Ole Miss baseball home run king Judd Utermark returning in 2027 after court ruling

OXFORD — Ole Miss baseball third baseman Judd Utermark will get a chance to extend his home run record.

Utermark is returning to Ole Miss next season for his fifth season of eligibility. He announced his intention Aug. 19 in a social media post, with the caption "I'm back." It came shortly after first baseman Will Furniss announced he would also be returning for a fifth season.

Utermark is the all-time home run leader at Ole Miss with 51. He hit 22 home runs in each of the past two seasons to break the record. He is a career .280 hitter who is coming off a career-high .309 batting average in 2026.

Both Utermark and Furniss were initially out of eligibility after the 2026 season ended in the College World Series, because they had played four complete seasons beginning with their freshman year in 2023.

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U.S. District Court of Colorado judge Charlotte Sweeney granted an injunction July 31 to college athletes who graduated in high school in 2022 and meet certain criteria. It gives players who qualify, including Utermark and Furniss, a fifth season of eligibility.

Utermark is eligible because he was not drafted in the 2026 MLB Draft and therefor did not sign with an MLB team.

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss baseball home run king Judd Utermark returning in 2027 after court ruling