Fox to be inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame

By R.L. Bynum

Former North Carolina coach Mike Fox is part of the 11-person Class of 2024 announced Friday for induction into the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2017, Fox is the winningest coach in Carolina baseball history and led the Tar Heels to seven College World Series appearances before retiring in 2020.

Fox will be induced in Overland Park, Kansas, on Feb. 13, along with Roger Clemens (pitcher, San Jacinto JC, 1981 and Texas 1982–83), Mark Teixeira (third baseman, Georgia Tech, 1999–2001), Bill Thom (pitcher, Southern California, 1957–59), Jeff King (third baseman, Arkansas, 1984–86), Woody Hunt (coach, Cumberland University, 1982–2021), the late Murray Wall (pitcher, Texas, 1947–50), Wilbert Ellis (coach, Grambling State, 1977–2003), Randy Ross (shortstop, North Park University, 1981–84) and the late Jim Paronto, (umpire/administrator, 1973–2023)

Fox, 1,487–547–5 in his 37-year head coaching career, was head coach for 15 seasons at N.C. Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, where he led the Battling Bishops to 14 NCAA tournament appearances, eight trips to the Division III College World Series and the 1989 national championship. His teams posted 15 consecutive top-20 finishes and won 11 Dixie Conference championships.

Fox became the head coach at his alma mater, UNC, in 1999. He went 948–406–1, winning ACC championships in 2007, 2013 and 2018. He also advanced to the College World Series in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2018, reaching the finals in 2006 and 2007.

Major League Baseball teams drafted 111 of his UNC players, including 15 first-round or supplemental-round picks. A total of 51 of his players who signed professional contracts before graduating returned to UNC to earn their degrees. He coached 27 Tar Heels who have played in the majors.

Fox coached 37 first-team All-ACC selections, and his players earned 32 All-America honors. Andrew Miller (2006) and Dustin Ackley (2009) won National Player of the Year honors. Three players — Ackley (2006), Colin Moran (2011) and Aaron Sabato (2019) — were named National Freshman of the Year.

His players also won two ACC Player of the Year awards, four ACC Pitcher of the Year honors and six ACC Freshman of the Year awards.

Baseball America’s 2008 National Coach of the Year, Fox was ACC Coach of the Year in 2018 and was Atlantic Region Coach of the Year three times.