The University of South Florida has hired Mitch Hannahs away from Indiana State to take over its struggling baseball program, the school announced Saturday.
Hannahs led the Sycamores to five NCAA Tournaments in 11 seasons, and this year's team went 44-15 and won a second straight Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship. The Sycamores, who reached a super regional in 2023, made it to a regional final this season.
USF, coming off its third straight losing season, fired seventh-year coach Billy Mohl on May 20. The Bulls finished ninth in the 10-team American Athletic Conference after coming in last in 2022 and '23. They made it to an NCAA super regional in 2021.
“Mitch did an incredible job elevating the Indiana State program to national prominence with its domination of the Missouri Valley Conference the last two years and multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, including a super regional," USF athletic director Michael Kelly said.
“I am excited by his vision and strategic plan to utilize USF’s facilities and resources to build a championship program in the baseball hotbed of Tampa Bay.”
Hannahs was an NCAA All-American and College World Series participant at Indiana State from 1986-89, before he was selected in the 16th round of the 1989 Major League Baseball Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. He played in the minor leagues from 1989-91, posting a .306 batting average with 132 hits in 127 career games played.
Hannahs rejoined Indiana State as an assistant coach from 1995-2001. He then became head coach at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill., from 2002-10, where he posted a 270-189 record. He also served as athletic director and president of the college.
Hannahs has a career record of 626-403-1 in 20 years as a college head coach. That includes 10 30-win seasons, six conference titles and 14 ISU players that were selected in the MLB Draft.
“I first want to thank President Law, Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly, and Deputy AD Lelo Prado for this incredible opportunity," Hannahs said.
“USF is an amazing institution with a thriving athletic department that is on an incredible trajectory. I am eager to get on campus to meet with our players and begin building a championship program. Go Bulls!”
Information from USF Athletics was used in this report.
