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Notre Dame hires VCU’s Shawn Stiffler as new baseball coach

July 12, 2022 GMT

FILE - Virginia Commonwealth NCAA college baseball coach Shawn Stiffler reacts to a call during a game against Richmond on Saturday, April 20, 2019, in Richmond, Va. Notre Dame hired Virginia Commonwealth's Shawn Stiffler, Tuesday, July 12, 2022, to replace head baseball coach Link Jarrett, who took the Florida State job after leading the Irish to the College World Series. (AP Photo/Amber Searls, File)

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame has hired VCU’s Shawn Stiffler to replace head baseball coach Link Jarrett, who left for Florida State after leading the Irish to the College World Series.

Stiffler, whose hiring was announced Tuesday, led the Rams to three Atlantic 10 regular-season championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances in 10 seasons. The Rams are among seven programs to win at least 34 games each of the last eight full seasons.

“Notre Dame is the finest university in the country,” Stiffler said. “It challenges everyone to become the best version of themselves and I cannot wait to continue recruiting, developing and working with student-athletes with that type of mindset.”

VCU reached its first NCAA super regional in 2015 and made regional appearances in 2021 and 2022. Stiffler was 340-198 at VCU, including 146-71 in Atlantic 10 play.

Stiffler takes over a program that went 41-17 for its first 40-win season since 2006. The Irish beat No. 1 national seed Tennessee in super regionals and went 1-2 in its first CWS appearance since 2002.

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