Mississippi State Baseball Coach Dismissed After Seven Seasons

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State‘s Director of Athletics Zac Selmon announced Monday that Chris Lemonis has been relieved of his duties as head baseball coach, effective immediately. Lemonis was leading the Bulldogs in his seventh season.

A national search for a new head coach is now underway. In the interim, assistant coach Scott Foxhall will take charge for the remainder of the season.

Selmon explained the decision, stating, “A change in leadership is what’s best for the future of Mississippi State Baseball. We have not consistently met the standard of success that our university, fans, and student-athletes expect and deserve.”

He thanked Lemonis for his contributions, particularly noting the national championship victory in 2021. Selmon added, “I expressed to our student-athletes the confidence we have in their abilities and urged them to compete with pride, resilience, and intensity.”

Selmon emphasized the strengths of Mississippi State’s baseball program, saying, “Mississippi State is the premier job in college baseball. The tradition, the facilities, the NIL offerings, and the fan base are all second to none. Dudy Noble Field is the best environment in the sport, period.”

Lemonis became the 18th head baseball coach at Mississippi State on June 25, 2018. He recorded an impressive 232-135 record during his tenure. Overall, he holds a career coaching record of 373-226-2.

Before joining Mississippi State, Lemonis coached at Indiana, where he achieved a 141-91-2 record. Under his leadership, MSU participated in three NCAA tournaments and made two appearances in the College World Series. The team’s most notable success was securing the national title in 2021.