TCU baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle needed only eight words to address speculation that he’s on Texas A&M’s short list to run its baseball program.
“I have no interest in any other job,” Schlossnagle told the Star-Telegram on Monday.
Schlossnagle being linked to the Aggies opening came as no surprise to many within TCU’s athletic department.
As one source put it, the Aggies would “be silly not to look at him.”
But Schlossnagle didn’t sound like a coach interested in leaving any time soon even though A&M is expected to reach out to him.
TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati made it clear that the university is committed to Schlossnagle.
“Coach Schlossnagle is a huge part of the cultural makeup of this athletics department and the university as a whole,” Donati said. “He has done an unbelievable job developing student-athletes and building an elite baseball program during his time here at TCU.
“We are fortunate to have him here and we want him to be our coach for a long time.”
The Frogs (36-16, 17-7 Big 12) won a share of the Big 12 regular-season title and are preparing for their first game of the conference tournament against Kansas State at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in Oklahoma City.
A&M has an opening after parting ways with longtime coach Rob Childress on Sunday. Childress spent 16 seasons with the Aggies, including a run of 13 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 2007-19 and College World Series berths in 2011 and 2017.
Childress’ 622 wins rank third in A&M history. But the Aggies struggled this season, going 29-27 overall and 9-21 in the SEC.
“We believe the program needs a new voice and a new identity, and our search for the next head coach will begin immediately,” A&M athletic director Ross Bjork said. “We, as Aggies, have high expectations for Texas A&M baseball, and we believe this is the best college baseball program in the country and we will attract a great head coach.”
Schlossnagle, who came over from UNLV in 2004, is in his 17th season as head coach of the Frogs. He has compiled a 729-343 record in his time at TCU, highlighted by five trips to the College World Series in 2010 and from 2014-17. In the 2015 and 2016 trips, TCU knocked out A&M in the super regionals.
Schlossnagle has developed a number of MLB-drafted players in his time at TCU as well. Nick Lodolo was the seventh overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, the highest-selection under Schlossnagle.
Among current big leaguers from TCU include Jake Arrieta, a starting pitcher with the Chicago Cubs; Tyler Alexander, a reliever with the Detroit Tigers; and Matt Carpenter, an infielder with the St. Louis Cardinals.
This story was originally published May 24, 2021 11:57 AM.
