Fresno State is sticking with Ryan Overland as head baseball coach, officially naming him to the position on Wednesday.
Overland has his future with the Diamond ‘Dogs guaranteed after leading the program this season in an interim capacity.
The big picture: Longtime head coach Mike Batesole announced his abrupt retirement in late December last year just months before the season was slated to begin, leading the university to name Overland as his interim replacement.
- Overland had served as an assistant to Batesole on staff for 11 seasons before being promoted. His history with the Bulldogs dates back to his time as a player, where he was part of the 2008 National Championship team as a catcher.
- In his first season leading the program, Overland led the Diamond ‘Dogs to a 30-27 record, the program’s best since 2019.
What they’re saying: “I am extremely honored for the opportunity to be the head coach of Fresno State Baseball, a program that means so much to not only myself, but so many people,” Overland said. “The pride and tradition of Bulldog Baseball runs deep through generations of Bulldogs and I am filled with excitement to lead the future of the program.”
- Overland thanked Athletic Director Terry Tumey and University president Saul Jimenez-Sandoval for their support.
- Tumey said the university conducted an extensive national search before settling on Overland as the permanent choice.
- “Ryan is a proud alumnus with a deep=rooted passion for Fresno State, Bulldog Baseball, and our Central Valley community,” Tumey said. “He cares tremendously about the personal growth and holistic development of student-athletes, recruits at a high level, and has a unique ability to simultaneously acknowledge and celebrate tradition, while also embracing a whole new world of analytics and forward-thinking in the game of baseball.”
- Yankees captain Aaron Judge played for the Diamond ‘Dogs under Overland’s tutelage as an assistant coach and expressed his excitement for the announcement.
- “He knows the expectations and the culture it takes to run a winning program firsthand,” Judge said in the university’s announcement. “There is nobody better to lead the Bulldogs in this next chapter.”
