Ole Miss stadiums are home to years of memorable student experiences. There are three venues that stood above the rest in students’ eyes.
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is the home of Ole Miss Football. In 1982, legendary Ole Miss coach Johnny Vaught’s name was added to the stadium’s title. Vaught coached the Rebels from 1947 through 1970, and for a few games in 1973. His 180 regular season wins were the most by any coach in program history.
Antonella Rescigno.
With a capacity of 64,038, the Vaught is not nearly as large as some of the biggest arenas in the conference, yet many fans nonetheless enjoy the up-close-and-personal atmosphere the stadium offers. Freshman professional sales major Ainsley Hancock noted that this is a major reason why she enjoys attending games in the Vaught.
“It’s really close. You can have a seat in any stadium and you still feel close to the game and involved,” Hancock said. “I love to ‘lock the Vaught’ with my friends.”
Of the students interviewed, the Vaught was by far the most popular Ole Miss sporting venue.
“I have been going to almost every football game for the last four years, and I think that the Vaught is one of the best places to watch the Ole Miss Rebels,” senior accounting major David Gildart said.
Under head coach Lane Kiffin, the Rebels have won several memorable games in the stadium — perhaps most notably, the 55-49 win over No. 13 LSU in 2023 and the 28-10 victory over No. 2 Georgia last season, both of which ended with fans storming the field.
While students did not rush the field after this year’s win over LSU, the game was a great experience for freshman civil engineering major Cooper Oliver.
“(My) favorite game I’ve probably been to so far is definitely the Ole Miss and LSU game,” Oliver said. “That was my first actual big SEC game. And, man, it was really enjoyable, especially just sitting in the stands, and hearing the stadium, just loud at night. It was an awesome experience. I truly enjoyed it.”
For Oliver, the Vaught played a role in why he came to Ole Miss. The stadium is not just a venue where football is played — instead, it is a fond reminder of his past experiences enjoying Ole Miss Football with his mother.
“Another reason why I like Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is because (in my senior year of high school), when it really came down to choosing schools and stuff, my mom was a big part of that, and I remember … me and my mom on Saturday morning getting ready to watch Ole Miss Football games, getting really excited for that,” Oliver said.
Junior mathematics major Reese Nighswander’s favorite Ole Miss venue is also the Vaught. Nighswander views the stadium differently than most normal students since he is a member of the Pride of the South marching band.
“Being a part of the band and getting to go on the field and perform every weekend, it’s just an experience I can’t describe,” Nighswander said.
Freshman allied health major Sofia Hendricks is also in the band, and she, too, enjoys contributing to the stadium’s unforgettable atmosphere.
“I love to go to the games (at the Vaught), because I get to share music with people and create a fun atmosphere,” Hendricks said.
Swayze Field
Famous for the “beer showers” in right field after Ole Miss home runs — when fans toss up their drinks in uproarious, sudsy splashes — Swayze Field is another top stadium at Ole Miss. It is named after Tom Swayze, who coached the Rebels from 1951-71 and led Ole Miss to the College World Series on three occasions.
Swayze Field can hold around 12,000 fans. The record attendance is 12,503, which was set on April 23, 2022, during a game against Mississippi State.
Freshman civil engineering major Blake Young said that his favorite Rebel venue was Swazye Field because of its history.
“(My favorite is) probably the baseball stadium, Swayze. I just feel like it’s kind of remained unchanging for … as long as I’ve been watching Ole Miss Baseball, which is forever,” Blake Young said.
Indeed, only minor changes have been made to Swayze since it was opened to fans in 1989. The student seating area in right field was added in 1993, and an outfield lounge area with picnic tables and more dining options was added in 2000. The last changes were made in 2009 when a new scoreboard was added along with additional suite seating.
The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss
The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss, commonly referred to as The Pavilion, is the home arena for the Ole Miss Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams. The stadium, which covers nearly 2,400 square feet, holds around 9,500 fans and features the largest center-hung video display board in college sports.
In the 2024-25 season, the men’s team finished 13-3 at home, helping the Rebels earn a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
“I love The Pavilion because it’s so accessible to students, whether it’s game day or not,” freshman accounting major Mary Martin Fair said.
Outside of games, restaurants in The Pavilion — Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and Steak ‘n’ Shake — are open during weekdays for students. The venue is also used for non-sporting events, including the dance and fundraising event CASA Encore, concerts and guest speakers. The Pavilion was used to host Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk and Vice President JD Vance on Oct. 29 for a stop on TPUSA’s “This is the Turning Point Tour.”
Still, The Pavilion is perhaps at its best on game days. Students are given free t-shirts in the student section, and the environment itself, Fair said, is unifying and meaningful for students.
“On game days, the atmosphere is electric,” Fair said. “It brings our Ole Miss community together and really showcases our school spirit.”
Reagan Taylor contributed reporting.
