Brian O'Connor, who led Virginia to 7 CWS and 2015 national title, takes over at Mississippi State
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Brian O'Connor, who led Virginia to seven College World Series appearances and a national championship, is leaving the Cavaliers to take over at Mississippi State.
MSU announced O'Connor's hiring after the Bulldogs' season-ending 5-2 loss to Florida State on Sunday in the NCAA Tournament.
The 54-year-old O'Connor won 917 games over 22 seasons at Virginia and was national coach of the year three times and Atlantic Coast Conference coach of the five times. Under O'Connor, the Cavaliers played in 18 NCAA regionals and nine super regionals, and his 2015 team won the national championship. He had 102 players selected in the Major League Baseball amateur draft, including 31 who reached the big leagues.
'Mississippi State represents everything I love about college baseball — tradition, passion and a relentless pursuit of excellence,' O'Connor said. 'I've coached against this program and followed it closely for years. The atmosphere at Dudy Noble Field is nationally recognized as the best in the sport. I'm incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead a program with this kind of legacy and fan base.'
Mississippi State fired seventh-year coach Chris Lemonis on April 28. Lemonis led the Bulldogs to the 2021 national championship but they mostly have struggled since. Justin Parker took over as interim coach and the Bulldogs closed with wins in 11 of their last 15 games and reached the Tallahassee Regional final. They finished 36-23.
Athletic director Zac Selmon said MSU's hiring of O'Connor represents a 'powerful step forward.' Virginia had five seasons with 50 wins and 13 seasons with at least 40, and his .702 career winning percentage ranks second among active Division I coaches.
O'Connor's team went 32-18 this season and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.
'Brian O'Connor is one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in college baseball. He's a national champion, a Hall of Famer, and a proven leader with a track record of building a championship-caliber program,' Selmon said. 'Mississippi State is built to win at the highest level, and Coach O'Connor knows what that takes.'
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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
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