Georgia fires Scott Stricklin after decade in Athens

10 years is a long time to spend at one job. Now, after spending that long as the head baseball coach at Georgia, Scott Stricklin will no longer remain in the position.

The announcement of the ‘change in leadership’ for the ‘Dawgs came earlier this afternoon. This decision came after UGA failed to make it out of the first round of the SEC Tournament in Hoover. In total, this year’s team went 29-27 with an 11-19 mark in conference play.

Georgia has fired baseball coach Scott Stricklin, who just finished his 10th year in Athens. pic.twitter.com/mQmCu4DO5p

— Seth Emerson (@SethWEmerson) May 26, 2023

“I want to thank Scott for his service to our athletic department over the last 10 years,” said Georgia AD Josh Brooks in his statement. “After much thought and deliberation, we feel it is in the best interest of our baseball program to move in a different direction. We will begin immediately the process of a national search to identify the next leader of our baseball team. We extend best wishes to Scott and his family, and a sincere thank you for their time at the University of Georgia.”

Stricklin finishes his career with the Bulldogs with a career record of 299-236-1. Against SEC competition, his record sat at 121-146-1. Overall, the program earned NCAA Tournament invites just three times in his decade at the helm.

Georgia finished as the No. 11 seed in the SEC this season. While just making the cut to play in Hoover Met. Stadium this week, their trip and season were ended abruptly by bowing out by a score of 9-0 against South Carolina.

More on Stricklin’s firing at Georgia

Scott Stricklin is out as Georgia’s head baseball coach after 10 seasons with the program. The Bulldogs finished the 2023 season with a 29-27 record overall and an 11-19 mark in the SEC, falling in the first round of the SEC Tournament in Hoover on Tuesday.

It’s Georgia’s fewest wins in a season since 2017 when the Bulldogs finished below .500 but with the same record in SEC play. The last time UGA finished with fewer wins in the league was in 2015.

Stricklin took over in 2014 after he led his alma mater Kent State to five NCAA Regionals and the 2012 College World Series.

Under Stricklin’s watch, 38 players have been picked including 16 in the top 10 rounds. Pitchers Emerson Hancock (2020) and Robert Tyler (2016) were first-round picks while other notable selections have included Aaron Schunk (second round, 2019), Cole Wilcox (third round, 2020), and MLB All-Star Jared Walsh (second round, 2015).

Stricklin had previously agreed to a contract extension through the 2026 season in April of 2021. According to a report released on Tuesday by the USA TODAY Sports Network, Stricklin made $655,000 in 2023, the 10th highest salary out of 14 in the SEC with nine above the $1 million mark.