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The Long Beach State athletic department announced on Monday it will conduct a full national search for the next permanent head coach for the Dirtbags after a year under interim coach Bryan Peters.
This season the Dirtbags finished 25-29-1 overall and 10-20 in Big West Conference action.
“I would like to thank Bryan Peters and the entire baseball coaching staff for their hard work this past season and their dedication to the Dirtbags program,” LBSU athletic director Bobby Smitheran said in an official release. “Bryan provided steady leadership during a challenging transition period and engaged our student-athletes and alumni in a positive manner that positions this program for future success.”
In Peters’ five seasons as the hitting coach at LBSU, the Dirtbags have hit 189 home runs. That’s more than the previous 10 years combined.
Peters was also Associate Head Coach for Eric Valenzuela’s staff. The Dirtbags hit the second most home runs in single-season program history (62) in 2023, their .436 slugging percentage was the best since 2002, and the .273 average and .355 on-base percentage were the best since 2010.
“Dirtbags Baseball is a national brand and identity grounded in excellence and a commitment to playing the game correctly,” Smitheran added. “Our fan base is extraordinary, and our attendance numbers continue to show that our fan experience is among the best in the West. I am excited to embark on a national search to identify the next leader of our storied program who will lead us back to national prominence at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.”
