Mississippi State fires baseball coach Chris Lemonis

One month away from the start of the NCAA tournament and Misssissippi State will be searching for a new baseball head coach.

Chris Lemonis, who led the Bulldogs to their first and only national championship in 2021, has been fired, the university announced. Assistant coach Justin Parker will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

Over his seven seasons at MSU, Lemonis went 232-135. However, they've had a near .500 record over the past two years. This season, the Bulldogs are 25-19 overall and 7-14 in SEC play, putting them near the bottom of the standings. 

In a statement, Mississippi State athletic director Zac Selmon said the program has “not consistently met the standard of success that our university, fans and student-athletes expect and deserve.”

"In a team meeting moments ago, I expressed to our student-athletes the confidence we have in their abilities and the potential they have for the remainder of the season,” Selmon said in a statement. “I encouraged them to compete with pride, resilience and intensity. With the hard work, preparation and talent already within this group, we are committed to putting them in the best position to finish the season competing at the highest level. 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. This program is built for success. Our history proves it, and our future demands it.”

Lemonis is reportedly owed around $1.2 million from the remainder of his contract.  

A national search for Lemonis' successor is underway, the university said. Lemonis was hired at Mississippi State in 2018 after a successful four-year run at Indiana in which he led the Hoosiers to the NCAA tournament three times.