Jarrett comes home to be 10th baseball coach at FSU

Seminoles.com

 Link Jarrett, a two-time National Coach of the Year at Notre Dame and a 1994 Florida State graduate, was named the 10th head baseball coach in FSU history by Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford. 

The Tallahassee native has 10 years of head coaching experience, including the last three at Notre Dame, where he led the Fighting Irish to the 2022 College World Series for just the third time in school history.

Jarrett, who was named coach last Friday, was formally introduced Monday. 

“I think that Link is the finest coach in the game today, and that opinion is held by many in college baseball. We could not be more pleased that he will be leading our program,” said Alford. “He has been a proven winner at each of his coaching stops.

“His teams have not only posted historically successful seasons, but they have also mirrored Link’s tradition of running a first-class program. He is well-known for his record of developing players everywhere he has coached.

“He’s a Seminole through and through and there is no question that he will dedicate himself to the success of our student-athletes and his team. I know he is excited to be returning home and we are just as excited to welcome him and his family.”

Under Jarrett, Notre Dame went 86-32 (.729), the second-best winning percentage in the country in that span. Notre Dame’s 44-21 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference was the best in the league.

Jarrett was the 2021 ACC Coach of the Year and the Division-1 Baseball National Coach of the Year. This season, after leading the Irish to a 41-17 record and a College World Series berth, Jarrett was named the NCBWA Mike Martin Coach of the Year.

“It has been an absolute privilege to represent Notre Dame which truly is one of the finest academic and athletic institutions in the country,” said Jarrett. “I want to thank Father Jenkins, Jack Swarbrick, Jody Sadler and the entire Notre Dame administration for all of their support during my time at Notre Dame. I want to thank all of our student-athletes for their tireless work ethic and dedication to our baseball program. Their accomplishments on and off the field are something I will cherish for the rest of my life. To the entire Notre Dame family and community, thank you for welcoming and supporting my family, you are truly first-class in every manner.

“I’m humbled to become the next Head Coach at Florida State. Having the opportunity to come home and lead this storied program is something I take great pride in. FSU is a special place to our family and I’m excited to be the next leader of Seminole Baseball. Our goals will be simple – to achieve on the field, in the classroom and embrace the FSU family and community. I know the expectations from our fans and we expect to compete for ACC and National Championships.”

FSU President Richard McCullough said he was thrilled to have Jarrett return home. 

“His proven and outstanding track record as a head coach makes him an excellent choice to lead our storied baseball program,” McCullough said.