Jim Schlossnagle leaving Texas A&M to coach baseball at Texas

One day after leading Texas A&M’s baseball program to the College World Series final game, Aggies head coach Jim Schlossnagle is headed to Austin to guide the Texas Longhorns.

Schlossnagle joins athletic director Chris Del Conte, whom he worked with at TCU. Schlossnagle coached the Horned Frogs from 2004-21.

“What a home run hire,” Texas president Jay Hartzell said in announcing the hire Tuesday night. “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.”

The move comes within 24 hours of A&M losing 6-5 to Tennessee in the third and deciding game of the best-of-three championship series.

He moves from one SEC school to another.

He posted a 135-62 record in three seasons at Texas A&M.

On Monday morning, Del Conte issued a statement confirming what had been a source of nationwide speculation for the last two months. UT fired baseball coach David Pierce, thus creating an opening for one of the most coveted jobs in the sport.

Pierce was the head coach at Texas for eight years and won three Big 12 championships, with three trips to the College World Series. Texas hasn’t won a national title since 2005, so ... you’re fired.

“It was a difficult decision for us both, but we have mutually agreed that we should make a change,” Del Conte said in a statement. Pierce issued a statement where he expressed gratitude, and that it was time for a change. It helps that Pierce has two years remaining on his contract that pays him $1.2 million per year, and he is entitled to at least 70 percent of that total.

Staff writer Mac Engel contributed to this story.

This story was originally published June 25, 2024 at 7:05 PM.