Latest news with #ChrisLemonis
Associated Press
6 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
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.' ___ AP college sports:
Reuters
29-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Report: Mississippi State targeting Virginia's Brian O'Connor as coach
Mississippi State is reportedly zeroing in on its new head baseball coach with Virginia's Brian O'Connor as the top target. According to O'Connor stands as the first option to take over the Bulldogs' program, with a deal reportedly in the works. The Cavaliers' coach since 2004, O'Connor has guided Virginia to 18 of the program's 21 NCAA tournament appearances. The Cavaliers missed the postseason this year, their first time falling short since 2019. In his career, O'Connor has amassed an 885-370-2 career record. Mississippi State fired coach Chris Lemonis in late April after seven years, noting that the program "has not consistently met the standard of success that our university, fans and student-athletes expect and deserve." The Bulldogs (34-21) have managed to advance to the 64-team NCAA Tournament under interim head coach Justin Parker and will face Northeastern on Friday as a No. 3 seed in the Tallahassee Regional hosted by Florida State. The Bulldogs went 232-135 under Lemonis, reaching the College World Series twice in his first three years, with his second year cut short due to the COVID-19) pandemic. Mississippi State never advanced further than the regional round over his final three full seasons. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chris Lemonis fired as Mississippi State baseball coach in 7th season
This story was updated to add new information. Mississippi State baseball coach Chris Lemonis was fired on April 28. He was in his seventh season with the Bulldogs. Assistant coach Justin Parker was named the interim coach. MSU said a national search for Lemonis' replacement is underway. Advertisement Lemonis led the program to its first national championship in 2021, but it has gone downhill since then. The Bulldogs are currently 25-19, including 7-14 in SEC games after losing a series at Auburn. The program hasn't made it to an NCAA tournament Super Regional or hosted a regional since the national championship season. "A change in leadership is what's best for the future of Mississippi State Baseball," MSU athletics director Zac Selmon said in a statement. "We have not consistently met the standard of success that our university, fans and student-athletes expect and deserve. I want to thank Coach Lemonis for his work and the time he gave to our program, including a national championship in 2021. We appreciate his efforts and wish him and his family all the best moving forward. "In a team meeting moments ago, I expressed to our student-athletes the confidence we have in their abilities and the potential they have for the remainder of the season. I encouraged them to compete with pride, resilience and intensity. With the hard work, preparation and talent already within this group, we are committed to putting them in the best position to finish the season competing at the highest level." Lemonis' two contracts with MSU were worth $1.325 million this season and set to expire in June 2026. What went wrong for Chris Lemonis at Mississippi State baseball Lemonis appeared to steer MSU back in the right direction while returning to the NCAA tournament last season and narrowly missing out on hosting a regional. Expectations were to host a regional in 2025, but those are gone. Advertisement There were signs of struggles early in the season. Mississippi State was beating up on its inferior opponents but losing to the better ones. Then, it started 1-9 in SEC play, the worst 10-game start to conference play in program history. The Bulldogs appeared to turn things around in early April when they won consecutive series against South Carolina and Alabama but have stumbled again. MSU is 2-5 in its past seven games with series losses to Florida and Auburn. The tricky part is the way Mississippi State has been losing games. It's not always the same. The bullpen was a strength early in the season but has crumbled in the past two weeks. Pico Kohn is a fantastic starting pitcher, but MSU doesn't have a second shutdown starting pitcher. Mississippi State ranks 13th in the SEC in fielding percentage and last in stolen base defense. Chris Lemonis contract, buyout details Lemonis' contract was slated to expire on June 30, 2026. According to his two contracts obtained by the Clarion Ledger, Lemonis is owed 75% of his remaining salary, which was $1.325 million this season and $1.35 million next season. Lemonis does have a duty to mitigate clause, meaning he must put in an effort to obtain employment. Advertisement Lemonis, like most MSU coaches, has two contracts because state law prohibits public employees from signing contracts longer than for years. Mississippi State, and Ole Miss, circumvent it by having coaches sign contracts with athletic foundations, too. Lemonis was paid $840,000 from his state contract and $485,000 from his Bulldog Club contract for the 2025 season. MORE: Inside Mississippi State pitcher Stone Simmons' 3-year recovery from injury, crazy warmup routine Chris Lemonis record Lemonis had a winning record in all but one season with Mississippi State. The Bulldogs missed the NCAA tournament in 2022 and 2023. Advertisement 2019: 52-15 2020: 12-4 (season canceled because of COVID-19) 2021: 50-18 2022: 26-30 2023: 27-26 2024: 40-23 2025: 25-19 Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@ and follow him on X @sklarsam_. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Chris Lemonis fired as Mississippi State baseball coach
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Chris Lemonis fired: Contract details for former Mississippi State baseball coach, CWS champion
Chris Lemonis fired: Contract details for former Mississippi State baseball coach, CWS champion Show Caption Hide Caption Mississippi State baseball coach Chris Lemonis talks loss to Florida Watch Mississippi State baseball coach after the April 18 13-3 loss to Florida at Dudy Noble Field. With only about a month until the start of the NCAA tournament, the college baseball world received some surprising news Monday. Mississippi State coach Chris Lemonis, who led the Bulldogs to their first and only national championship in 2021, has been fired, the university announced. Assistant coach Justin Parker will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. REQUIRED READING: Time is running out on Mississippi State baseball; what else we learned from Auburn series loss Over his seven seasons at Mississippi State, Lemonis went 232-135, though the program's fortunes started to wane after winning the College World Series in 2021. The Bulldogs went 114-37 in Lemonis' first three seasons, but have gone 118-98 since and have made it back to the NCAA tournament only once. This season, they're 25-19 overall and 7-14 in SEC play, putting them in 14th place in the 16-team league. In a statement, Mississippi State athletic director Zac Selmon said the program has 'not consistently met the standard of success that our university, fans and student-athletes expect and deserve.' "In a team meeting moments ago, I expressed to our student-athletes the confidence we have in their abilities and the potential they have for the remainder of the season,' Selmon said in a statement. 'I encouraged them to compete with pride, resilience and intensity. With the hard work, preparation and talent already within this group, we are committed to putting them in the best position to finish the season competing at the highest level. Mississippi State is the premier job in college baseball. The tradition, the facilities, the NIL offerings and the fan base are all second to none. Dudy Noble Field is the best environment in the sport, period. This program is built for success. Our history proves it, and our future demands it.' A national search for Lemonis' successor is underway, the university said. Lemonis was hired at Mississippi State in 2018 after a successful four-year run at Indiana in which he led the Hoosiers to the NCAA tournament three times. Chris Lemonis contract details, buyout Lemonis had an arrangement in which he was working under two contracts — one with the university and one with Bulldog Club, Inc., the latter of which is a non-profit organization that serves as the Mississippi State athletic department's fundraising arm. For the 2025 season, Lemonis was set to make $1.325 million total, with $840,000 coming from the state contract with the university and $485,000 from the Bulldog Club. Both of Lemonis' contracts were set to expire on June 30, 2026. According to the terms of his deals, Lemonis is owed 75% of his remaining salary. If May 1 is used as his firing date, that buyout would come out to just shy of $1.2 million. Lemonis' contract includes a duty to mitigate clause, meaning the university and Bulldog Club can offset buyout money he's set to receive based on income he receives from a new job. REQUIRED READING: Inside Mississippi State pitcher Stone Simmons' 3-year recovery from injury, crazy warmup routine Chris Lemonis record Only one of Lemonis' seven teams at Mississippi State finished with a losing record, though the Bulldogs had fallen off a bit after their College World Series title in 2021. Here's a year-by-year look at his record with Mississippi State:
USA Today
09-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Alabama Baseball 2025 Opponent Preview: Mississippi State Bulldogs
After hosting a team from the Magnolia state during the midweek in Southern Miss, a game which resulted in a 10-6 victory, the Alabama Crimson Tide are set to welcome another this upcoming weekend to Sewell-Thomas Stadium in the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Alabama's latest SEC opponent, the Bulldogs are only a few seasons removed from winning a national title, but have not necessarily performed on that same level in recent years to make it back to Omaha. Mississippi State is also off to a slow start to SEC play this season, but are still a team that could give Alabama some problems this weekend in Tuscaloosa. Let's take a look at some things you need to know about Mississippi State ahead of their trip to Tuscaloosa this weekend. Mississippi State Bulldogs 2025 Team Overview Conference: SEC SEC Stadium: Dudy Noble Field, Starkville, Mississippi Dudy Noble Field, Starkville, Mississippi 2025 Record: 20-13 overall (3-9 in SEC) 20-13 overall (3-9 in SEC) Ranking: Unranked in USA TODAY Sports College Baseball Coaches Poll, Unranked in D1Baseball Top 25 Currently unranked in the college baseball Top 25 polls, Mississippi State enters this series sporting an overall record of 20-13 for the season, while also currently 3-9 in SEC play. The Bulldogs are also currently riding a three-game winning streak that includes two victories over South Carolina, as well as an 8-3 road win at UAB on Tuesday night in their most recent game. Mississippi State Bulldogs 2025 Coaching Staff Head Coach: Chris Lemonis Chris Lemonis Assistant Coach: Jake Gautreau Jake Gautreau Assistant Coach: Justin Parker Justin Parker Assistant Coach: Kyle Cheesebrough Leading the Mississippi State Bulldogs into Tuscaloosa is head coach Chris Lemonis, who has been in charge of the program since the 2019 season. Under Lemonis, the Bulldogs won a national championship back in 2021, and have three 40+ win seasons since 2019. Mississippi State Bulldogs 2025 Hitting Stats AVG: .301 (.264 in SEC) .301 (.264 in SEC) OBP: .406 (.358 in SEC) .406 (.358 in SEC) SLG: .520 (.443 in SEC) .520 (.443 in SEC) OPS: .926 (.801 in SEC) .926 (.801 in SEC) HR: 50 (15 in SEC) 50 (15 in SEC) RBI: 214 (59 in SEC) 214 (59 in SEC) SB: 33-of-38 (4-of-6 in SEC) For the season, Mississippi State is batting for a combined .301 AVG as a team, but have not been near as good at the plate in SEC play, hitting only .264 altogether. Another notable number is Mississippi State's .801 OPS during SEC play, which is compared to a .926 total for the season overall. Mississippi State Bulldogs 2025 Pitching Stats ERA: 3.84 (5.82 in SEC) 3.84 (5.82 in SEC) WHIP: 1.16 (1.42 in SEC) 1.16 (1.42 in SEC) K: 367 (124 in SEC) 367 (124 in SEC) BB: 105 (44 in SEC) 105 (44 in SEC) AVG: .208 (.251 in SEC) Overall, the Bulldogs pitching staff has had a solid season up to this point, owning a combined 3.84 ERA across 32 games where opponents are batting for only a combined .208 AVG against Mississippi State pitching. However, the same cannot necessarily be said for SEC play, as the Bulldogs pitching staff currently owns a combined 5.82 ERA so far against conference opponents. Mississippi State Bulldogs 2025 Hitters to Know Ace Reese, Infielder - Sophomore - Sophomore Noah Sullivan, Designated Hitter/Right-Handed Pitcher - Senior - Senior Nolan Stevens, Infielder/Outfielder/Left-Handed Pitcher - Sophomore - Sophomore Aaron Downs, Infielder/Outfielder - Senior - Senior Hunter Hines, Infielder/Outfielder - Senior Leading the Bulldogs offense is sophomore infielder Ace Reese, who has the by-far team-lead with 11 home runs, as well as 39 RBI, so far this season, while also boasting a 1.011 OPS also. Mississippi State's lineup also boasts a trio of impactful seniors to know including Noah Sullivan, Aaron Downs, and Hunter Hines, the former of which is leading the Bulldogs with a .355 AVG and a 1.115 OPS. Mississippi State Bulldogs 2025 Pitchers to Know Pico Kohn, Left-Handed Pitcher - Senior - Senior Stone Simmons, Right-Handed Pitcher - Graduate Student - Graduate Student Nate Williams, Right-Handed Pitcher - Senior - Senior Chase Hungate, Right-Handed Pitcher - Senior - Senior Ryan McPherson, Right-Handed Pitcher - Freshman Undoubtedly the top starting pitcher to know for Mississippi State is senior left-hander Pico Kohn, who owns a 2.96 ERA with a 67:10 K:BB ratio across 45.2 innings so far this season, while also holding opponents to a combined .180 AVG offensively. The Bulldogs also have a talented bullpen led by three arms in particular in Stone Simmons, Nate Williams, and Chase Hungate, each of which own an ERA under 3.00. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
