SDSU Baseball Coach Shaun Cole Not Renewed

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The SDSU baseball field, a site of recent coaching changes.

News Summary

San Diego State University has decided not to renew head baseball coach Shaun Cole’s contract after a disappointing two-year tenure marked by a record of 38 wins and 76 losses. Cole’s leadership resulted in one of the worst win-loss records in the program’s history, leading to a national search for his successor. Athletic Director John David Wicker expressed gratitude for Cole’s contributions while emphasizing the need for a fresh start to improve the team’s competitiveness.

San Diego – San Diego State University (SDSU) announced on Thursday that it will not be renewing the contract of head baseball coach Shaun Cole, effectively ending his two-year tenure with the Aztecs. This decision comes after a disappointing record during Cole’s time as head coach, which totaled 38 wins and 76 losses, reflecting a .333 winning percentage.

The Aztecs had challenging seasons under Cole’s leadership, posting records of 17-37 in his first year and 20-39 in his second year. These two seasons were marked by struggles that resulted in two of the three worst win-loss records in the history of the program.

In the 2025 season, the team faced significant difficulties, particularly in pitching, as it finished with a 6.98 earned run average (ERA). The Aztecs led the Mountain West Conference in several negative categories, including walks allowed, runs allowed, wild pitches, balks, and hit batters. Despite these struggles, SDSU managed to improve its conference record, finishing 14-16 in the Mountain West after a 10-20 record the previous year. The team earned the fifth seed in the Mountain West Conference Tournament after achieving a series sweep against Washington State. However, the team was eliminated from the tournament after defeating UNLV in a play-in game and subsequently losing to Nevada and San Jose State.

Cole’s promotion to head coach came after he served as the team’s pitching coach for two seasons. He succeeded Mark Martinez, who held the head coach position for nine years and guided the Aztecs to multiple NCAA tournament appearances.

In light of Cole’s departure, Athletic Director John David Wicker expressed appreciation for Cole’s contributions to the baseball program, while emphasizing the need for a leadership change. A national search will be conducted to find Cole’s successor, potentially seeking candidates who would bring renewed energy and success to the program.

Several potential candidates for the head coaching position have already been identified. They include Brock Ungricht, currently the head coach at the University of San Diego, who has achieved a record of 130 wins, 90 losses, and 1 tie over the past four seasons. Another candidate is Rusty Filter, who is presently the head coach at Santa Clara, and previously served as an assistant coach at SDSU for 16 years. Gary Henderson, the head coach at Utah, brings a wealth of experience with 36 years in coaching, including significant time spent in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Lastly, Rich Hill, head coach at Hawaii, boasts a remarkable coaching career with over 1,200 wins in 32 seasons and a history of coaching in notable programs such as the University of San Diego and the University of San Francisco.

This transition marks a pivotal moment for the SDSU baseball program as it seeks to rebuild and improve its competitive stature. The coaching changes signal a commitment to enhancing performance and aiming for greater achievements in future seasons.