When Mike Fox announced his retirement from coaching in 2020, the UNC baseball program was in need of a new leader.
While replacing a legend is a very difficult task, Scott Forbes has done a tremendous job succeeding his mentor.
With the Super Regional victory over Arizona on Friday afternoon, Forbes became the fifth head coach in UNC baseball history to reach the 200 career wins mark.
It didn't take long for Forbes to reach this milestone, needing just five seasons to do so. In his half a decade at the helm at North Carolina, Forbes has guided the Diamond Heels to four 35+ win seasons, including a trio of 40+ win campaigns. During his tenure, the UNC baseball program has made the NCAA Tournament in all five seasons, making three Super Regional trips and a College World Series berth, a number that could rise this weekend if the Tar Heels can defeat Arizona once again.
The last two seasons have been very fun for UNC baseball fans to witness. Forbes and the Tar Heels put together an incredible 2024 season, winning the ACC Coastal Division while making the program's first trip to Omaha since 2018. North Carolina won 48 of its 64 games, having multiple guys selected in the 2024 MLB Draft (including first round pick Vance Honeycutt).
While many thought last season's success would be tough to match, this year's squad has been arguably just as good (or even better!). The Tar Heels have won 46 games thus far, as they've secured an ACC Tournament title along the way. After winning the Chapel Hill Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Forbes and the Tar Heels are now one win away from a repeat appearance in the College World Series, as the hope is that a handful of more wins are to come for this year's squad.
Forbes has done an incredible job as the head coach of the UNC baseball program. He has quickly brought the Tar Heels back to national prominence, proving that the Diamond Heels are here to stay in the mix among the country's top teams each and every year.