2023 College Baseball Coaching Changes Tracker College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects
Image credit:Scott Berry (Photo by Bobby McDuffie/Getty Images)
As we do every year, Baseball America is tracking the latest news and movement in the college baseball coaching market.
As the season began, only the few programs that go into the year with interim head coaches have openings, but in the last two years there have been more than 80 head coaching changes, so there’s sure to be more activity to come.
This story will update every time there are coaching changes this year.
Akron
Former coach: Greg Beals
New coach: Tim Donnelly (interim)
What to know: Beals’ stay in Akron was brief, as he was hired last July to take over the program. He left six months later, hired away by Marshall. Donnelly, who was hired during the summer as an assistant coach, was promoted to interim head coach for the 2023 season.
Alabama
Former coach: Brad Bohannon
New coach: Rob Vaughn
What to know: Bohannon was fired May 4. In a statement, Alabama said the decision was “for, among other things, violating the standards, duties, and responsibilities expected of University employees.” Bohannon’s firing came in the wake of a report from ESPN that gambling regulators in Ohio had removed Alabama baseball from sportsbooks due to suspicious wagering activity in a game at LSU. Following the season, Alabama hired Vaughn away from Maryland to take over. Vaughn was named Big Ten coach of the year in consecutive seasons as he led the Terrapins to back-to-back titles. Prior to the 2022 season, Maryland had not won a conference title in 51 years. It also hosted regionals for the first time in program history. Jason Jackson, Alabama’s pitching coach, was named interim head coach and led the Tide to super regionals. He will remain on staff as associate head coach under Vaughn.
Central Florida
Former coach: Greg Lovelady
New coach: Rich Wallace
What to know: Lovelady is out as head coach after seven seasons. The Knights went 225-149 under Lovelady and made the NCAA Tournament in 2017, his first season. After that highwater mark, however, UCF was unable to get over the hump. As the program prepares to this summer enter the Big 12, UCF tabbed Wallace to take over the helm. Wallace, a UCF alumnus, this year was recruiting coordinator at Florida State. He came to FSU last summer, following Link Jarrett from Notre Dame, where the pair had spent the previous three seasons. Wallace also was an assistant coach at Jacksonville, Creighton, High Point and UCF.
Cincinnati
Former coach: Scott Googins
New coach: Open
What to know: Googins resigned following the season, his sixth at Cincinnati. The Bearcats went 143-156 during his tenure and won the 2019 American Athletic Conference Tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1974. Cincinnati has had back-to-back losing seasons, however, this year finishing 24-33. Like UCF, Cincinnati is this summer moving to the Big 12, making this opening more intriguing.
Eastern Michigan
Former coach: Eric Roof
New coach: Open
What to know: Roof is out as head coach after six seasons. The Eagles went 104-180-1 under Roof, including a 27-26 mark this season. EMU hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2008 and is a tough job in the Mid-American Conference.
Fresno State
Former coach: Mike Batesole
New coach: Ryan Overland
What to know: On Dec. 30, Batesole announced his retirement after 20 years as head coach at Fresno State. He led the Bulldogs to the 2008 national championship and made the NCAA Tournament eight times. Previously, he was head coach of Cal State Northridge for seven seasons and his 895 career wins ranked 16th among active Division I coaches at the end of last season. Overland took over the program on an interim bases after 10 seasons on staff at his alma mater. He caught for the national championship team and has spent the last five seasons as Fresno State’s pitching coach. Following the season, Overland had the interim tag removed from his title. He led Fresno to a 30-27 mark, including a 16-14 Mountain West Conference record.
Georgia
Former coach: Scott Stricklin
New coach: Wes Johnson
What to know: Georgia on May 26 fired Stricklin after 10 seasons at the program’s helm. Stricklin led the Bulldogs to three of the last five NCAA Tournaments, but never won a regional or the SEC East. He went 282-211-1 during his tenure, including a 110-127-1 SEC record. Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks moved quickly to on May 5 hire Johnson, who is completing his first season as LSU’s pitching coach. Johnson is well-versed in the SEC, having worked at LSU, Arkansas and Mississippi State. He also spent four years as the pitching coach for the Twins. Now, he’ll be tasked with getting the Bulldogs back to Omaha for the first time since 2008.
Maryland
Former coach: Rob Vaughn
New coach: Matt Swope
What to know: Vaughn was hired away by Alabama after six seasons as head coach and 11 years with the Terrapins. He led Maryland to back-to-back Big Ten titles, the program’s first conference titles in 51 years, and in 2022 the Terrapins hosted regionals for the first time in program history. Maryland has made impressive strides over the last 15 years, first under Erik Bakich and then John Szefc and Vaughn. Now, the Terrapins will turn to Swope to keep that development going. Swope, who played at Maryland, has spent the last 11 seasons on staff under Szefc and Vaughn, including the last two seasons as associate head coach.
Maryland-Eastern Shore
Former coach: Brian Hollamon
New coach: Shawn Phillips (interim)
What to know: Phillips led UMES as interim head coach in 2023, his second season on staff. The Hawks wnet 14-16 in their first season in the Northeast Conference.
Memphis
Former coach: Kerrick Jackson
New coach: Open
What to know: A year after arriving at Memphis, Jackson was hired away by Missouri. The Tigers went 29-28 under Jackson, their first winning season since 2017. Now, Memphis is again looking for a coach, just a year after longtime coach Daron Schoenrock retired. The job remains an intriguing one, especially in a changing American Athletic Conference that this summer says goodbye to Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston, and welcomes Alabama-Birmingham, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Rice and Texas-San Antonio.
Miami
Former coach: Gino DiMare
New coach: Open
What to know: DiMare on June 8 stepped down after five seasons at the program’s helm. He took over the Hurricanes following Jim Morris’ retirement in 2018 and led them to a 168-86 record and four regionals. Miami didn’t advance to super regionals, however, losing home regionals in back-to-back seasons. DiMare spent 24 years on staff at his alma mater. While Miami has some structural challenges, it remains a high-level job and will draw plenty of interest.
Miami (Ohio)
Former coach: Danny Hayden
New coach: Brian Smiley
What to know: On May 18, Miami announced Hayden was out as head coach after 10 seasons. He led the RedHawks to a 240-273 record overall and a 132-133 record in Mid-American Conference play. The RedHawks won the MAC East Division title in 2014, Hayden’s first season, and built some momentum pre-pandemic with back-to-back 35-win seasons in 2018-19, but they were 68-99 in the three full seasons since. Miami hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2005, Tracy Smith’s last season in Oxford, but it should have the infrastructure to compete near the top of the conference. Now, that task will fall to Smiley, who was hired after 14 seasons as an assistant coach at Indiana State. He helped the Sycamores to a banner 2023 season and throughout his tenure, Indiana State never had a losing season.
Mississippi Valley State
Former coach: Milton Barney Jr.
New coach: Open
What to know: Barney is out after one season at MVSU, perhaps the toughest job in Division I college baseball. The Delta Devils in 2023 went 15-34, their most wins in a season since 2012. MVSU is now looking for a new coach for the third straight year.
Missouri
Former coach: Steve Bieser
New coach: Kerrick Jackson
What to know: Missouri on May 28 announced it had fired Bieser after seven seasons as head coach. He went 188-155-1 in his tenure, but never finished better than fourth in the SEC East and did not make the NCAA Tournament. Missouri is a very difficult job in the sport’s best conference. The Tigers have not made regionals since 2012, their last season as a member of the Big 12. To replace Bieser, Mizzou turned to Jackson, who was an assistant coach on that 2012 team. Jackson most recently was the head coach at Memphis for a season, where he led the Tigers to a 29-28 record, their first winning season since 2017. He has a unique resume, having come to Memphis after two years as president of the MLB Draft League, led Southern to the NCAA Tournament in 2019 as head coach, worked as a scout and an agent and spent five seasons on staff at Mizzou. He also becomes the first Black head baseball coach in SEC history.
Navy
Former coach: Paul Kostacopoulos (retired)
New coach: Open
What to know: Kostacopoulos announced after the season that he was retiring after 34 years as a head coach, including the last 18 at Navy. He won 1,027 games in his career, including 527 at Navy, and led his teams to the NCAA Tournament six times. He led Navy to six Patriot League regular season titles in nine years from 2011-19, including five straight. Prior to taking over at Navy, Kostacopoulos as the head coach at Maine and Providence, his alma mater.
New Mexico State
Former coach: Mike Kirby
New coach: Keith Zuniga (interim)
What to know: New Mexico State on March 2 announced it had fired Kirby just seven games into the season. The Aggies were 0-7, off to their worst start since 2015, when they opened the season on an eight-game losing streak. Kirby arrived in Las Cruces in June 2019 after Brian Green was hired away by Washington State. The Aggies went 56-79 under Kirby’s direction, highlighted by their 2022 Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship, which earned them their fifth NCAA Tournament bid in 20 seasons. Recruiting coordinator Keith Zuniga, who is in his third season at New Mexico State, was promoted to interim head coach.
North Florida
Former coach: Tim Parenton
New coach: Open
What to know: Parenton resigned following the season, his sixth at UNF. Parenton went 136-148 with the Ospreys, including a 28-27 mark in 2023. UNF has not been to the NCAA Tournament since moving to Division I in 2006.
Northern Illinois
Former coach: Mike Kunigonis
New coach: Luke Stewart (interim)
What to know: NIU on May 7 announced that Kunigonis was out as head coach and Stewart would guide the program the rest of the season. Kunigonis led the Huskies for nine seasons and their best season came in 2016, when they went 14-10 in Mid-American Conference play. NIU has not had a winning season overall since 2011.
Northwestern State
Former coach: Bobby Barbier
New coach: Chris Bertrand
What to know: Barbier left Northwestern State, his alma mater, after seven seasons to take over at Southland Conference foe Southeastern Louisiana. He led the Demons to the NCAA Tournament in 2018, their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2005. Bertrand was promoted to head coach after seven seasons on staff with Barbier. Prior to getting hired at NSU, he was the head coach at Texas-Tyler, a Division III school.
Penn State
Former coach: Rob Cooper
New coach: Open
What to know: After 10 seasons at PSU, Cooper on May 19 announced he would step down as head coach following the season. Cooper went 197-269 during his tenure in State College and led the Nittany Lions to the Big Ten Tournament just once (2022). PSU hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2000 and it isn’t an easy job in the Big Ten.
Richmond
Former coach: Tracy Woodson
New coach: Open
What to know: Richmond on June 9 announced Woodson’s contract would not be renewed, bringing an end to his 10-year tenure as head coach. He led the Spiders to a 238-245-2 record and to the 2022 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament championship game. Richmond has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2003.
Siena
Former coach: Tony Rossi (retired)
New coach: Joe Sheridan (interim)
What to know: Siena on March 6 announced Rossi’s retirement, effective March 20. Rossi, 79, is the longest-tenured Division I college baseball coach ever and is in his 54th season. When he arrived at Siena, it was a Division II program and his position was a part-time one. He eventually guided the Saints to two NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently in 2014. Pitching coach Joe Sheridan, who is in his second season with the program, took over as interim head coach.
Southeastern Louisiana
Former coach: Matt Riser
New coach: Bobby Barbier
What to know: After 10 seasons, Riser is out at Southeastern. He directed the Lions to the NCAA Tournament four times, most recently last year, and went 320-224 in his tenure, including a 25-25 mark this year. Riser, 38, was among the youngest coaches in the country and had the Lions among the best programs in the Southland Conference for much of his tenure. Taking over the program will be Barbier, who spent the last seven seasons at Northwestern State, his alma mater. He led the Demons to the 2018 NCAA Tournament and now will make the move across the Southland Conference and the state of Louisiana to Southeastern.
Southern Miss
Former coach: Scott Berry (retiring)
New coach: Christian Ostrander
What to know: Southern Miss on May 16, ahead of the final regular season weekend, announced Berry would retire at the end of the season. He has led the Golden Eagles for 14 years and is the program’s winningest coach, with more than 500 wins. He led USM to four Conference USA titles and a super regional appearance in 2022. On May 22, Southern Miss announced highly respected pitching coach Christian Ostrander would be promoted to head coach at the end of the season. He has been on staff at Southern Miss for six seasons and the Golden Eagles have produced the conference pitcher of the year in three of them.
Tarleton State
Former coach: Aaron Meade
New coach: Fuller Smith
What to know: Tarleton State in March quietly removed Meade as head coach, promoting Wes Hunt to interim head coach. Meade was in his fourth season at the program’s helm and guided them through the move from Division II to Division I and the Western Athletic Conference. Smith was hired in June to take over as head coach. He spent the last four years at Sam Houston State, where he this spring helped the Bearkats reach the NCAA Tournament. He previously spent time on staff at Texas-Arlington and began his coaching career at Mississippi, his alma mater.
Washington State
Former coach: Brian Green
New coach: Open
What to know: Green left Washington State for Wichita State after four seasons as head coach. While he didn’t get the Cougars back to the NCAA Tournament, he did lead them to three straight winning seasons, which hadn’t happened in Pullman since 2006-10. Washington State isn’t an easy job, but with the Pac-12’s three other programs in the Pacific Northwest this season reaching the NCAA Tournament, there is upside for the program.
Western Illinois
Former coach: Andy Pascoe
New coach: Tayler Sheriff (interim)
What to know: Pascoe lasted three seasons as head coach at WIU, going 19-86, including an 8-44 mark in 2022. Sheriff, who joined the team as pitching coach in 2021, is leading WIU as interim head coach in 2023. He came to WIU after three seasons at Division III Spalding (Ky.).
Wichita State
Former coach: Eric Wedge
New coach: Brian Green
What to know: Wedge, who starred at Wichita State before moving on to professional baseball and eventually becoming a big league manager, had led his alma mater since 2019. He stepped away from the program in October, citing health reasons, and in December the university announced he would not return to his post as head coach. Loren Hibbs, who also played at Wichita State, took over the program as the interim head coach for 2023, but was not retained. Wichita State instead moved to hire Green, who spent the last four years as the head coach of Washington State. He led the Cougars to a winning record in three straight seasons, which hadn’t happened in Pullman since 2006-10. He also had success at New Mexico State, where he coached Nick Gonzales and led the Aggies to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Now, he’ll look to get Wichita State back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o63SnpmapJyWuqa%2ByJyYZ5ufony0wM6roJ6rX2d9c3%2BMnKalpJWcsm6uwKycm5mcoXqku8Ccn6Kml2Kwqa3NoJysZaSnrqS3xKtm