Mississippi State baseball has traded one national championship-winning coach for another, announcing Sunday night that Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor will become the program’s 19th skipper.
On April 28, athletic director Zac Selmon announced that the program was parting ways with Chris Lemonis amid an underwhelming campaign in his fourth season. Since winning the school’s first national championship in 2021, the Bulldogs skidded to a 45-69 SEC record at the time of the move, missing the NCAA Tournament in two of Lemonis’ final three seasons.
Many baseball prognosticators said the open seat would be highly coveted and would draw interest from some of the top names in the game. The hiring of O’Connor proved that sentiment to be true.
“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. From elite player development to consistent success on the national stage, his résumé speaks for itself. He understands the standard here and embraces the opportunity to elevate it even further. This is a defining moment for Mississippi State Baseball and a powerful step forward for our program, our players and our fans.”
The 22-year leader of UVA baseball has built a name for himself as one of the preeminent coaches in college baseball. O’Connor guided the Cavaliers to their first national title in 2015 and has led the club to Omaha seven times – the second-most for any Division I program since 2009.
The three-time national coach of the year was also named ACC Coach of the Decade by D1Baseball and was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2024. In his 22 years as a head coach, O’Connor has compiled a record of 885-370-2.
He now takes over a program with an even deeper history of success, with Mississippi State competing in the College World Series 12 times and recently appearing in their 41st NCAA Tournament.
“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 has set the standard in college baseball, and I can’t wait to get to work, build relationships and compete for championships in Starkville.”
The Bulldogs hope to begin a march back to the peak of college baseball under their new leader.
