Texas A&M Moves On From Softball Coach Jo Evans
Under the direction of athletic director Ross Bjork, Texas A&M has made changes at the helm of multiple sports. Another hammer dropped Monday morning.
The Aggies will not be renewing the contract of Jo Evans following her 27th season at the helm. A search for the next coach is expected to be commence in the coming days.
Evans' current contract was set to expire at the end the of the calendar year. A&M finished year 31-28 overall and 6-18 in SEC play. The Aggies were eliminated Sunday in Norman Regional of the NCAA Tournament with a 20-0 loss to top-seed Oklahoma.
“Coach Evans has been a tremendous ambassador to our university and softball program for the last 26 years, but we have decided that our softball program needs to go in a new direction,” Bjork said in a statement. “We are deeply appreciative of her efforts while building on our softball program’s winning tradition with three Women’s College World Series appearances.
“Jo is a first-class person, and we wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors.”
Evans, 61, took over the program in 1997 after 10 seasons at Colorado State and Utah. Thanks to her efforts, she led the Aggies to three Women’s College World Series, but failed to win a national title during that span.
"Being the leader of this program for the past 26 years has been the greatest honor of my professional life," Evans said. "I have put my heart into this team and in return, I leave with amazing relationships, memories, and experiences that have shaped me for most of my life. I am deeply grateful for my time here at Texas A&M and for the people I have had the privilege to work with and coach. I wish this program all the best as it transitions into the next chapter."
A&M made the tournament 22 of the 26 years under Evans. Bjork said that the goal for the next coach is to return back to the WCWS and create a long-term winning culture at Davis Diamond, the team's new complex built in 2018.
“The expectation for our softball program is competing for championships every year in Oklahoma City while hosting regionals and super regionals in the best softball stadium in the country at Davis Diamond,” Bjork said. “I have no doubt we will be able to move forward and bring in a championship-level head coach.”
The Aggies haven't won a national title since 1987 under the direction of Bob Brock, whom Evans succeeded. Evans' departure marks the fourth major head coaching change since Bjork took over in 2019.
The Aggies parted ways with Billy Kennedy in favor of Buzz Williams in 2019. Two years later, A&M elected to not renew the contract of long-time baseball coach Rob Childress and hired TCU's Jim Schlossnagle. Earlier this offseason, A&M women's basketball coach elected to retire, leading to the hiring of Georgia's Joni Taylor.
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