Jim Schlossnagle adds another feather to his cap as top ranked star Kayson Cunningham commits to Texas
Jim Schlossnagle has been attracting some top talents in the country since joining the Texas Longhorns. On Thursday, Kayson Cunningham, the class of 2025′s top-ranked player in the state of Texas, committed to the Longhorns.
In a post on Instagram, Cunningham expressed his excitement at working alongside Schlossnagle on the Texas Longhorns next year. He also thanked the UT coaching staff for allowing him to grow and challenge himself in the highly competitive Southeastern Conference.
"By the grace of God, I’m super blessed to announce I’ll be furthering my academic and athletic commitment to the University of Texas. A huge thanks to my family, coaches, teammates, and most of all God for giving me this opportunity. I’d like to thank the coaching staff at UT for allowing me to grow as a player, giving me the opportunity at the next level, and to also play in the SEC," Cunningham wrote.
"I am beyond blessed to also stay close to home, surrounded by the incredible support system I’ve built here. The community and relationships I’ve developed over the years have been a huge factor in my growth, both on and off the field. I can’t wait to continue my journey with the backing of my village here. Hook em"
Cunningham, who played for the Johnson Jaguars, is one of the country's most sought-after high school players. He initially committed to Texas Tech but flipped to Texas this week.
Jim Schlossnagle explains why he left Texas A&M to join in-state rivals Texas
Jim Schlossnagle was one of the most in-demand coaches before he was hired by the Texas Longhorns on June 25. He joined Texas only a few days after finishing as a College World Series runner-up at Texas A&M.
Although Schlossnagle's move to Texas was marred with controversy, he explained that Texas A&M's new athletic director, Trev Alberts, gave him the green light to leave the Aggies. During an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Schlossnagle said:
"Trev came to me the day before the regional to have a conversation. He asked me if I was frustrated. I told him that I had some frustration with how slow the ballpark process was going and that it was tough to operate without a sport administrator, but I was committed to working through it."
"He then made a comment to me — kind of comparing his situation of leaving his alma mater, Nebraska. He said to me, ‘You know, Jim, if you ever don’t feel like this is the place for you, that’s OK, and it’s OK to move on,’" Schlossnagle added.
Jim Schlossnagle got his first head coaching job at UNLV in 2002, where he worked for two years. He then joined TCU, spending 18 seasons with the Horned Frogs and compiling a 734–343 record.
In June 2021, Schlossnagle was hired as the Texas A&M coach. He led the Aggies to the CWS in 2022 and to a regional in 2023. In his final season, Texas A&M reached the CWS finals but eventually lost the national championship against the Tennessee Volunteers.
While Jim Schlossnagle has established himself as one of the top coaches in the country, despite not winning a national title, it will be interesting to see how he fares at Texas.