Completed Event: Baseball versus (2) Georgia Tech on May 31, 2026 , Win , 15, to, 8
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Baseball
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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Photo by: Oklahoma Athletics
Skip Johnson Named National Coach of the Year
June 24, 2026 | Baseball
NORMAN – University of Oklahoma head baseball coach Skip Johnson was named the 2026 National Coach of the Year after leading the Sooners to the 2026 NCAA National Championship, the American Baseball Coaches Association announced Wednesday.
Johnson, who was also named the ABCA Central Region Coach of the Year, guided Oklahoma to the program's third national title with a 13-2 win over North Carolina Monday night. This is Johnson's first national coach of the year award. He was also named the Central Region Coach of the Year in 2022 after leading the Sooners to a runner-up finish at the College World Series.
Oklahoma's incredible run to the 2026 national title included wins in the Atlanta Regional over No. 2 Georgia Tech (2-1), the Lawrence Super Regional over No. 15 Kansas (2-0), and College World Series victories over No. 7 Alabama (1-0), No. 3 Georgia (2-0) and No. 5 North Carolina (2-1). OU's nine wins over national seeds are the most by a team since seeding began in 1999. Georgia Tech (ACC), Kansas (Big 12) and Georgia (SEC) won their respective conference regular season and tournament titles.
The Sooners completed the season with a 43-23 record, including an 11-2 mark in the postseason and a 5-1 record in the College World Series. OU earned a regional No. 2 seed and was unseeded nationally in the NCAA Tournament.
In Johnson's ninth season as Oklahoma head coach, the Sooners reached the program's 12th College World Series and second in his tenure. OU has reached the NCAA postseason in five straight seasons and six of eight years (not counting the 2020 season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Under Johnson's leadership, Oklahoma is 28-14 (.667) in the NCAA Tournament and 8-3 (.727) in the College World Series.
After going 4-9 in its final 13 games over the five weeks before Selection Monday, the Sooners won 11 of their 13 NCAA Tournament contests. Oklahoma won its first seven games of the season, and 17 of its first 20 (including a series win over eventual regional host Texas A&M and wins over NCAA Tournament teams Oklahoma State and Arizona State and then-No. 10 TCU). OU then went 14-16 in SEC play, losing four straight conference series and finishing 11th in the league standings, and lost in the opening round of the SEC Tournament.
Oklahoma battled through the Atlanta Regional, rebounding from a 9-3 loss to Georgia Tech in the winner's bracket game to record nine straight victories. The Sooners defeated The Citadel 15-5, overcame an 8-2 deficit to defeat Georgia Tech 15-8 and won the regional final over Georgia Tech on a 10th-inning walk-off home run by Dayton Tockey. OU then tore through the Lawrence Super Regional, defeating Kansas by scores of 8-1 and 13-2, before beating Alabama 9-0 and Georgia 4-3 and 11-4 in Omaha to reach the CWS Championship Series.
The Sooners stayed hot in the first game of the CWS finals by beating North Carolina 9-3 on Saturday. The Tar Heels forced the decisive third game with a 6-2 win on Sunday afternoon. In the national championship game, OU scored in five straight innings after a scoreless first to break open a 9-1 lead en route to the 13-2 championship victory.
Since trailing 8-2 in the middle of the fourth inning of the first Atlanta Regional final game at Georgia Tech, OU outscored opponents 90-28.
Oklahoma became the first program in CWS history to reach the championship round (and win the national title) by starting a freshman on the mound in every game. One of Cord Rager, Xander Mercurius and Nick Wesloski started each of OU's final eight games of the season. The trio combined to record 37 strikeouts in 31.1 innings over six starts in Omaha. The Sooners posted a 4.91 ERA for the season, but a 3.31 ERA in the NCAA Tournament and a 2.67 ERA in the College World Series.
The Oklahoma bats also caught fire in the postseason, registering 47 home runs in their final 19 games of the season after hitting 48 homers in the first 46 contests. OU, which posted a .291 team batting average and averaged 7.1 runs and 9.6 hits per game for the full season, batted .331 and averaged 9.1 runs and 12.0 hits in the NCAA Tournament. Its 134 stolen bases were the sixth most in program history and most since 2022 (145 steals).
Johnson recorded his 300th win as OU head coach this season and is 310-198 (.610) in his nine seasons. His teams have three seasons with at least 40 victories and have averaged 39.6 wins over the last five years.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma baseball, follow the Sooners on X and Instagram (@OU_Baseball) and like Oklahoma Baseball on Facebook.
Johnson, who was also named the ABCA Central Region Coach of the Year, guided Oklahoma to the program's third national title with a 13-2 win over North Carolina Monday night. This is Johnson's first national coach of the year award. He was also named the Central Region Coach of the Year in 2022 after leading the Sooners to a runner-up finish at the College World Series.
Oklahoma's incredible run to the 2026 national title included wins in the Atlanta Regional over No. 2 Georgia Tech (2-1), the Lawrence Super Regional over No. 15 Kansas (2-0), and College World Series victories over No. 7 Alabama (1-0), No. 3 Georgia (2-0) and No. 5 North Carolina (2-1). OU's nine wins over national seeds are the most by a team since seeding began in 1999. Georgia Tech (ACC), Kansas (Big 12) and Georgia (SEC) won their respective conference regular season and tournament titles.
The Sooners completed the season with a 43-23 record, including an 11-2 mark in the postseason and a 5-1 record in the College World Series. OU earned a regional No. 2 seed and was unseeded nationally in the NCAA Tournament.
In Johnson's ninth season as Oklahoma head coach, the Sooners reached the program's 12th College World Series and second in his tenure. OU has reached the NCAA postseason in five straight seasons and six of eight years (not counting the 2020 season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Under Johnson's leadership, Oklahoma is 28-14 (.667) in the NCAA Tournament and 8-3 (.727) in the College World Series.
After going 4-9 in its final 13 games over the five weeks before Selection Monday, the Sooners won 11 of their 13 NCAA Tournament contests. Oklahoma won its first seven games of the season, and 17 of its first 20 (including a series win over eventual regional host Texas A&M and wins over NCAA Tournament teams Oklahoma State and Arizona State and then-No. 10 TCU). OU then went 14-16 in SEC play, losing four straight conference series and finishing 11th in the league standings, and lost in the opening round of the SEC Tournament.
Oklahoma battled through the Atlanta Regional, rebounding from a 9-3 loss to Georgia Tech in the winner's bracket game to record nine straight victories. The Sooners defeated The Citadel 15-5, overcame an 8-2 deficit to defeat Georgia Tech 15-8 and won the regional final over Georgia Tech on a 10th-inning walk-off home run by Dayton Tockey. OU then tore through the Lawrence Super Regional, defeating Kansas by scores of 8-1 and 13-2, before beating Alabama 9-0 and Georgia 4-3 and 11-4 in Omaha to reach the CWS Championship Series.
The Sooners stayed hot in the first game of the CWS finals by beating North Carolina 9-3 on Saturday. The Tar Heels forced the decisive third game with a 6-2 win on Sunday afternoon. In the national championship game, OU scored in five straight innings after a scoreless first to break open a 9-1 lead en route to the 13-2 championship victory.
Since trailing 8-2 in the middle of the fourth inning of the first Atlanta Regional final game at Georgia Tech, OU outscored opponents 90-28.
Oklahoma became the first program in CWS history to reach the championship round (and win the national title) by starting a freshman on the mound in every game. One of Cord Rager, Xander Mercurius and Nick Wesloski started each of OU's final eight games of the season. The trio combined to record 37 strikeouts in 31.1 innings over six starts in Omaha. The Sooners posted a 4.91 ERA for the season, but a 3.31 ERA in the NCAA Tournament and a 2.67 ERA in the College World Series.
The Oklahoma bats also caught fire in the postseason, registering 47 home runs in their final 19 games of the season after hitting 48 homers in the first 46 contests. OU, which posted a .291 team batting average and averaged 7.1 runs and 9.6 hits per game for the full season, batted .331 and averaged 9.1 runs and 12.0 hits in the NCAA Tournament. Its 134 stolen bases were the sixth most in program history and most since 2022 (145 steals).
Johnson recorded his 300th win as OU head coach this season and is 310-198 (.610) in his nine seasons. His teams have three seasons with at least 40 victories and have averaged 39.6 wins over the last five years.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma baseball, follow the Sooners on X and Instagram (@OU_Baseball) and like Oklahoma Baseball on Facebook.
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