(Photo: ASU Athletics)
The Arizona State baseball team will be undergoing a lot of changes next season.
Not only are they saying goodbye to legendary Packard Stadium, they are also saying so long to head coach Tim Esmay, who resigned on Monday.
“It’s always a difficult day when you have to make a move like this, regarding someone that you like and respect,” vice president of athletics Ray Anderson said. “We accepted coach Esmay’s resignation as our baseball coach and we will commence a vigorous search immediately.”
Esmay compiled a record of 201-94-1 since taking over the job in December of 2009. In his first season as head coach, Esmay led the Sun Devils to an impressive 52-10 record, and a trip to the College World Series as the No. 1 overall seed. However, Esmay has not been able to replicate that success since. In this past season, the Sun Devils finished 33-24 and lost both of its Regional games.
Esmay was in the final year of his contract, and met with Anderson before filing his resignation.
“We want to be at a higher level, we expect to be at a higher level, and we should be at a higher level,” Anderson said. “That’s where we’re going. That will be our way forward in terms of what we’re looking for in a new head of our baseball program. Someone who’s just driven and dedicated and committed to be elite in all facets of their responsibilities here.”
Anderson said the school will thoroughly search around for its next next coach.
“We won’t necessarily be limited to looking at current collegiate coaches. there are some great coaches and potential coaches in a variety of places, including major league baseball and minor league baseball. So it’s not going to be limited, it’s going to be exhaustive,” Anderson said. “We think this is one of the top four or five elite programs and destinations for college baseball. We would anticipate very sincere and aggressive interest in this position.”
The Sun Devil baseball program last won a national championship in 1981, and Anderson said he wants the next coach revive that level of success.
“We want to see a culture whereby, you know you’re going to reinvigorate and recapture the elite status that this Arizona State University program had back in the championship era. That’s what we have promised, and that’s what we intend to deliver,” Anderson said.
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Notes:
– Esmay was a former baseball player at Arizona State from 1986-1987.
– Esmay’s sons, Cooper and Tucker, are both on the team.
