How long has Dave Van Horn been in Arkansas? A look at Razorbacks HC's coaching history
Dave Van Horn has been the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks me's baseball team since 2003. The three-time SEC Coach of the Year has been the Razorbacks' head coach for 21 years.
Van Horn has turned the franchise into an SEC powerhouse. Let's examine the Arkansas icon's coaching career.
Exploring Dave Van Horn's coaching history
Dave Van Horn made his first strides in coaching after ending his brief MLB career with the Atlanta Braves. He joined Arkansas as a graduate assistant for the 1985 college baseball season.
Van Horn occupied the role until 1988 when he left the program for greener pastures. That took little time, as he joined Texarkana Community College as their head coach ahead of the 1989 season. He stayed with the team for five years and recorded winning seasons in all of those years, amassing a 214-72 record.
Van Horn's efforts caught the attention of Central Missouri State, and he joined the team for the 1994 collegiate baseball season. He led the team to a 51-11 record, guiding them to the NCAA DII Championship.
He then left to join Northwestern State, joining the program ahead of the 1995 season. He coached the program for three years, amassing a 106-65 and never finishing with fewer than 34 wins in a season.
After his three-year spell with Northwestern State, Van Horn took his talents to Nebraska for the 1998 season. He took the program to new heights and recorded back-to-back College World Series appearances to close out his tenure. Van Horn had a 214-92 record with the program, turning it into a conference contender in the process.
After his tenure with Nebraska, Van Horn was hired by the Arkansas Razorbacks to lead them into their next era. The hiring has since proven to be a masterstroke.
In his 21 years with Arkansas, Van Horn has amassed a record of 839-441, including a 333-262 conference record. He has led the Razorbacks to seven College World Series appearances, including a runner-up spot in 2018.
Other team accolades include but aren't limited to 3 SEC regular season titles, eight SEC Western Division titles, and 12 Regional Championships.