,” he said. “That’s OK. It isn’t theirs.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Marisa C. Atkinson<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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