MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University Vice President and Director of Athletics, Wren Baker, has announced that the upcoming 2024 baseball season will mark the end of Randy Mazey’s tenure as head coach of the Mountaineers. After the season, Mazey will transition into a senior advisor role within the baseball program.
Following Mazey’s departure, Associate Head Coach Steve Sabins will step up to take charge as the 20th head coach in the program’s history. Sabins’ contract has been extended through 2029, providing continuity for the team’s leadership.
Mazey’s new contract, spanning three years, will keep him at the helm of the Mountaineers for his 12th season before transitioning to a senior advisor role for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. The move is aimed at securing the program’s long-term direction and building upon the foundation of success established during Mazey’s tenure. The decision comes as a recognition of the significant impact Sabins, along with the current coaching staff, has had on the program during their eight-year involvement.
Reflecting on the future, Mazey shared, “I am not stepping down, I am stepping aside after the 2024 season to let Coach Sabins, Coach Ginther, and Coach Garcia continue to take WVU Baseball to new heights. I am 100% confident that Coach Sabins and this staff have the ability to do just that, and I am as excited for the future of Mountaineer baseball as I have ever been.”
Throughout his 11-year tenure with WVU, Mazey led the team to an impressive 336-250 record, making NCAA Regional appearances in 2017, 2019, and 2023 – the program’s first since 1996. The 2023 season proved particularly successful, with a 40-20 record and a share of the Big 12 regular-season championship – the program’s first conference title since 1996. Mazey received Big 12 Coach of the Year honors for the second time in the last four full seasons.
His impact is evident in the achievements of players like Alek Manoah, a current major league pitcher, and rising junior JJ Wetherholt, the program’s first unanimous first-team All-American. Under Mazey’s guidance, the program produced 14 All-Americans and witnessed 37 players being selected in the MLB Draft, with an additional eight signing undrafted free agent deals.
Looking ahead, Steve Sabins will take on the responsibility of leading the Mountaineers. Since joining the coaching staff in 2016 as an assistant coach and becoming Associate Head Coach in 2022, Sabins played an integral role in the team’s growth, contributing to 248 wins and three NCAA Regional appearances during his eight years in Morgantown.
Expressing his gratitude and excitement, Sabins said, “I am beyond grateful to be named the next head baseball coach at West Virginia. I look forward to spending the 2024 season competing with Randy Mazey, who is my close friend and mentor. It will be his final season and the celebration he deserves.”
“I will forever be grateful for the opportunity he gave me and my family. I’ve worked hard every day since to prove him right and make WVU proud. Tabitha and I have poured our energy into this community, welcomed two children, Charlee and Tucker, and Morgantown has become home,” Sabins added.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of West Virginia University Athletics
