DVH Selected for Induction into ABCA Hall of Fame

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas’ Dave Van Horn has been selected for induction into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as the Class of 2027. The Head Hog, along with six other coaches, will be formally honored at the ABCA Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, Jan. 8, 2027, as part of the 83rd annual ABCA Convention in Chicago.

Induction into the ABCA Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by the organization. Since the inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1966, the ABCA has honored more than 350 individuals with induction. To be considered, a coach must have served as a head coach and been an ABCA member for a minimum of 15 years. Candidates must also have made significant professional and personal contributions to the ABCA; contributed to the advancement of baseball at the local, national, or international level; and exemplified high moral character, ethical standards, excellence and leadership.

Van Horn, the three-time SEC Coach of the Year, completed his 24th season at the helm of the Razorbacks in 2026. Over his 24 seasons (2003-present), Van Horn has elevated Arkansas into one of the nation’s premier programs. Van Horn, the second-winningest coach in Arkansas baseball history, has led the Razorbacks to eight College World Series appearances, including a runner-up finish in 2018 and five top-five finishes; 22 NCAA Tournament berths; three SEC overall titles in 2004, 2021 and 2023; eight SEC Western Division championships; one SEC Tournament title in 2021; and 974 overall wins, including 390 SEC victories. Van Horn, whose 1,518 career wins are the most among all active Division I head coaches, is one of only five head coaches in college baseball history with 300 or more SEC wins in their career.

Since returning to his alma mater to take over for retiring legendary Arkansas head coach Norm DeBriyn, Van Horn, who was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 and the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor in 2024, has produced nationally competitive teams and developed elite-level student-athletes on and off the field, including three Golden Spikes Award winners in outfielder Andrew Benintendi in 2015, pitcher Kevin Kopps in 2021 and infielder Wehiwa Aloy in 2025; two Dick Howser Trophy winners in Benintendi and Kopps; and countless All-Americans, All-SEC performers and future professional baseball players. Under Van Horn, the Razorbacks boast 43 All-America honorees, 59 All-SEC selections and 155 MLB draft picks and counting over his 24 seasons at the helm of the program.

One of the things that Van Horn is known for is recruiting fundamental players and molding them into the stars of tomorrow. In his first full season at Arkansas in 2003, only four Razorbacks were selected in the MLB draft. That number has grown significantly over the years, with a school-record 11 players selected in the 2013 MLB Draft, 2018 MLB Draft and, most recently, 2025 MLB Draft. Eleven Arkansas stars under Van Horn, including pitcher Nick Schmidt in 2007, infielder Logan Forsythe in 2008, infielder Zack Cox in 2010, pitcher Ryne Stanek in 2013, Benintendi in 2015, outfielder Heston Kjerstad in 2020, pitcher Hagen Smith in 2024, pitcher Gage Wood in 2025, Aloy in 2025, pitcher Zach Root in 2025 and outfielder Charles Davalan in 2025, have been selected in the first round of the MLB draft. 75 of Van Horn’s players have been picked in the first 10 rounds of the MLB draft since he became the Head Hog.

Prior to returning to Arkansas, Van Horn guided Nebraska to two College World Series appearances and four NCAA Tournament berths in five seasons (1998-2002) while establishing the Cornhuskers as a national power. Earlier head coaching stops at Northwestern State (1995-97) and Central Missouri State (1994) produced conference championships and postseason success, further illustrating a career marked by winning and program building at every stop.

The highly decorated coach has received numerous individual and team honors throughout his 38-year head coaching resume, which began at Texarkana Community College in 1989. Individually, he has been named national coach of the year twice, regional coach of the year three times and conference coach of the year six times. His teams have made 10 College World Series appearances, won seven outright conference championships, a Division II National Championship and made 26 trips to the NCAA Tournament in the last 28 full seasons. Van Horn is one of only 12 NCAA head coaches in history, and one of only five SEC head coaches in league history, to lead multiple programs to the College World Series.

Van Horn is the second Razorback inducted into the ABCA Hall of Fame. DeBriyn, who led Arkansas from 1970-2002 and is the winningest coach in school history (1,161 victories), was inducted into the ABCA Hall Fame as the Class of 2003.

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