NCAA fails to extend Morris’ tenure
CORAL GABLES — After delivering a nearly six-minute, emotional farewell speech in the locker room, retiring University of Miami baseball coach Jim Morris asked his players to put their hands up and at the count of 3, “one more time,” say “Omaha.”
They did, despite the promised land of college baseball being out of their grasp for the second year in a row.
On Monday, the 10-member NCAA Division I Baseball Committee announced the decision — one that was expected and believed to be fair — to exclude Miami from the NCAA tournament’s field of 64 teams. The Hurricanes (28-26, 16-13 ACC) finished a disappointing season with a flourish by winning 11 consecutive games before fall- ing to Clemson Thursday in the ACC tournament. UM players silently watched the tournament announcement on ESPN with Morris in their final gathering with him as skipper.
UM’s RPI had dropped to 65. Last year when UM also failed to make the tournament, snapping a national-record, 44-year streak, it had the No. 41 RPI.
“I hoped, but I didn’t expect to get in,” Morris told the media after the speech. “I think the committee is fair. I don’t think we played well enough to get in this year. I wish I could say we had. But we really haven’t, even though we finished strong. I’m proud of our guys. We started six freshmen till the end. ... They’re going to be a good club and they’re going to get better.”
Morris, 68, one of the most successful college baseball coaches in history, officially ends his Miami career with 1,090 wins, 472 losses and three ties.
“Sad day for you guys. Sad day for me, too,” Morris told his players and coaches. “It’s a tough way to go out. Thank you, guys, for how hard you worked, thank you for your loyalty, all the players for 25 years. ... Thank you for not throwing the towel in 12, 13 games ago when you were way under .500 ... You guys kept battling and put yourselves back into position.”
Longtime assistant coach Gino DiMare, who has been with Morris for 19 years, will now take over as head coach.