Irish head baseball coach Mik Aoki will not be returning next season, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick announced Saturday. Aoki recently concluded his ninth season with the program, and the University has elected not to renew his contract.
”I‘m grateful to have worked with Mik over the last decade during our transition to the ACC,“ Swarbrick said in a press release posted Saturday. “He has been a great representative of this university and its athletics program, and his passion for the student-athletes and our community over his tenure were evident to everyone he met.”
Notre Dame will “immediately commence” a national search to replace Aoki, the release said.
With Aoki at the helm, the Irish posted a .495 win percentage through 502 games. He saw 26 players drafted to the MLB under his leadership, half of which came in the first 10 rounds.
Aoki began his career as an assistant coach at several different programs before taking over the head coaching position at Columbia. Following three straight 20-win seasons, he moved to Boston College and built a winning campaign over four seasons before taking the position at Notre Dame.
“My family and I are disappointed that the Notre Dame chapter of our lives has come to a close, but we are looking forward to what comes next,” Aoki said in the release. “We are grateful to the University, [University President] Fr. [John] Jenkins and Jack [Swarbrick] for the opportunity to have coached here and to be a part of the Notre Dame and greater South Bend community.“
