Previewing the New Big 12 Baseball Teams: Now Batting – Houston

The Cougars look to prove that the last two seasons weren't just a fluke.

When looking at the teams joining the Big 12, there isn't a team that jumps out at you from a popularity standpoint. Upon closer inspection, The Cougars have been building something special in Houston for the past 2-3 years. With higher expectations based on years prior and a veteran head coach (and former Horned Frog) in Todd Whitting, this squad could be a talented competitor in the Big 12 quicker than people anticipated. 

Cameron Nickens drives in a run for Team White in a Fall scrimmage.  :: Houston Baseball Twitter/X

2023 Season for the Cougars

In the 2022-23 season, the Cougars ended their season with a 36-23 record. The year before, they ended their season with a similar record of 37-24. It's safe to say that the program has grown to become a competitor across the nation compared to their 2021-22 year, where they finished a whopping 19-34. 

Houston's best series wins in the 2023 season were against No. 8 East Carolina, Memphis, and Wichita State, against whom they won 5-of-6 games. The Cougar's season ended at the AAC Championship, where they would finish the tournament going 3-2 with a loss to Tulane in the tournament finale to end their season. While they didn't get an opportunity to get to Omaha, they've certainly changed the status quo for seasons to come during Coach Whitting's time at Houston.

Returning Players

Paul Schmitz and Justin Murray headline two of Houston's players who are expected to perform every week. 

Schmitz logged a 3.70 ERA and was regarded as the best starter for the Cougars, eating up 41.1 innings for the team in the 2023 season. One statistic that stands out for Schmitz is his opponent's average, which sits at a solid .209. Schmitz's 2023 awards included: 2023 Freshman All-American Second Team and 2023 American All-Academic Team.

Murray provided for both sides of the ball in 2023 and was a force to be reckoned with all around the field. Murray hit .379 at the plate with 11 home runs on 83 hits, while also tossing 40 innings for the Cougars, posting a 3.07 ERA out of the bullpen last season. Murray's 2023 awards included: 2023 NCBWA All-American Third Team, 2023 All-Conference First Team, 2023 All-Tournament Team, 2023 American All-Academic Team, 2023 All-Silver Glove Series Team, 2023 American Player of the Week (5/15/23), and 2023 American Pitcher of the Week (5/21/23)

Houston at a Glance 

• Location: Houston, TX
• # of Students: 24,125
• First D1 Season Record:
• First Documented: 1-5 (1947)
• First Season over 20 Games Played: 16-9 (1951)
• Head Coach: Todd Whitting
• Stadium: Schroeder Park
• Stadium Capacity: 3,500
• Current MLB Players: John King, Connor Wong, Nick Hernandez, Austin Pruitt, Jared Triolo, Corey Julks. 

Conference and Tournament Career

 Houston's success in the different variations of the NCAA tournament/Road to Omaha started near the beginning of the Houston baseball program back in 1951, and it was in 1953 when they first made the CWS. The second and most recent trip to Omaha for the Cougars ended in heartbreak when they lost to Arizona State in the 1967 College World Series. 

Houston's best season in recent years came in 2014 when they made it to the Austin Super Regional, where Texas eliminated them. 

Other Big 12 Newcomers:

For the last couple of weeks, we've been previewing the baseball programs of the four new Big 12 schools. You can read those previews here:

UCF

Cincinnati

BYU - Coming soon

Predicting TCU Baseball's 2024 Season: Can Frogs Meet Lofty Expectations?

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