Hannahs resigns from ISU to take South Florida job
Few sports have been more consistent at Indiana State over the last decade than baseball has been, but the man who made it all possible is moving on.
Hannahs USF hire tweet
On Saturday, Mitch Hannahs tendered his resignation as ISU’s baseball coach. He took the job at South Florida. USF made it official on Saturday night.
“Indiana State will always be home to me and my family,” Hannahs said in an ISU statement. “I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to coach at my alma mater. The relationships that have been built with our players, staff, campus community, and the Wabash Valley made this a really difficult decision for Amy and I.”
In a USF statement, Hannahs explained his excitement in his new opportunity at the Tampa, Fla. school.
“USF is an amazing institution with a thriving athletic department that is on an incredible trajectory. I am eager to get on campus to meet with our players and begin building a championship program,” Hannahs said.
When reached on Saturday night, Hannahs said he would speak to the Tribune-Star at a later date.
Hannahs coached ISU baseball for 11 seasons and the ISU alum compiled a record of 355-214-1 since he was hired in 2014.
The program got better as it went along under Hannahs. Since 2019, ISU has only had one full season where it didn’t play in a NCAA regional.
The peak came in 2023 when ISU won the Missouri Valley Conference and advanced to ISU’s first super regional since the current postseason college baseball format was adopted in 2019. ISU was slated to host that super regional, but declined to put a bid in.
In the just-completed season, ISU repeated its MVC regular season title and reached the top 10 in college baseball RPI as well as a national ranking. The Sycamores had consecutive 40-win seasons.
In all, ISU played in five NCAA regionals under Hannahs’ watch.
Hannahs’ departure to USF takes him out of the Wabash Valley where he has spent all of his coaching career. Counting his nine seasons at Lincoln Trail College, his career record is 626-403-1.
Hannahs’ departure is a hammer blow for ISU athletics as the Sycamores continue to see successful coaches leave the institution. Hannahs’ exit comes barely two months after Josh Schertz left ISU to take the job at Saint Louis.
This departure has a different feel, though. Hannahs, an ISU Hall Of Fame member, was a Sycamore to his core.
He played on the 1986 College World Series team. He was an assistant under Bob Warn for many years. He was twice passed over the ISU job, but accepted when the opportunity came his way in 2014.
“It’s hard to put into words what Coach Hannahs has meant to Indiana State University as both a player and a coach,” ISU interim director of athletics Angie Lansing said. “We have been extremely fortunate for his presence in our department. His leadership has been greatly appreciated during his time at ISU.”
ISU is conducting a national search to replace Hannahs. His will be difficult shoes to fill. Hannahs never had a losing season and ISU as a program has not had a losing campaign since 2008.
