Scott Stricklin gets a sense of security with contract extension, raise

After multiple losing seasons and plenty of outside noise, Scott Stricklin has reaped the rewards for his most successful campaign yet.

Stricklin, after his fifth season as the Bulldogs’ head baseball coach, confirmed to The Telegraph Friday that he received a contract extension through the 2022 season. Stricklin and Georgia athletics director Greg McGarity also agreed on a raise, although terms were not revealed.

“Greg has been a man of his word since day one with me,” Stricklin said in a phone interview. “He told me he was going to be patient and allow me to build this program. We’re both on the same page and feel good about the direction of the program and overall health of where we are headed. ... I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

Georgia came off its best season since 2008 and hosted an NCAA regional. Although the Bulldogs bowed out of the tournament without advancing, Stricklin believed his surge to a 39-win season was the beginning of the program’s success.

Now, he will get the opportunity to do so with relieved pressure. Stricklin showed gratitude toward McGarity and Georgia’s administration with how it kept faith in the process of building the program.

“That’s our goal now, to be consistent year in and year out,” Stricklin said. “We want to challenge to host a regional each year and just build this program.”

As Georgia took the podium after its final loss of the season, Stricklin said Georgia was “back on the map,” and his players concurred as they sat alongside their leader. But the Bulldogs lose some of the program’s core after the season as outfielder Keegan McGovern (Seattle Mariners), designated hitter Michael Curry (San Diego Padres) and left-handed pitcher Kevin Smith (New York Mets) each signed professional contracts.

With an extension, Stricklin’s job of replacing those talents becomes easier. Georgia has signed nationally-regarded recruiting classes during the last two cycles, and having prolonged security makes his job on the recruiting trail easier. The Bulldogs were recently able to sign pitcher Cole Wilcox for its upcoming class, despite his first-round MLB draft grade.

“When these kids know you’re going to coach them and the University is behind you, it allows us to go out there without the question of what the future looks like,” Stricklin said. “It gives you security and adds more consistency to the program.”

For those on the roster, they’ve shown support for their head coach on numerous occasions and have an urge to keep building under Stricklin.

“I was saying to the guys that we have unfinished business and a lot to prove,” sophomore infielder and closing pitcher Aaron Schunk said after the loss to Duke. “We want more and a lot of guys in that locker room will bust their tails. We want to be back in this same spot (as a regional host) – on the other side.”

This story was originally published June 22, 2018 at 3:10 PM with the headline "Scott Stricklin gets a sense of security with contract extension, raise."