It's official: Jay Johnson is LSU's next baseball coach. And on Monday, Tigers fans will get to meet him for the first time.
LSU officially announced the hire Friday morning after news of the decision to hire the Arizona head coach broke Thursday evening.
The 44-year-old California native will be introduced for the first time as the successor to Paul Mainieri on Monday at Alex Box Stadium.
“LSU Baseball is the premier program in the nation, and the interest we received from great coaches across the country was significant,” LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward said in a press release. “Ultimately, Jay’s track record of postseason success, explosive lineups, and highly-ranked recruiting classes set him apart from the field. He’s made an immediate impact at every program he’s led, and he’s one of the most energetic, innovative, and focused coaches in America. .”
Johnson will speak at a media-only press conference beginning at 4:30 p.m. in the Champion's Club. He'll then hold a Q&A on the field. Both will be streamed live for fans to watch Johnson answer questions for the first time as the Tigers' coach.
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The hire marks the second notable coaching addition for the Tigers in a matter of months, with legendary Baylor coach Kim Mulkey arriving at LSU earlier this year to take over its basketball program.
But Johnson's start at LSU will be a much different situation, as he takes the reins of a program from a man who spent 15 years in Baton Rouge and led the Tigers to the College World Series five times, including a title in 2009.
One area Johnson will have to prove his mettle is on the recruiting trail. LSU currently holds the No. 4-ranked recruiting class, according to PerfectGame.org, with the three teams ahead of them all housed in the Southeastern Conference.
He appears to be off to a good start in that endeavor, however, with shortstop prospect Mikey Romero announcing he'd flip his commitment from Arizona to LSU after the coaching news.
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Follow Jeff Nowak on Twitter @Jeff_Nowak or contact him by email at jeffrey.nowak@audacy.com