Texas A&M head softball coach will not return for 27th season, A&M not renewing contract

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M will not renew the contract of head softball coach Jo Evans after 26 seasons with the team, Director of Athletics Ross Bjork announced Monday.

“Coach Evans has been a tremendous ambassador to our University and softball program for the last 26 years, but we have decided that our softball program needs to go in a new direction,” Bjork said. “We are deeply appreciative of her efforts while building on our softball program’s winning tradition with three Women’s College World Series appearances. Jo is a first-class person, and we wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors.

Throughout her A&M career Evans was a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame and named the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2004, 2005 and 2008.

“Being the leader of this program for the past 26 years has been the greatest honor of my professional life. I have put my heart into this team and in return, I leave with amazing relationships, memories, and experiences that have shaped me for most of my life. I am deeply grateful for my time here at Texas A&M and for the people I have had the privilege to work with and coach. I wish this program all the best as it transitions into the next chapter,” said Evans.

Evans finished her Texas A&M career with a 987-503-2 record, according to Texas A&M. The team advanced to the NCAA postseason 22 times, including in 2022, earned trips to the Women’s College World Series three times and made seven trips to the NCAA Super Regionals.

“The expectation for our softball program is competing for championships every year in Oklahoma City while hosting Regionals and Super Regionals in the best softball stadium in the country at Davis Diamond. I have no doubt we will be able to move forward and bring in a championship-level head coach,” said Bjork.

Last weekend at the NCAA Norman Regional, Evans tallied the 1,300th win of her 37-year career. She is just the ninth coach in Division I softball history to reach the 1,300-win plateau, according to A&M.

In addition to nearly 100 academic all-conference honorees, Evans directed 22 All-American selections, 62 all-region selections and 91 all-conference nods.