Mississippi State fires Chris Lemonis after seven years, title

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Seeing Mississippi State decided to part ways with Chris Lemonis after this season wasn't too surprising.

Seeing it happen Monday with the news from athletics director Zac Selmon with games left to be played was somewhat interesting. The change will take place immediately.

State will host Memphis on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. in a game on SEC Network+. With Super Bulldog Weekend coming up and Kentucky coming to town for three games, Selmon probably didn't want to deal with a sizeable crowd.

The rumblings from fans about Lemonis have been building over the past couple of seasons with a lack of success on the field.

Lemonis was in his seventh season as the Bulldogs' head coach. A national search to identify the program's next head coach is underway.

Assistant coach Justin Parker will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

Mississippi State announces change in baseball leadership https://t.co/iSNoTJLjTZ
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) April 28, 2025

Selmon didn't have many options. His teams were 82-89 for SEC action though 40 of those wins came from the 2019 and '21 seasons. They were also 3-6 in just three SEC Tournaments, missing out on the 2022 and '23 events. The 2020 tournament was cancelled along with all the league season.

Those numbers are not acceptable for a fan base that places a higher priority on baseball than many SEC programs. There will probably be seat licenses coming up for renewal at Dudy Noble Field sooner rather than later.

With Lemonis' lack of success after the 2021 season, the rest haven't met the standard.

"A change in leadership is what's best for the future of Mississippi State Baseball," Selmon said in a release. "We have not consistently met the standard of success that our university, fans and student-athletes expect and deserve."

Mississippi State Bulldogs coach Chris Lemonis listens to the ground rules before the game against Ole Miss at Swayze Field in Oxford, Miss. | Bruce Newman/Special to the Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Making the move now allows Selmon and the folks involved in finding his replacement time to get an early start on his replacement.

The facilities, fan support and tradition should make it an attractive job if the Bulldogs can find the money to grab a big name.

"This program is built for success. Our history proves it, and our future demands it. We are one of only four programs in NCAA history to reach the College World Series in six consecutive decades.

Mississippi State Bulldogs coach Chris Lemonis watches from the dugout against Ole Miss at Swayze Field in Oxford, Miss. | Bruce Newman/Special to the Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

"With 40 NCAA Tournament appearances, 12 trips to Omaha, 11 SEC regular season titles, and a national championship, our program has always been a national contender. That is the bar."

Prior to the Bulldogs, he went 141-91-2 as head coach at Indiana. Under Lemonis, MSU made three NCAA Tournaments (2019, 2021, 2024), two College World Series (2019, 2021) and won the 2021 national title.

Before he arrived at State and in the SEC, Lemonis was head coach at Indiana four seasons with three NCAA Tournament appearances and a 141-91-2 record. His father Thomas Lemonis was a graduate student at Mississippi State.

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