Events

Mitch Thompson was selected as the 20th head baseball coach in program history in 2022.  After nine seasons as the head coach of McLennan Community College and a previous 18-year stint as an assistant at Baylor, Thompson brings more than 30 years of coaching experience into his third season as Baylor head coach in 2025.

One of the most highly respected coaches and recruiters in college baseball, Thompson returned to Baylor Ballpark after spending nearly two decades in the green and gold as a Baylor assistant. He previously helped lead the Bears to three Big 12 Conference titles, 12 NCAA Regional appearances, three Super Regional appearances and the 2005 College World Series during the most prolific stretch in program history from 1995 to 2012. Between 2014 and 2022, Thompson built Waco’s own McLennan CC into one of the nation’s premier junior college programs, coming off back-to-back JUCO World Series appearances, including the 2021 national title.

In Thompson's first season at the helm of Baylor Baseball, the Bears reached the 20-win mark for the 51st consecutive season. Thompson collected his first-career win in thrilling fashion, a 6-5 Opening Day victory in 10 innings, over Central Michigan on Feb. 17, 2023. Under Thompson's direction, BU posted three walk-off wins and two wins over ranked opponents in 2023, and set a program record with 18 strikeouts in a Big 12 contest (vs. Oklahoma State, March 24). 

Thompson is a 1988 honors graduate of Fort Hays State in Kansas where he twice earned academic all-conference honors in baseball and served as a team captain as a senior. He began his collegiate career at Cloud County Community College before spending a year at Bacone College before transferring to Fort Hays State. Thompson toured Europe in the summer of 1987 with Athletes in Action, the athletic ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. He earned a master’s degree in physical education from Mississippi State in 1991.

In 1998, Thompson produced an instructional video entitled “Contact Hitting and Plate Coverage” with Championship Books and Videos. In 1999, he again joined Championship Books and Videos to co-produce a six-tape series of videos designed to help youth league coaches teach the game of baseball.

Thompson is a native of Goodland, Kan. He and his wife, Amber, have two daughters, Mary Conley and Caroline, who are both Baylor graduates.

Come here about the history of the relationship between Scouting and Rotary and learn about a new local partnership.

Erik Swanson is the Executive Director of Historic Waco and manages the Earle Harrison House and Pape Gardens.  He is also a Professor at Baylor University in the Department of Museum Studies.  Erik started his museum career interning at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in 2012 and worked at the Baylor University Libraries as their Exhibits Curator and Coordinator from 2015-2022.  He has held numerous leadership positions, including President of the Museum Association of Waco.

Corey Carbonara is a Professor of Film and Digital Media and Director of the Digital Communication Technologies Project at Baylor University.