Legendary Arkansas Razorback baseball coach Norm DeBriyn has earned a place among college baseball’s elite. On Monday, June 23, the College Baseball Foundation announced that DeBriyn will be inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class.
DeBriyn, who took the helm of the Arkansas baseball program in 1970 at just 28 years old, built the Razorbacks into a perennial national contender over the course of his 33-year tenure. Under his leadership, Arkansas compiled an impressive 1,161-650-6 record, making him the winningest coach in school history with a .641 winning percentage.
During his illustrious career, DeBriyn led Arkansas to:
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15 NCAA Tournament appearances
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4 College World Series berths
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2 Southwest Conference titles
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1 Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship
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1 SEC Western Division title
His 1979 squad delivered the program’s best national finish, finishing as the national runner-up in the College World Series.
DeBriyn’s coaching résumé includes mentoring 19 All-America selections, six Freshman All-Americans, and a total of 106 all-conference and all-tournament players. He was named Southwest Conference Coach of the Year six times (1978, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1990) and SEC Coach of the Year in 1999.
Already one of the most decorated figures in Arkansas sports history, DeBriyn has previously been inducted into:
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Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame (1991)
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University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor (1991)
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American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2003)
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Southwest Conference Hall of Fame (2015)
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University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame (hometown recognition)
He becomes just the second Razorback to be enshrined in the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
The official induction ceremony will take place at the 2026 Night of Champions on February 12, 2026, in Overland Park, Kansas, home of the College Baseball Hall of Fame. The event will also kick off the 2026 college baseball season, which begins the following day.
In addition to honoring DeBriyn and the rest of the 2025 Hall of Fame class, the Night of Champions will also recognize the 2025 College Baseball Foundation award winners:
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Brooks Wallace Award – Roch Cholowsky, UCLA
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National Pitcher of the Year – Jake Knapp, North Carolina
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John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year – Evan Dempsey, Florida Gulf Coast
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Skip Bertman Coach of the Year – Brad Neffendorf, LSU Shreveport
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Wayne Graham Award for Teaching Excellence – Larry Lee, Cal Poly
Full 2025 College Baseball Hall of Fame Class
Players:
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Gene Ammann (Florida State)
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Kris Benson (Clemson)
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Kip Bouknight (South Carolina)
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Hubie Brooks (Mesa College/Arizona State)
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Gene Hooks (Wake Forest)
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Mike Loynd (Florida State)
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Mark McGwire (USC)
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Phil Nevin (Cal State Fullerton)
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David Price (Vanderbilt)
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Earl Sanders (Jackson State)
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Mike Stenhouse (Harvard)
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Stephen Strasburg (San Diego State)
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Joe Thomas (Marietta College)
Coaches:
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Norm DeBriyn (Arkansas)
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Clint Evans* (California)
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Ray Fisher* (Middlebury/Michigan)
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Les Murakami (Hawai’i)
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Ray Tanner (NC State/South Carolina)
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Jerry Weinstein (Sacramento State College)
* Posthumous induction
Administrators/Builders/Umpires:
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Scott Boras (Agent, University of the Pacific alum)
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Paul Guillie (Umpire, SEC Coordinator)
To be considered for induction, players must be out of college for at least 15 years and have competed for at least one year at a two- or four-year institution. Coaches are eligible if retired for two years or still active at age 75 or older.
