In collegiate sports, whether rightly or wrongly, things have changed. Long gone are the days when players develop for several years and universities reap the benefits of a redshirt junior or senior. Instead, players have the freedom to move with ease, oftentimes making coaches’ jobs that much more difficult to build camaraderie.
Despite being a transfer-laden team, finding that unity has not been a problem for head baseball coach Dan Fitzgerald and the Kansas Jayhawks.
Fitzgerald has orchestrated a marvelous four-year turnaround with records of 25-32 in 2023, 31-23 in 2024, 43-17 in 2025, and 45-16 so far this season, which most recently included a ticket punched to the NCAA Super Regionals after a 13-10 win over Arkansas Sunday night.
Fitzgerald is doing all this with a team comprising 27 transfers.
With so much turnaround, it can easily feel like each team is filled with players looking out for themselves, a fear that must strike the heart of every collegiate coach nowadays; however, with Fitzgerald’s 2026 iteration of the Jayhawks, there isn’t a sniff of selfishness.
Through Kansas’ historic regional run, Fitzgerald and the team have been more than complimentary of the fans, one another, and the Kansas Athletic Department for their newest renovations to Hoglund Ballpark, which have increased capacity by roughly 60%.
Josh Dykhoff’s epic performance was capped perfectly by latest quote
The senior first baseman has had an up-and-down season. While his batting rates can vary significantly game-by-game, Dykhoff has been able to smack a stellar 16 home runs, with none more important than a three-RBI 368-foot shot to right field that broke Sunday’s game open, extending Kansas’ lead from an unstable three-run lead to a game-clinching 11-5 scoreline.
The Minnesota Crookston transfer spoke postgame about the dynamic the Jayhawks have, saying: “We're just all best friends in there. Showing up every day is the best thing. We show up with smiles and we want to be here every single day, and just work our butts off, and together, it's all together.”
The Jayhawks needed every ounce of spirit as Kansas fell behind 5-0 within the first three innings, as it looked like the wheels were spiraling off. However, thanks to an exceptional fourth inning that saw the Jayhawks notch six runs, Fitzgerald’s squad was right back into the game and was able to see out an epic comeback win.
What is next for this record-breaking side?
History has already been made with Kansas’ first-ever Super Regional ticket booked. Now, KU has to wait to see who wins between Oklahoma and Georgia Tech to decide where and when the Jayhawks will play next. Thanks to the Sooners’ electric 15-8 win over the No. 2 overall Yellow Jackets, Monday will mark the pair's third matchup of the series. If Georgia Tech wins, then the ACC school will likely come in as heavy favorites against the Jayhawks. Meanwhile, if Oklahoma can pull off another shock win, then the Jayhawks’ outlook toward a College World Series bid grows exponentially. First pitch between the two sides is set for 2 p.m. CT on Monday.
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