Scott Stricklin, Georgia Bulldogs

Scott Stricklin became a household name in the world of college baseball when he guided his alma mater, the Kent State Golden Flashes, to the 2012 College World Series. After nine seasons at Kent State, Stricklin was named head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs in June 2013. Georgia was a perennial national and Southeastern Conference favorite during much of the 1990s and 2000s under Dave Perno before falling upon hard times during the latter part of his tenure. In recent years the Bulldogs have been affected by losing top recruits to the major league draft but appear to have reversed that trend heading into the 2017 season after Stricklin kept his entire freshman class intact, resulting in a strong fall performance. As a result, the Dawgs will field one of the youngest teams in the country but open the upcoming campaign with more hope than at any point in Stricklin’s four years in Athens.