July 1, 2013

Finalists Named for CBI Coach of the Year

(photo by Craig Jackson)

RICHMOND, Va. – Four coaches who led their teams to the College World Series headline the finalists for the CollegeBaseballInsider.com National Coach of the Year.

The group includes John Cohen of Mississippi State, Brad Hill of Kansas State, Dan McDonnell of Louisville, Brian O’Connor of Virginia, John Savage of UCLA, Tracy Smith of Indiana and Rick Vanderhook of Cal State Fullerton.

The winner will be announced on July 3.

Cohen led the Bulldogs to a runner-up finish in the College World Series, the best finish in program history. MSU was 51-20 overall and 16-14 in SEC play. The Bulldogs won the Starkville Regional and Charlottesville Super Regional to advance to Omaha.

Hill guided the Wildcats to a record of 45-19, setting a program record for victories in a season. KSU was 16-8 in the Big 12 to claim its first conference crown since 1933 after placing seventh in the preseason coaches poll. The Wildcats hosted and won a regional for the first time. They were one game away from the College World Series, falling twice to Oregon State in the Corvallis Super Regional.

McDonnell took Louisville to its second College World Series and first since 2007. The Cardinals were 51-14 overall and 20-4 in the Big East, claiming the regular season crown. They won the Louisville Regional and Nashville Super Regional to advance to Omaha.

O’Connor coached the Cavaliers to a 50-12 overall mark and 22-8 in the ACC after not being nationally ranked in the preseason. Virginia was the No. 6 national seed in the NCAA Tournament and won the Charlottesville Regional before falling to Mississippi State in the Charlottesville Super Regional.

Savage took UCLA to the College World Series for the third time in the past four years, claiming its first national championship. The Bruins went 10-0 in the NCAA Tournament, winning the Los Angeles Regional and Fullerton Super Regional before going 5-0 in Omaha. UCLA finished 49-17 overall and 21-9 in the Pac-12, good for third.

Smith helped the Hoosiers record numerous firsts, including the program’s initial appearance in the College World Series. Indiana hosted and won its first regional before capturing the Tallahassee Super Regional to advance to Omaha. The Hoosiers won their first Big Ten regular season title since 1949 and first outright championship since 1932. IU finished 49-16 overall and 17-7 in the Big Ten.

Vanderhook used a pair of freshmen starting pitchers to win the Big West title and earn a No. 5 national seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Titans won the Fullerton Regional before falling to UCLA in the Fullerton Super Regional. The Titans finished 51-10 overall and 23-4 in Big West contests.

Previous CBI Coaches of the Year

2012 – Matt Senk, Stony Brook, and Scott Stricklin, Kent State

2011 – David Esquer, California

2010 – John Savage, UCLA

2009 – Brian O’Connor, Virginia

2008 – Paul Mainieri, LSU, and Mark Marquess, Stanford

2007 – Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt, and Rob Childress, Texas A&M

2006 – John Cohen, Kentucky

2005 – Pat Casey, Oregon State

2004 – David Perno, Georgia

2003 – Elliott Avent, North Carolina State