Eric Wedge will not return as head coach of the Shocker baseball program. 

Director of athletics Kevin Saal announced Wedge’s departure from the program this evening in a press release.  In October, Wedge stepped away from the program temporarily to focus on personal health related matters. 

Loren Hibbs took over coaching duties in October as interim head coach in October and will remain in that position. He will be assisted by current coaches Mike Pelfrey, Mike Siranni, Nate Brisco and Connor Behrens. 

“I want to extend my appreciation and gratitude to Coach Hibbs, our baseball staff, and our incredibly strong group of student-athletes and their families,” Saal said in a press release. “We appreciate the baseball community’s continued support of our program and look forward to the 2023 season.”

Wedge entered the program in 2019 after managing in the MILB and MLB. He led the Shockers to a 64-61 overall record and led the team to a program-best 18 wins in the American Athletic Conference in 2021. 

Wedge played for Wichita State as a catcher from 1987-89. He was a part of the College World Series National Championship team in 1989, among numerous other postseason  tournament teams. He was named to the College World Series All-Tournament Team in 1989, and the NCAA Regional Most Valuable Player in 1989. 

He is in the baseball program’s record books for eight in putouts (1,340), ninth in walks (173), eleventh in home runs (45), the seventh-longest hitting streak (25) in school history. In 1989, he was drafted in the third round of the MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox.