Missouri A.D. Mack Rhoades undecided on return of baseball coach Tim Jamieson
Mack Rhoades hasn’t decided whether baseball coach Tim Jamieson will return for the 2016 season, but that’s among the more pressing and immediate issues facing Missouri’s new athletic director.
Jamieson’s contract expires June 30.
“Coach (Jamieson) and I have talked about it,” Rhoades said Wednesday after a meet-and-greet at Westport Flea Market. “We know it’s a tough situation, a unique situation maybe. He understands and knows that we’ll visit whenever the season’s over. Hopefully, that’s not for a few more weeks.”
Jamieson has been the Tigers’ coach for 21 seasons, but the program has had a rocky adjustment to the Southeastern Conference, going 16-44 during the first two seasons before improving to 15-15 this spring.
Missouri entered the SEC Tournament squarely on the bubble for an NCAA Tournament berth and went 1-2, opening with a win against South Carolina before dropping heartbreakers against Vanderbilt and Alabama.
The Tigers, 30-28, hope to be an at-large selection Monday when the regional brackets are revealed, but it’s unclear what impact, if any, that might have on Jamieson’s contract status.
“I certainly have not made up my mind,” Rhoades said. “Here’s what I do know. Coach Jamieson is a terrific person. He’s had some success obviously with the baseball program. That transition into the SEC, when you think about our 20 sports programs, maybe that was the most difficult.”
After the season, Rhoades plans to sit down and have a detailed conversation with Jamieson poring over the details of the staff, roster, facilities and operational budget.
“That way, I can get a better feeling and think about where we need to head in the future,” Rhoades said.
Jamieson is 672-535-2 during his career with the Tigers with eight regional appearances, including a regional championship in 2006.
To reach Tod Palmer, call 816-234-4389 or send email to tpalmer@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @todpalmer.
This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 1:34 PM with the headline "Missouri A.D. Mack Rhoades undecided on return of baseball coach Tim Jamieson."