After 50-plus moves in the 2022-23 offseason, the D-I baseball coaching carousel was spinning in full effect once again — 42 programs moved on to new faces ahead of the 2024 season.
The first hiring was a promotion — Southern Miss tabbed pitching coach Christian Ostrander as the replacement to longtime head coach Scott Berry, who announced his incoming retirement in mid-May. In mid-December, the final job change saw UNC Greensboro’s Billy Godwin depart for the Yankees in a scouting role with Cody Ellis stepping up in an interim capacity.
Here’s a look at all 42 openings, with tenures ranging from a single year to 14 separate coaches exiting after a decade-plus in charge.
Job Openings |
2023-24 Offseason |
| Program | Departing Coach | Tenure | Record | Win % | Last NCAA App. |
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| Miami | Gino DiMare | 5 | 168-86 | 0.661 | 2023 |
| Southern Miss | Scott Berry | 14 | 528-276-1 | 0.657 | 2023 |
| Maryland | Rob Vaughn | 6 | 183-117 | 0.610 | 2023 |
| Alabama | Brad Bohannon | 6 | 166-124 | 0.572 | 2023 |
| Boston College | Mike Gambino | 13 | 291-366 | 0.443 | 2023 |
| Central Michigan | Jordan Bischel | 5 | 177-80 | 0.689 | 2022 |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Matt Riser | 10 | 320-224 | 0.588 | 2022 |
| Georgia | Scott Stricklin | 10 | 299-236-1 | 0.559 | 2022 |
| UNC Greensboro | Billy Godwin | 4 | 98-94 | 0.510 | 2022 |
| New Mexico State | Mike Kirby | 4 | 56-79 | 0.415 | 2022 |
| Jacksonville State | Jim Case | 22 | 673-559 | 0.546 | 2019 |
| Cincinnati | Scott Googins | 6 | 143-157 | 0.477 | 2019 |
| Loyola Marymount | Nathan Choate | 4 | 77-95-1 | 0.448 | 2019 |
| San Diego State | Mark Martinez | 9 | 257-217 | 0.542 | 2018 |
| Morehead State | Mik Aoki | 4 | 92-80 | 0.535 | 2018 |
| Northwestern State | Bobby Barbier | 7 | 181-169 | 0.517 | 2018 |
| Central Florida | Greg Lovelady | 7 | 225-149 | 0.602 | 2017 |
| Long Beach State | Eric Valenzuela | 4 | 100-69 | 0.592 | 2017 |
| Navy | Paul Kostacopoulos | 18 | 523-373-5 | 0.583 | 2016 |
| St. Mary’s CA | Greg Moore | 4 | 81-92 | 0.468 | 2016 |
| Siena | Tony Rossi | 54 | 936-1208-8 | 0.437 | 2014 |
| Wichita State | Loren Hibbs | 1 | 30-25 | 0.545 | 2013 |
| Missouri | Steve Bieser | 7 | 188-155-1 | 0.548 | 2012 |
| Washington State | Brian Green | 4 | 91-79 | 0.535 | 2010 |
| Milwaukee | Scott Doffek | 17 | 438-462-2 | 0.487 | 2010 |
| Eastern Michigan | Eric Roof | 6 | 104-180-1 | 0.367 | 2008 |
| Wofford | Todd Interdonato | 16 | 455-421-1 | 0.519 | 2007 |
| Memphis | Kerrick Jackson | 1 | 29-28 | 0.509 | 2007 |
| Miami-Ohio | Danny Hayden | 10 | 241-274 | 0.468 | 2005 |
| Richmond | Tracy Woodson | 10 | 238-245-2 | 0.493 | 2003 |
| Penn State | Rob Cooper | 10 | 198-270 | 0.423 | 2000 |
| Akron | Tim Donnelly | 1 | 21-34 | 0.382 | 1996 |
| Northern Illinois | Mike Kunigonis | 9 | 148-301 | 0.330 | 1972 |
| Northwestern | Jim Foster | 1 | 10-40 | 0.200 | 1957 |
| Lindenwood | Doug Bletcher | 16 | 464-343-1 | 0.575 | — |
| Umass Lowell | Ken Harring | 19 | 464-446-1 | 0.510 | — |
| North Florida | Tim Parenton | 6 | 136-148 | 0.479 | — |
| Tarleton State | Aaron Meade | 4 | 77-107 | 0.418 | — |
| Queens | Ross Steedley | 3 | 55-81 | 0.404 | — |
| Mississippi Valley State | Milton Barney | 1 | 15-37 | 0.288 | — |
| Maryland-Eastern Shore | Brian Hollamon | 5 | 61-170 | 0.264 | — |
| Western Illinois | Tayler Sheriff | 1 | 12-40 | 0.231 | — |
Five teams fresh off NCAA Tournament appearances ended up with new coaches: That group included a resignation, a retirement, a scandal-induced firing, and two departures to other schools.
Here’s a look how those openings were filled, grouped by new hires and internal promotions.
New Head Coaches |
2023-24 Offseason |
Promotion (Assistant to Head Coach) |
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| UNC Greensboro | AC➔ | | UNC Greensboro | Cody Ellis |
| Lindenwood | AC➔ | | Lindenwood | PJ Finigan |
| Long Beach State | AC➔ | | Long Beach State | Bryan Peters (interim) |
| Maryland | AC➔ | | Maryland | Matt Swope |
| Miami | AC➔ | | Miami | JD Arteaga |
| Milwaukee | AC➔ | | Milwaukee | Shaun Wegner |
| Morehead State | AC➔ | | Morehead State | Braeden Ward |
| Northwestern State | AC➔ | | Northwestern State | Chris Bertrand |
| San Diego State | AC➔ | | San Diego State | Shaun Cole |
| Southern Miss | AC➔ | | Southern Miss | Christian Ostrander |
| Wofford | AC➔ | | Wofford | JJ Edwards |
New Hire (External HC/AC Hire) |
---|
| St. Edwards | HC➔ | | Akron | Bryan Faulds |
| Maryland | HC➔ | | Alabama | Rob Vaughn |
| Wofford | HC➔ | | Boston College | Todd Interdonato |
| Northwood | HC➔ | | Central Michigan | Jake Sabol |
| Central Michigan | HC➔ | | Cincinnati | Jordan Bischel |
| Charleston (WV) | HC➔ | | Eastern Michigan | Robbie Britt |
| LSU | AC➔ | | Georgia | Wes Johnson |
| Missouri | HC➔ | | Jacksonville State | Steve Bieser |
| UC Santa Barbara | AC➔ | | Loyola Marymount | Donegal Fergus |
| Iowa Lakes CC | HC➔ | | Maryland-Eastern Shore | Danny Acosta |
| SE Louisiana | HC➔ | | Memphis | Matt Riser |
| Indiana State | AC➔ | | Miami-Ohio | Brian Smiley |
| Saint Louis CC | AC➔ | | Mississippi Valley State | CJ Bilbrey |
| Memphis | HC➔ | | Missouri | Kerrick Jackson |
| Florida State | AC➔ | | Navy | Chuck Ristano |
| Oregon | AC➔ | | New Mexico State | Jake Angier |
| Pittsburgh | AC➔ | | North Florida | Joe Mercadante |
| Illinois-Springfield | HC➔ | | Northern Illinois | Ryan Copeland |
| Michigan | AC➔ | | Northwestern | Ben Greenspan |
| Boston College | HC➔ | | Penn State | Mike Gambino |
| Austin Peay | AC➔ | | Queens | Jake Hendrick |
| Morehead State | HC➔ | | Richmond | Mik Aoki |
| Long Beach State | HC➔ | | St. Mary’s CA | Eric Valenzuela |
| Princeton | AC➔ | | Siena | Alex Jurczynski |
| Northwestern State | HC➔ | | Southeastern Louisiana | Bobby Barbier |
| Sam Houston State | AC➔ | | Tarleton State | Fuller Smith |
| Florida State | AC➔ | | Central Florida | Rich Wallace |
| Merrimack | HC➔ | | UMass Lowell | Nick Barese |
| Loyola Marymount | HC➔ | | Washington State | Nathan Choate |
| Portland State | AC➔ | | Western Illinois | Terry Davis |
| Washington State | HC➔ | | Wichita State | Brian Green |
Thirteen coaches that were manning one D-I program in 2023 have swapped uniforms for another. Here’s a look at how they did at their previous stops, with two of them — Matt Riser and Steve Bieser — quickly landing on their feet after being relieved of their duties heading into the offseason.
D1 -> D1 Head Coach Changes |
2023-24 Offseason |
| New School | Name | | Previous School | Tenure | W-L-T | Win% |
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| Cincinnati | Jordan Bischel | | Central Michigan | 5 | 177-80 | 0.689 |
| Alabama | Rob Vaughn | | Maryland | 6 | 183-117 | 0.610 |
| St. Mary’s CA | Eric Valenzuela | | Long Beach State | 4 | 100-69 | 0.592 |
| Memphis | Matt Riser | | SE Louisiana | 10 | 320-224 | 0.588 |
| Jacksonville State | Steve Bieser | | Missouri | 7 | 188-155-1 | 0.548 |
| UMass Lowell | Nick Barese | | Merrimack | 7 | 153-129 | 0.543 |
| Richmond | Mik Aoki | | Morehead State | 4 | 92-80 | 0.535 |
| Wichita State | Brian Green | | Washington State | 4 | 91-79 | 0.535 |
| Boston College | Todd Interdonato | | Wofford | 16 | 455-421-1 | 0.519 |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Bobby Barbier | | Northwestern State | 7 | 181-169 | 0.517 |
| Missouri | Kerrick Jackson | | Memphis | 1 | 29-28 | 0.509 |
| Washington State | Nathan Choate | | Loyola Marymount | 4 | 77-95-1 | 0.448 |
| Penn State | Mike Gambino | | Boston College | 13 | 291-366 | 0.443 |
Of that group, Central Michigan’s Jordan Bischel was the most successful — he won 177 games (.689 winning percentage) over five years with the Chippewas. It’s a big jump from the MAC to the Big 12, but he’s show his program-building prowess.
Maryland’s Rob Vaughn had a similarly strong tenure in the Big Ten and leaves for the best conference in collegiate baseball, the SEC. Eric Valenzuela is back at Saint Mary’s after a 100-win, four-year stretch at Long Beach State.
Perhaps most surprising: Southeastern Louisiana fired Matt Riser after 10 years and a .588 winning percentage and he quickly found a new role in Memphis (replacing Kerrick Jackson, who appears later on the list).