CTTO/ AP Photo/Gary McCullough, File
Austin, Texas – In a dramatic turn of events, Jim Schlossnagle, who recently led Texas A&M to its first Men’s College World Series (MCWS) championship series, is departing to become the next head baseball coach at rival Texas. The announcement came just one day after a narrow 6-5 loss to Tennessee in Game 3 ended the Aggies’ season one win shy of their first national championship.
Texas President Jay Hartzell expressed his enthusiasm about the new hire on Tuesday night. “What a home run hire,” Hartzell said. “Coach Schlossnagle is the best in the business, his long list of accomplishments is incredible, and his track record of building great programs is well documented. We are the premier baseball program in the country with legendary coaches, our six national championships, and record 38 College World Series appearances, so it’s certainly fitting that we hired a coach of his caliber to lead us.”
Schlossnagle’s tenure at Texas A&M was marked by significant achievements, including a 135-62 record over three seasons and two MCWS visits. This season, the team posted a 53-15 record, tying for the second-most wins in program history.
Aggies Athletic Director Trev Alberts released a statement following Schlossnagle’s departure. “After our baseball team arrived back in College Station earlier today, Jim informed me of his desire to leave Texas A&M,” Alberts said. “While we are certainly disappointed, we are grateful for his contributions in helping our baseball program reach unprecedented heights. Baseball success is important to everyone associated with Texas A&M, and we will not stop in our pursuit of excellence and our commitment to baseball will not waiver.”
In his own statement, Schlossnagle thanked Texas A&M President Gen. Mark A. Walsh III, Alberts, and the fans for their support during his tenure. “Although I know many will be upset with my decision, I chose to make a change to join a longtime friend to continue my career as a college baseball coach,” Schlossnagle said. “The run to the National Championship game was truly a remarkable one this year, and I will savor the memories and true friendships I have made there for a lifetime.”
At Texas, Schlossnagle will reunite with Athletic Director Chris Del Conte, who was his boss at TCU from 2004 to 2021. Del Conte praised Schlossnagle’s coaching prowess and leadership skills. “I’ve known Coach Schlossnagle for a long time, and there’s no better coach, program builder, and leader in the game, and the best part is he’s an even better person,” Del Conte said. “When we were looking for our next baseball coach, we knew Schloss would be the perfect choice, and we are beyond thrilled that he’s joining our Longhorn family.”
The news comes after Texas announced on Monday that Del Conte and former coach David Pierce had mutually decided to part ways. Pierce had a record of 297-162 over eight seasons with Texas, including a 36-24 record this season.
Schlossnagle’s move to Texas has been a topic of speculation, particularly given his successful stints at TCU and Texas A&M and his relationship with Del Conte. Despite this, Schlossnagle had expressed his commitment to Texas A&M as recently as Monday night, following the loss to Tennessee. In a postgame news conference, he reacted angrily to questions about potential interest in the Texas job, stating, “I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again, and that hasn’t changed in my mind. That’s unfair to talk about something like that.”
Over his 23-year coaching career at UNLV, TCU, and Texas A&M, Schlossnagle has amassed a 945-451 record, with seven MCWS appearances and a 59-36 record in NCAA tournament games. He was named Baseball America National Coach of the Year in 2016. Now, he looks to bring his expertise and winning formula to the Texas Longhorns as they aim to continue their legacy of excellence in college baseball.
