Wichita State baseball coach Eric Wedge receives a contract extension through 2026
In a commitment from both sides to restoring the baseball program back to national prominence, Wichita State athletic director Darron Boatright announced Tuesday that WSU has agreed to a two-year contract extension for head coach Eric Wedge.
The extension is scheduled to keep Wedge at WSU through the 2026 season. Financial details were not immediately available on the extension, although Wedge is slated to be paid $400,000 for the 2022 season, $425,000 for the 2023 season and $450,000 for the 2024 season under his current contract.
Entering his third season, Wedge has compiled a 44-25 record and led the Shockers to their best season in the American Athletic Conference (18-13, third-place finish) in 2021. WSU also had five players named to the all-conference first team, also a program-best since joining the conference in 2018.
“We are happy and supportive of the strides made in our baseball program under coach Wedge,” Boatright said in a statement. “This shows mutual commitment to working together in providing consistency in leadership moving forward.”
“I feel delighted and honored that the university and athletic department are giving me the opportunity to continue my work with the baseball program and our exceptional student-athletes,” Wedge said. “My long-term commitment is to return our baseball program to national prominence while supporting the goal of providing an environment and an opportunity for our student-athletes to thrive personally and as a team.”
Wedge’s contract extension is almost identical to the one that Boatright gave to WSU softball coach Kristi Bredbenner, whose contract was set to expire after the 2023 season and also received an extension through the 2026 season earlier this summer.
The rebuilding job is off to a promising start under Wedge, who was an All-American catcher for the Shockers during his career from 1987-89 and helped lead the Shockers to two College World Series and the 1989 national championship.
Before returning to his alma mater, Wedge was known mostly for his time as a MLB manager with the Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners. He had a decade of experience as a major-league manager, including being named the 2007 American League Manager of the Year.
While WSU has made strides in his first two seasons, a return to the postseason — WSU has not played in an NCAA Regional since 2014 — continues to evade the program. That will be the goal for this upcoming season when the Shockers return a nucleus of young talent.
“Made a lot of progress in the last two years, but still have more work to do!” Wedge tweeted out Tuesday afternoon. “Enjoy coming to the office every day and working with our exceptional staff and outstanding student-athletes.”
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