PULLMAN, Wash. (Sept. 24, 2021) – Washington State University Director of Athletics Pat Chun announced Friday that Head Baseball Coach Brian Green has signed a contract extension through the 2026 season. Green’s initial contract was a five-year contract signed in 2019.
In just his second year leading the Cougars, 2021 saw Green guide WSU to its first winning season (26-23) since 2015, tie for the most road wins (16) by any Power-5 Conference team and record the most Pac-12 Conference wins (13) since 2014. In the classroom, Green saw his team post a program-record 3.09 GPA in the 2020 fall semester as 30 players recorded a GPA of 3.0 or higher and 17 players earned Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll honors. Green also signed his second-straight nationally ranked recruiting class for the 2022 season, including the best junior college class in the country according to JBB baseball. Also in 2021, Green served as the West Region representative on the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-American Committee.
“We respect the history and tradition of our Cougar Baseball program and the responsibility we have to uphold it,” said Chun. “Over the past two years, Coach Brian Green has rekindled the passion and pride Cougs have for our baseball program. We are fortunate to have Coach Green and look forward to having him lead our program for many years to come.”
Green saw his offense finish the 2021 season leading the Pac-12 and fifth in the country in doubles-per-game (2.4), second in the conference in hitting (.302), third in extra-base hits (101) and third in scoring (7.2 runs/g), while pacing the league with 74 doubles in conference games. First baseman Kyle Manzardo was named to the All-America First Team by Collegiate Baseball, earning All-America honors for the second straight season, the Cougar pitching staff produced a pair of Major League Baseball draft picks; Zane Mills (4th) and Brandon White (12th), and recorded the second-most strikeouts (437) in program history.
“What a special day for Cougar baseball, my family and our coaching staff to be honored by this administration to be extended for two more years. Thank you to President Schulz, Pat Chun, Chris Park and entire athletic administration for the opportunity to coach and lead this program,” Green said. “On behalf of our coaching staff and players, we are honored and privileged to continue to hold this place down. We know we have not taken this program to where we want it to go, getting it back to the postseason and back to Omaha but for this administration to support the path that we are on and grant us an additional two more years is an unbelievable honor. Thank you and Go Cougs!”
The Cougars produced three draft picks in 2021, led by two-time All-American Manzardo, who was selected in the second round and No. 63 overall by the Tampa Bay Rays, the highest Cougar draft pick since 1991. Manzardo was joined by Zane Mills (4th round, St. Louis) and Brandon White (12th round, Miami) to give WSU three draft picks in the first 12 rounds for the first time since 1977.
Green’s first season with the Cougars was limited to just 16 games due the COVID-19 pandemic but saw WSU post impressive numbers on and off the field. Green and his coaching staff focused on building a culture as the Cougars connected with the Pullman community immediately in Green’s first fall semester at WSU, volunteering with a number of organizations including the Salvation Army and Whitman County Special Olympics. The culture Green created in the fall carried over into the spring as the Cougars opened the 2020 season claiming a 5-2 win at CSU Bakersfield, WSU’s first season-opening win since 2011.
