UNC baseball coach Mike Fox announced his retirement on Friday after 22 years with the university.
Fox was the winningest active coach in Division I baseball and the first to lead an ACC team to four consecutive College World Series. He spent 37 years overall as a collegiate head coach.
“Serving as the head baseball coach at my alma mater for the past 22 seasons has been one of the greatest blessings of my professional life,” said Fox in a release. “I have been in love with the University of North Carolina since I was a young boy. To see my dream of becoming a Tar Heel student, player and coach is hard for me to even comprehend.”
UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham offered high praise for Fox’s career in college baseball.
“From playing in the College World Series as a Tar Heel senior, to winning a Division III national championship at N.C. Wesleyan, to leading Carolina to Omaha seven times as the Tar Heels’ head coach, Mike’s impact on college baseball has been legendary,” said UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham in a release. “He has connected generations of players and fans to Carolina baseball, and his commitment to his students in and out of the dugout is highlighted by the scores of players who have returned to Chapel Hill after professional careers to earn their degrees.”
Thank you Coach Mike Fox for 22 years of teaching, coaching and memorable moments. 👏
Welcome to our new Head Coach Scott Forbes.
🐏⚾️ | #CarolinaBaseball pic.twitter.com/QQEoFa2KJH
— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) August 7, 2020
UNC announced that Scott Forbes, who has been with the Tar Heels for 19 years, will be the next head coach.
“Scott Forbes is a talented recruiter, a strong communicator and has been instrumental in developing multiple facets of the program during his 20 years at Carolina,” said Cunningham. “As head coach, he will continue to build on all that our baseball team has accomplished.”
Fox first arrived at UNC as a walk-on, playing both baseball and basketball at the junior varsity level before eventually competing in the College World Series with the Tar Heels.
“The experiences I have been so fortunate to live out and the relationships I have made as a player and coach have gone way beyond anything I could ever have imagined. Those experiences have exceeded even my dreams to this very day.”
Earlier this year, the NCAA baseball season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fox said it was during this time that he began to realize the importance of family.
“For the first time in almost 40 years the time without coaching allowed me to truly experience family once again,” he said. “Cheryl and I gained another grandbaby, and because our daughter and son-in-law live very close, we are able to experience the joy of children daily. I have also been able to spend more time with my son and his wife. It has been a blessing.
“”Life slowed down for Cheryl and me, and we discovered the enjoyment of a simpler life. Thankfully I am healthy, and I feel this is the right time to step away from the rigors of coaching. I will miss the players, coaches, co-workers and our great fans, but it is time for me to be a full-time husband, father and grandfather, and do other things with my life.”
Cunningham, Fox and Forbes will speak to the media on Friday at 3 p.m.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines