Chris Lemonis
Christopher Michael Lemonis (born January 22, 1970) is an American college baseball coach, currently serving as head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team. Lemonis grew up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He played college baseball as a first baseman at The Citadel, where he appeared with the team in the 1990 College World Series. He later earned All-SoCon honors twice and led the team in several offensive categories as a senior in 1993. In 1995, Lemonis began his coaching career as an assistant coach for The Citadel, a position he would hold until 2006. During his time on staff, The Citadel qualified for the NCAA tournament five times and had seven All-American players. From 2007 to 2014, Lemonis was an assistant coach at Louisville, helping Louisville make seven NCAA tournament appearances including the 2007 College World Series. In 2013, Lemonis won Assistant Coach of the Year honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association and Baseball America. Lemonis held his first head coaching position at Indiana from 2015 to 2018, during which Indiana had 141 wins and three NCAA tournament appearances. Beginning in 2019, Lemonis was head coach at Mississippi State. After appearing in the 2019 College World Series, Mississippi State won the 2021 College World Series title, the first national championship in any sport for the school. Early life and education Lemonis was born January 22, 1970, in Starkville, Mississippi, when his father Thomas was a student at Mississippi State University. Growing up with a Greek American family in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Lemonis graduated from Socastee High School in 1988. After high school, Lemonis enrolled at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. Initially majoring in electrical engineering like his father, Lemonis changed his major to physical education one year into college, a move that worried his father. Lemonis played at first base for The Citadel Bulldogs baseball from 1990 to 1993 under head coaches Chal Port and Fred Jordan, including an appearance in the 1990 College World Series. A two-time All-Southern Conference second team selection in 1991 and 1993, Lemonis hit .367 with 10 home runs and 66 RBI as a senior in 1993. Lemonis completed his bachelor's degree in physical education at The Citadel in 1992. Coaching career Assistant coach (1995–2014) From 1995 to 2006, Lemonis was an assistant coach at The Citadel under Fred Jordan, including four seasons as associate head coach from 2003 to 2006. With Lemonis on staff, The Citadel appeared in the NCAA tournament five times and produced seven All-Americans. On June 30, 2006, Lemonis joined fellow Citadel alum Dan McDonnell at Louisville as an assistant coach. At Louisville, Lemonis helped the Cardinals to three College World Series appearances and seven NCAA appearances in eight seasons. Lemonis was responsible for recruiting and worked with hitters at Louisville, producing 33 professional players, several highly ranked recruiting classes, and three fifty win seasons. In 2013, he was named the American Baseball Coaches Association/Baseball America Assistant Coach of the Year. Indiana (2015–2018) On