Completed Event: Baseball versus #3 Texas on May 16, 2025 , Win , 8, to, 6
Final
Baseball
8
vs #3 Texas
6
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Baseball
Willits, Reggie
Reggie Willits
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
Former New York Yankees assistant coach and University of Oklahoma alumnus Reggie Willits joined the OU baseball program as volunteer assistant coach in January 2022. He was promoted to associate head coach following the 2022 season. He coaches the outfielders and serves as offensive coordinator, developing the team’s offensive game plan.
In his three seasons at Oklahoma, Willits has transformed the OU offense into a unit that features plate discipline and an aggressive style on the basepaths, creating chaos on the diamond. In 2022, the Sooners registered 145 stolen bases (the program's most since 1989 and ranked fourth nationally), 73 home runs (the program's most since 2010) and 378 walks (ranked third nationally). In 2023, OU generated 116 steals (the most in consecutive seasons since 1985-89 and ranked 19th nationally) and 350 walks (ranked 11th nationally). En route to the program’s first Big 12 regular season title in 2024, Willits helped the OU offense rank in the top-40 in the country in batting average (.311), hits (646), walks (311), doubles (129) and triples (24). The Sooners nearly swiped 100 bags for the third season in a row, finishing with 94 to rank 37th in the nation.
Willits, who played at Oklahoma from 2002-03, was a member of the Yankees organization from 2015-21, including the 2018-21 seasons as the major league first base coach and outfield instructor. He also served as the club’s baserunning coordinator. During his stint with the Yankees, the team averaged 98 wins per season and reached the MLB postseason in all four years.
A former major league outfielder, Willits joined the Yankees organization as a minor league outfield and baserunning coordinator in 2015 and was promoted to major league first base coach and outfield instructor in 2018.
Willits was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the seventh round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft. He played six seasons with the Angels, batting .258 with 146 runs scored and 40 stolen bases in 414 major league games. He finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2007 after batting .293 and registering 20 doubles, 27 steals and 74 runs scored.
Following his major league playing career, Willits served as head baseball coach at Binger-Oney High School in Binger, Okla., from 2012 through ’15. During his four-year stint, he led the Bobcats to two state championships, including the Class A state title in 2014.
In his two-year playing career at Oklahoma, Willits compiled a .335 batting average and .438 on-base percentage, and totaled 144 hits, 105 runs scored, 28 doubles, 54 steals and 63 walks. He hit .295 with 12 doubles, 32 walks, 17 steals and 50 runs scored in 2002, and in 2003 batted .379 with team highs of 55 runs scored, 16 doubles, 31 walks (tied) and a .472 OBP.
Willits earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors with the Sooners in 2003 when he led the conference with 37 stolen bases, a figure that still ranks sixth in program history. His 54 steals over the 2002 and ’03 seasons are tied for 10th in program history while his .472 on-base percentage in 2003 is the fifth-highest average of the last 25 years and highest in the last 18 seasons.
A Chickasha, Okla., native, Willits graduate from Fort Cobb High School and transferred to Oklahoma after spending his first two collegiate years at Seminole State College. He received his bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies from Oklahoma in 2014.
In his three seasons at Oklahoma, Willits has transformed the OU offense into a unit that features plate discipline and an aggressive style on the basepaths, creating chaos on the diamond. In 2022, the Sooners registered 145 stolen bases (the program's most since 1989 and ranked fourth nationally), 73 home runs (the program's most since 2010) and 378 walks (ranked third nationally). In 2023, OU generated 116 steals (the most in consecutive seasons since 1985-89 and ranked 19th nationally) and 350 walks (ranked 11th nationally). En route to the program’s first Big 12 regular season title in 2024, Willits helped the OU offense rank in the top-40 in the country in batting average (.311), hits (646), walks (311), doubles (129) and triples (24). The Sooners nearly swiped 100 bags for the third season in a row, finishing with 94 to rank 37th in the nation.
Willits, who played at Oklahoma from 2002-03, was a member of the Yankees organization from 2015-21, including the 2018-21 seasons as the major league first base coach and outfield instructor. He also served as the club’s baserunning coordinator. During his stint with the Yankees, the team averaged 98 wins per season and reached the MLB postseason in all four years.
A former major league outfielder, Willits joined the Yankees organization as a minor league outfield and baserunning coordinator in 2015 and was promoted to major league first base coach and outfield instructor in 2018.
Willits was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the seventh round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft. He played six seasons with the Angels, batting .258 with 146 runs scored and 40 stolen bases in 414 major league games. He finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2007 after batting .293 and registering 20 doubles, 27 steals and 74 runs scored.
Following his major league playing career, Willits served as head baseball coach at Binger-Oney High School in Binger, Okla., from 2012 through ’15. During his four-year stint, he led the Bobcats to two state championships, including the Class A state title in 2014.
In his two-year playing career at Oklahoma, Willits compiled a .335 batting average and .438 on-base percentage, and totaled 144 hits, 105 runs scored, 28 doubles, 54 steals and 63 walks. He hit .295 with 12 doubles, 32 walks, 17 steals and 50 runs scored in 2002, and in 2003 batted .379 with team highs of 55 runs scored, 16 doubles, 31 walks (tied) and a .472 OBP.
Willits earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors with the Sooners in 2003 when he led the conference with 37 stolen bases, a figure that still ranks sixth in program history. His 54 steals over the 2002 and ’03 seasons are tied for 10th in program history while his .472 on-base percentage in 2003 is the fifth-highest average of the last 25 years and highest in the last 18 seasons.
A Chickasha, Okla., native, Willits graduate from Fort Cobb High School and transferred to Oklahoma after spending his first two collegiate years at Seminole State College. He received his bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies from Oklahoma in 2014.
Johnson and Carmichael Postgame vs North Carolina
Monday, June 02
BB Highlights: OU 9, UNC 5
Monday, June 02
Johnson, Dickerson, Willits Postgame vs North Carolina
Sunday, June 01
BB Highlights: OU 17, Nebraska 1
Sunday, June 01
