Arizona baseball Chip Hale, who has guided his alma mater to four straight NCAA tournaments and the College World Series this season, signed a four-year contract extension that extends through the 2030 season, athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois announced Monday.
The extension is pending Arizona Board of Regents approval. Terms of the contract were not released.
“Arizona baseball has long been one of the nation’s premier programs, and coach Chip Hale has honored that legacy while elevating our standard of excellence,” said Reed-Francois stated in a press release.
She is an Arizona Law School alum who is heading into her second school year leading the department.
“He is a proud Wildcat, a proven leader, and a tremendous ambassador for the University of Arizona,” she added. “With Chip leading the way, we are well-positioned to compete for championships and continue developing exceptional young men on and off the field.”
Since returning to Tucson to lead the program in 2021, after Jay Johnson departed for the head coaching job at LSU, Hale has led Arizona to a 152-96 record and back-to-back conference tournament championships (Pac-12 and Big 12) in addition to the four straight NCAA tournament appearances — the first Arizona coach to achieve that feat in his first four years since Frank Sancet from 1950 to 1953.
Hale, 60, has also coached six All-Americans and two first-round MLB Draft selections (11 total picks).
Outfielder Brendan Summerhill is projected to be a first-round draft pick next month after being a diamond-in-the-rough find for Hale and his staff out of Chicago.
Salpointe product Mason White, reliever Tony Pluta, catcher Adonys Guzman and starting pitchers Owen Kramkowski and Smith Bailey are a group of the many Arizona players who have elevated their game with Hale as head coach.
White’s 49 career home runs rank only behind Shelley Duncan’s 55 in program history and he passed Dave Stegman’s career mark of 110 career extra-base hits with 111 in only three years.
Pluta earned several accolades including being an ABCA and NCBWA first-team All-American and NCBWA Stopper of the Year. He established the program season record with 14 saves.
Guzman was voted to the College World Series All-Tournament Team on Sunday after the completion of the event.
Kramkowski, a Walden Grove grad, became the Friday-night starter despite missing most of the last two years with the Red Wolves as a senior and Arizona his freshman season after undergoing elbow surgery.
Bailey was selected to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team and the Baseball America and Perfect Game Freshman All-American second teams.
“I want to sincerely thank University of Arizona President Dr. Suresh Garimella, Athletic Director Desireé Reed-Francois, and the Arizona Board of Regents for their continued trust and support,” Hale stated in the press release. “I’m truly honored and grateful to receive a contract extension from an institution that means so much to me.
“I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished as a program, especially bringing Arizona baseball back to Omaha (for the first time since 2021). It’s a reflection of the hard work and commitment of our student-athletes, coaches, and support staff, and of the incredible support we receive from our university leadership. This extension represents a shared vision for the future of Arizona baseball, one built on excellence, development, and the pursuit of championships. I’m excited to continue leading this program and build on the proud tradition of Wildcat baseball. Bear Down!”
Hale, a 1987 University of Arizona graduate, was a standout infielder from 1984 to 1987 and a key member of the Wildcats’ 1986 NCAA national championship team under legendary head coach Jerry Kindall.
At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Hale held program records for games played (255), hits (337), walks (162), and total bases (507) — marks that remain unmatched in Arizona baseball history.
Following his time in Tucson, Hale spent 15 years in Major League Baseball as a player, coach, and manager.
“He had a real instinctive grasp of the game, first of all, and then of leadership as a freshman,” Kindall said in 2014 after Hale was announced as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ manager. “He started every game for us for four straight years, so you could tell the confidence that the coaches — Jerry Stitt, Jim Wing and myself — placed in him right away as a freshman.
“Teammates gravitated toward him because they trusted him. He never let us down, was never late for any team function. He was a delight to coach. He was the consummate captain — actually, co-captain because that was our policy — and he led our team in wonderful ways.”
SOCIAL MEDIA REACTIONS OF CHIP HALE’S CONTRACT EXTENSION
Teddy Cahill of Baseball America:
Chip Hale is the gold standard for an alum coming back from pro ball to coach his alma mater. He's been excellent in Tucson https://t.co/vF80gQIL5K
— Teddy Cahill (@tedcahill) June 23, 2025
Kendall Rogers, co-owner of D1 Baseball:
Following a trip to the College World Series, @ArizonaBaseball extends head coach Chip Hale through the 2030 season. Chip has done a terrific job since taking over in Tucson. Well deserved. https://t.co/aRi1O3AioV
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) June 23, 2025
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