STARKVILLE — Chris Lemonis think it’s been almost 46 years since he was last in Starkville.
The normally demonstrative baseball coach was awed by what will be his new workplace as he toured the facilities at Dudy Noble Field with Mississippi State Athletic Director John Cohen.
“It’s the nicest facility in the country,” the 48-year-old Lemonis said Tuesday during an introductory press conference. “We spent some time (Monday) night, and I know John probably thought I was quiet, but it was hard to talk as you walk through facilities and realize what an opportunity you have to coach and work in this unbelievable ballpark that was built.”
The 18th head coach in MSU baseball history, Lemonis was joined by his family, MSU President Mark Keenum and Cohen at the morning press conference.
“It’s been a whirlwind for the last, probably, 48 hours for me and my family,” Lemonis said. “I took notes — I had to takes notes because my head has been going in different directions, calling recruits or players or everything else — but I can’t tell you how excited we are to be here.”
Lemonis, who lived as a newborn in Starkville while his father studied electrical engineering at MSU, returns there after spending the last four years as the head coach at Indiana.
In Starkville, he takes over a roster of talented returners coming off a trip to the College World Series and one win short of reaching the championship series. The Diamond Dawgs have reached the NCAA Super Regional round in each of the past three NCAA Tournaments.
Lemonis called being the head coach at Mississippi State a “pinnacle job.”
He said he picked the brain of Keenum over breakfast Tuesday before the press conference.
“I did learn how to use the cowbell, that was part of our teaching, but I really appreciate the opportunity to be here and everything else has been great for us,” he said.
