Jim Schlossnagle reveals initial thoughts on Texas A&M punching its ticket to Omaha

As of Sunday morning, Texas A&M is the one and only team that has punched their ticket to Omaha, sweeping Louisville in their Super Regional to advance to the big dance under first-year head coach Jim Schlossnagle.

“Just awesome day for Texas A&M,” Schlossnagle said. “I want to congratulate Louisville on a great year with an awesome team. In my opinion, every team that’s made made to this point is is an Omaha club, it’s just a matter of whether the ball bounces the right way or the other.

“So excited for our players to be able to be where we were three or four months ago to sit here getting ready to hop on a plane and go to Omaha, I’m super, super proud of them.”

The ball would turn out to bounce the right way for Schlossnagle and Texas A&M in their Super Regional series. Despite sweeping the Cardinals, the Aggies never dominated Louisville as both games were decided by one run, while the Game 1 win was a walk-off single.

The series could have easily bounced in Louisville’s direction and it’s not lost on Schlossnagle, who is savoring every moment of his team’s College World Series berth.

“At this point last year I was in the Texas A&M hotel conference center waking up consistently at 3:30 in the morning in a full-body sweat,” he said. “I had just left a place that was so comfortable for this and hadn’t hired a staff yet. Didn’t know the players. To be sitting here going to the College World Series — I know this sounds coachy — but every single ounce of credit goes to the players.”

This won’t be Schlossnagle’s first rodeo in Omaha, however. Previously, he spent 17 seasons as headman for the TCU Horned Frogs where he led them to four consecutive College World Series from 2014-2017 and earned National Coach of the Year honors in 2010 and 2016, respectively.

During his tenure, Scholssnagle become the Horned Frogs’ all-time winningest head coach, earning his 518th win in 2016 – by the time he left, that number jolted to 693.

“[Coming to College Station was] everything I could have ever thought dreamed of when making the move,” he said. “Again, it’s very public how much I love TCU, but this was an awesome life change for me, both personally and professionally. I can’t thank our players enough for making the baseball side of things come true.

“We’re not finished and now, we’ve got to get some rest and get ready to go play some more baseball.”