Jared Moon, Houston Baptist Huskies

Jared Moon enters his 13th season as head coach of the Houston Baptist Huskies. Moon guided HBU to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance with a berth in the 2015 Houston Regional.

In 2017, the Houston Baptist Huskies posted a 29-25 overall record, including an 18-12 mark in the Southland Conference. After losing their first game in the Southland Conference Tournament, the Huskies reeled off three straight victories before falling to Central Arkansas in the final contest.

HBU clinched its postseason ticket by going 4-0 in the 2015 Southland Conference Tournament in Sugar Land, setting an NCAA record for conference tournament play with four-straight complete games by its starting pitchers – Matthew McCollough, Taylor Wright, Ross Kennell and Curtis Jones. Jones was named the Tournament MVP and was joined by Greg Espinosa, Andrew Alvarez and Thomas Clay on the All-Tournament Team. Zach Nehrir and Samm Wiggins earned first-team all-conference honors, while Louie Payetta made the third team. Wiggins was also a first-team all-region selection, and Jones earned his second-straight SLC Utility Player of the Year honor.

Nehrir became the highest draft pick in HBU history, selected with the first pick of the 16th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Wiggins signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Rays, while Wright signed with the Diamondbacks. During his tenure at HBU, both as a head coach and assistant coach, 38 players have gone on to play professional baseball.

The Houston Baptist Huskies enter their fourth season as a member of the Southland Conference, their ninth season of NCAA Division I play overall. HBU has not shied away from competition, facing top programs such as Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M;, Rice, Houston, TCU, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Dallas Baptist, and New Mexico State. On March 12, 2011, seventh-ranked TCU became the highest-ranked opponent HBU has defeated. The Huskies also recorded an upset of eighth-ranked Houston on March 3, 2015.

In their first season in the Southland, the Huskies finished 10th, but led the league in team batting average (.292), recorded its highest-ever RPI at 77, saw Curtis Jones claim SLC Utility Player of the Year honors and outfielder Jordan McCoy earn all-conference honorable mention. Nineteen players were named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, first baseman Mike Chamberlain earned an F.L McDonald Postgraduate Scholarship,