CONWAY, S.C. — Coastal Carolina University Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics and University Recreation, Chance Miller, announced Wednesday that head baseball coach Kevin Schnall has signed a new agreement extending his contract through the 2030 season.

"I want to thank Chance Miller, President Dr. (James) Winebrake, Board Chair Natasha Hanna, and our entire Board of Trustees for their continued trust and support," Schnall said. "I'm honored and grateful to receive a contract extension from an institution that means so much to my family and me. We couldn't be prouder of what we've accomplished as a program — especially bringing Coastal baseball back to Omaha in 2025.

That success reflects the foundation laid over the past 29 years by our former head coach and Hall of Famer, Gary Gilmore."

Schnall capped off a historic first season as head coach in 2025 by guiding the Chanticleers to their first College World Series appearance since 2016. Coastal Carolina posted a nation-leading and school-record 56 wins under his leadership, capturing titles in the Sun Belt Conference regular season, Sun Belt Tournament, Conway Regional, Auburn Super Regional, and a perfect 3-0 sweep in Omaha to reach the Men's College World Series Championship Final. The Chanticleers ended the season riding a 26-game winning streak — the fourth-longest in NCAA Division I over the past five years.

Named the 2025 National Coach of the Year by Baseball America, Schnall became the first rookie head coach to ever receive the honor. He also earned Coach of the Year accolades from the Sun Belt Conference, Perfect Game, and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Atlantic Region.

"We're thrilled to extend Coach Kevin Schnall and his outstanding staff," said Miller. "I'm incredibly grateful to President Winebrake and our Board for their strong support and partnership. We're excited to continue building on our strong baseball tradition with Coach Schnall leading the way for years to come."

Schnall is just the fourth head coach in NCAA history to lead a team to the College World Series in his debut season, joining Louisville's Dan McDonnell (2007), Florida State's Mike Martin (1980), and Texas' Cliff Gustafson (1968). Following a win over Louisville in Omaha, he became the only one of the four to win his College World Series debut. Schnall also became the only first-year head coach to open the NCAA Tournament with eight consecutive wins. His 56 victories mark the most by a rookie head coach in Division I history, surpassing CSUN's Mike Batesole (52 in 1996) and FSU's Mike Martin (51 in 1980).

A standout player for the Chanticleers from 1995 to 1999, Schnall was the 1999 Big South Conference Player of the Year and still holds the Coastal Carolina single-season record for on-base percentage. He was inducted into the George F. "Buddy" Sasser Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.

Schnall began his coaching career at CCU as an assistant coach in 2001 and later spent three seasons as UCF's hitting coach and recruiting coordinator (2013–15) before returning to Coastal in 2016. That same year, the Chanticleers captured their first national championship. Throughout his time at CCU, Schnall earned national recognition as one of college baseball's top assistant coaches. He ranked seventh in a 2013 Baseball America coaches' poll and sixth in a 2017 follow-up. In 2018, D1Baseball.com named him one of the top 15 assistant coaches in the NCAA.

In addition to Schnall's contract extension, Coastal Carolina has also secured extensions for associate head coach Chad Oxendine and assistant coaches Matt Williams and Matt Schilling, reinforcing the program's long-term stability and commitment to sustained success.

"These extensions and the University's commitment to our staff and program reflect a shared vision for the future of Coastal baseball," Schnall said. "Coastal baseball isn't going anywhere. Our pursuit of excellence and championships continues.

Over the past year, our staff has met challenges head-on, answered a lot of questions, and continued to push this program forward. With great confidence, we can say the future of Coastal baseball is incredibly bright."

Miller echoed those sentiments.

"Our baseball program is coming off a national runner-up finish, and these extensions ensure that the best coaching staff in the country will stay together for a long time to come," Miller said. "This commitment reflects our continued investment in Chanticleer Baseball and our belief in the direction Coach Schnall is leading the program."

Season Ticket Info: 

• Renewals: Current season ticket holders can renew online by clicking here and clicking on the season renewal application.
   
• New Purchases: Fans interested in purchasing new season tickets can do so online by clicking here or by calling the Chanticleer Athletics Ticket Office at 843-347-TIXX (8499).

• Home plate Box – $750
• Bar Top Seating – $750
• Teal – $425
• Reserved – $300
• Left Field Box – $300
• Boardwalk/Standing Room Only – $250
• 1^st Base Club: (located on the first base balcony) - $1,000

 
A limited number of premium seating options are available and can be purchased by contacting the ticket office directly.

For complete coverage of CCU baseball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalBaseball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUsports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.