Oregon State announces extensions for coach Mitch Canham, his assistants
When you have a good thing going in college athletics, you know it pretty quickly. After two full seasons in charge of the Oregon State baseball program, coach Mitch Canham and his staff have received extensions.
Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes announced Friday that Canham had received a five-year contract extension through the 2029 season, while assistant coaches Rich Dorman and Ryan Gipson had received two-year extensions through 2024. Canham was hired in June of 2019 and has led the Beavers to a combined 90-51 record and two NCAA tournament appearances through his first three seasons (including a 14-game 2020 season).
They led us to a 48-win season in 2022, and today we're excited to announce extensions for our coaching staff.
The HC, @MitchellCanham, has seen his contract extended for five years, to 2029.#GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/Ld5wTYZO3w
— Oregon State Baseball (@BeaverBaseball) July 15, 2022
“Coach Canham was a perfect fit for this program when he was hired in 2019,” Barnes said in a release. “Mitch was the epitome of a successful student-athlete during his playing career at Oregon State, and embodies what Oregon State University is about. He knows what it means to be a Beaver, loves this program and University and that has shown in his three seasons as our baseball head coach.
“He and his staff have been exemplary leaders for this program while making their mark in the Pac-12 and on a national level in a short time. I’m excited to announce these extensions.”
Canham and the Beavers won 48 games in 2022—the sixth-most in a year in program history. He helped lead Oregon State to its eighth NCAA Super Regional this past season and, in 2021, became the first Beaver head coach to take the program to the NCAA tournament within their first two seasons at the helm.
OSU finished second in the Pac-12 last year with a 20-win season and advanced to the championship game of the inaugural Pac-12 Tournament. Left-hander Cooper Hjerpe was named the unanimous National Pitcher of the Year by multiple media organizations and Jacob Melton, who belted 17 home runs and tied the OSU single-season record with 83 runs batted in, was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year.
“This is our home,” Canham said. “It means everything to myself, my family and the rest of the coaching staff to be given more opportunity to carry on the tradition of Oregon State baseball. We promise to always be dedicated to the development of our student-athletes on and off the field. That will never change.
“The Beaver Baseball family and Oregon State University live deeply within the hearts and souls of all of us and we are proud to continue the legacy. To Beaver Nation: your love and support is undeniably transformational. You give us a home-field advantage everywhere you go.”