Longtime Gophers baseball coach to retire after 2024 season

The longest-tenured coach in Gophers Athletics history will retire after the 2024 season.

Head baseball coach John Anderson announced his decision on Tuesday, saying the upcoming season will be his last.

The longtime coach also served as a player, student assistant coach, graduate assistant coach and assistant coach before taking over in the lead role. In total, he’s been at the U of M for the last 49 years.

Anderson is already the winningest baseball coach in Big Ten history, with a 1,365-997-3 (.579) overall record and a 614-414 (.598) record against conference opponents. An inductee to the American Baseball Coaches Association in 2008, he’s won eight Big Ten Coach of the Year awards, most recently in 2018, the same year he led the squad to the Super Regional for the first time in program history.

Overall, he’s led the Gophers to 11 conference titles, 10 Big Ten Tournament championships and 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, while overseeing 115 MLB draftees, 28 All-America selections, nine Big Ten Players of the Year, three Big Ten Pitchers of the Year and four Big Ten Freshmen of the Year.

“It’s been the professional honor of my lifetime to work alongside some of the most talented and dedicated coaches in college baseball, support staff members, gifted colleagues, amazing student-athletes and an impressive group of alumni and donors who provided unwavering support throughout my tenure,” Anderson said in a statement. “I am grateful for the support of all the athletic directors I worked with throughout my career. The University and the tradition-rich Golden Gopher baseball program have impacted me and my family with so many special opportunities and wonderful memories. My hope is, as the leader of the program, I have been able to make the same impact in return. I will forever cherish my time as a student-athlete and coach and the important lifelong friendships and special relationships that were made during the past decades. There will be time to reminisce and share all the great stories that were created on this special journey when the 2024 season is over. But right now, my staff and I are focused on preparing our team for the season ahead and mentoring them into their best version of themselves, so they can reach their potential in the classroom and on the diamond.”

“John is Minnesota baseball,” Gophers Director of Athletics Mark Coyle added. “He is one of the finest coaches and individuals in all of college athletics, and our University and state are better off because of his contributions. We look forward to celebrating his final season as the leader of the Gophers.”

Anderson is a member of four halls of fame.