Aaron Stevens will no longer be serving as head baseball coach at Mississippi Valley State University. With the 2021 season completed, reports are Stevens has been informed that he will not be brought back for another year.
Reports coming out from the recently concluded SWAC Conference Tournament won by Southern University, indicate Coach Stevens was let go prior to the start of the tournament.
Stevens made his way to Mississippi Valley State as the head assistant coach from 2000 to 2014. Stevens also served as the strength and conditioning coach for baseball, women’s basketball, and volleyball. From 2004 to 2014 he also served as an admissions assistant. In 2018, he successfully guided Mississippi Valley State back to the SWAC tournament for the first time since the 2012 season. That year the teams overall record was 11-35.
For all who have followed the baseball program since Aaron Stevens took over seven years ago, this may not come as a huge surprise. The announcement follows seven seasons of losing records.
Going into the 2021 season, confidence in the baseball team doing well was high. Great things were expected and it was believed that the baseball program was going to be competitive. However, It never materialized on the field.
Stevens started the 2020 season 0-15 before the Coronavirus shut all of collegiate sports down. His overall record at the conclusion of this season 0-20.
2021 0 – 20
2020 0 – 15
2019 8 – 27
2018 11 – 35
2017 7 – 34
2016 6 – 36
2015 7 – 36
2014 4 – 38
Total: 43 – 241
Possible candidates for the Mississippi Valley State head coaching position could include Texas Tech assistant coach/recruiting coordinator J-Bob Thomas. In his nine seasons, his recruits have helped the Red Raiders rank amongst the nation’s elite. Current Rust College head coach Stanley Stubbs who started his coaching career at Jackson State and won the SWAC championship in 1995, coached at Savannah State while it was a Division I program, turned programs around at Paine College, Benedict College, Lemoyne Owens, and Texas College, could be a candidate. Another possibility is former Winston Salem State University coach Kevin Ritsche, currently coaching at his alma mater the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. Ritsche built the WSSU baseball program from scratch into a powerhouse program and national ranking in his tenure.
In my opinion, I believe the program needs a new voice and a new identity. The search for the next head coach will begin immediately.
Please let the MVSU athletic administration also commit to the sport of baseball and that the baseball coach come to work to win games and / or championships. We want Mississippi Valley State University shine in sports..IT IS IMPORTANT TO COLLECT MORE FUNDS TO IMPROVE THE TRAININGS. LET US WORK TO MAKE MVSU COMPETITIVE IN ALL ITS SPORTS. WE NEED THAT COMMITMENT FROM THE COACHES AND THE ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION. LET GO…LET’S MAKE THE DIFFERENCE….
If Mississippi Valley State wants to be competitive, they HAVE to provide the next HC with the resources to compete. The athletic department barely gave the program any funding and it translated onto the field.
Valley has a strong internal candidate who I believe they should take a serious look at.
I’m trying to play baseball for Mississippi Valley State. Who can I get in touch with?. My Twitter profile is ricochambers1_ and it has my recruiting video on there also.
I am a fellow alumni valley baseball needs a new voice,resources.field upgrades. We strong comment from all of valley stake holders, I am really, really tired of valley losing and i hope that we can get a very, very good head coach to get the program on the right track that’s winning ball games also championships.
Sorry to hear Coach Stevens was not retained. But if Valley wants a new face to lead the program the university and the athletic department needs to step up.Please provide the next Coach with the resources to be competitive and complete for a SWAC Championship. The program needs scholarships, paid assistant coach, up to date equipment ,academic support team for the players, field upgrades. Bring Back Good BASEBALL BACK to the Delta.
You are correct it needs a new face to rebuild the program back .But a new face can not do the things needed without the resources. Valley needs to give the next person in charge the things he needs to be successful ie scholarships, paid assistant coach ,field upgrades and needed equipment. Please do the right thing to make this program respectable again