A shared vision for the future

The Kansas baseball team’s special season continued into the offseason on Tuesday, when KU revealed the latest batch of good news for the program.

Head coach Dan Fitzgerald, fresh off of a 43-win season and the Jayhawks’ first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 11 years, signed an amended 6-year contract in just his third year with the program, KU announced.

The Jayhawks have improved in each of Fitzgerald’s three seasons in charge, and 2025 was one of the best seasons in program history.

At the end of it, Fitzgerald was named Big 12 Coach of the Year, and his Jayhawks were a 2 seed in the Arkansas regional.

So, the extension was far from a surprise and absolutely warranted, adding three years to the original 6-year deal he signed in 2022, which now will keep him tied to KU through the 2031 season.

"... This extension demonstrates our belief that we can compete for conference championships and CWS appearances under his leadership."

— KU AD Travis Goff on Kansas baseball coach Dan Fitzgerald

While this move says a lot about Fitzgerald and the job he has done and the path his program is on, it would be wrong to overlook KU AD Travis Goff’s role in this.

Not only has Goff shown the ability to make high-quality head coaching hires since taking over as KU’s AD in 2021. But he also has moved quickly and without hesitation to reward and retain those hires when they hit it out of the park early in their time in the department.

No one showed that more than KU football coach Lance Leipold, whose contract was reworked twice, with big raises and deeper commitment coming each time.

It remains to see how deep KU’s commitment to baseball will go. Stadium and facility upgrades are on the radar — the news release announcing Fitzgerald's extension referenced them directly, saying that Kansas Athletics and Mammoth Sports Construction are "continuing to evaluate and analyze future facility investments" — and the KU fan support was next level this season, opening the eyes of the administration to what might be possible at Hoglund Ballpark in the years to come.

Winning helped with all of that, of course, and Fitzgerald and the Jayhawks will have to continue to win for any of those things to come to fruition.

But based on what he’s done in his first three years with the program — 99 wins over 3 seasons, the No. 1 juco recruiting class in all three years and last season's 43-15 explosion — there’s no reason to think that bigger and better things aren’t possible.

Fitzgerald talks about it all the time, how this group has worked its butt off to get to this point but still feels like they’re just getting started. And the recruiting done by him and his coaching staff has improved and risen at a rate similar to the results on the field.

Add to that the fact that Goff is never shy to talk about expectations and big goals, with words like championships and sustained success becoming a regular part of the Kansas Athletics vernacular, and you're looking at a program with real growth potential, the kind that may only come with continuity.

So, obviously, keeping Fitzgerald around for another six years is a critical part of the equation, but it appears that the task of keeping him committed to the program and the process is already in wonderful shape.

"Kelly and I would like to thank Chancellor (Douglas) Girod, Travis Goff, (Associate AD) Sean Lester and the entire administration for the opportunity to continue to build Kansas baseball," Fitzgerald said in the release. "I am so appreciative to my staff who have worked relentlessly to recruit and develop the right student-athletes. This past season was a major step forward – one that gives us a great road map for the journey ahead."

He continued: "Travis and I have a shared vision and excitement for the future of Jayhawk baseball. His leadership and trust have been a major foundational piece of our success. I am very honored and blessed to be the head baseball coach at the University of Kansas and confidently look forward to the future of KU baseball."

Added Goff: "This contract is a reflection of Dan Fitzgerald's remarkable impact during his time in Lawrence. The program's progression on the field is well documented and certainly unprecedented. And this extension demonstrates our belief that we can compete for conference championships and CWS appearances under his leadership. Dan is an elite leader and mentor for the student-athletes in his program, creating a culture of accountability, holistic excellence and strong character. Fitz and his wonderful family have been an ideal fit for our department and the community, and we are excited for the future of Kansas baseball under one of the very best leaders in the country."