Arizona Wildcats extend baseball coach Chip Hale after College World Series run

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona has extended baseball coach Chip Hale’s contract four years through 2030 after he led the Wildcats back to the College World Series.

Terms of the deal announced Monday were not released and must still be approved by the Arizona Board of Regents.

“Arizona Baseball has long been one of the nation’s premier programs, and coach Chip Hale has honored that legacy while elevating our standard of excellence,” Arizona athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois said in a statement.

“He is a proud Wildcat, a proven leader and a tremendous ambassador for the University of Arizona. With Chip leading the way, we are well-positioned to compete for championships and continue developing exceptional young men on and off the field.”

Hale has led Arizona to the NCAA Tournament four straight times since returning to Tucson to coach his alma mater in 2021. The Wildcats returned to the College World Series this year for the first time since 2021.

Arizona tied for fourth in the Big 12, won the conference tournament and went 3-0 as the No. 2 regional seed in Eugene, Oregon. The Wildcats had to go to North Carolina for their super regional and lost 18-2 in the opener. They won the next two, beating the Tar Heels 4-3 in the finale after erasing a 3-1 deficit in the eighth inning.

Louisville knocked Arizona out of the College World Series on June 15.

Hale, a former manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, has led Arizona to consecutive conference tournament championships, coached six All-Americans and two first-round Major League Baseball picks.

He was an infielder on the Wildcats’ 1986 championship team.

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