Ep. 82 | Steve Sabins, West Virginia University

What You'll Learn in This Episode

Steve Sabins, head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, joins Ross Hawley to share how a program once defined by a chain-link fence and portable restrooms became a national contender with back-to-back Super Regional appearances.

The transformation is not only about facilities, analytics, or recruiting. It is rooted in community, player development, talented people, and a team-first culture that asks every player to become part of something bigger than himself.

The highlights:

• Why Morgantown's close-knit, all-in Mountaineer community is a competitive advantage
• How West Virginia went from its first regional in 21 years to back-to-back Super Regionals
• The difference between college baseball's elite development environment and the old minor-league path
• What Coach Randy Mazey built and how it shaped Steve's coaching career
• How a Division I head coach balances the demands of winning with being a present father and husband
• Why new roster limits and the transfer portal have made college baseball operate more like a professional model
• What recruits need beyond raw talent: focus, coachability, persistence, maturity, and the ability to adjust quickly
• Why players should choose the school where they are wanted, then keep developing toward the next opportunity

Building a Program That Represents a State

Steve describes West Virginia as a hidden gem where the Mountaineers are not just a team but a shared identity. In a state with one flagship university, baseball players are on billboards, local businesses work with athletes, and fans follow the program with real pride.

That connection matters because the program is more than a roster. It represents the university, the state, and a blue-collar community that wants to see itself reflected in the way the team works.

"Everything revolves around the Mountaineers."

From a Porta-Potty Line to National Relevance

When Steve first visited the old West Virginia field as an Oklahoma State assistant, the facilities were basic enough that he stood in line at a portable restroom with fans. When he arrived in Morgantown as a 27-year-old assistant in 2015, the program had a new turf field but few of the resources it has today.

The early work was simple: recruit relentlessly, build relationships, develop players, and create a culture players could trust. In 2017, West Virginia reached a regional for the first time in 21 years. The program kept stacking milestones: first-round picks, a hosted regional, the first Super Regional in program history, and then back-to-back Super Regional appearances.

Today, the Mountaineers pair that culture with a biomechanics and performance center, analytics and pitching staff, nutrition, sports psychology, and an athletic department committed to giving the team the resources to pursue Omaha.

College Baseball as the Best Developmental Environment

Steve believes elite college programs can offer the most complete development experience in baseball. Players receive individual support from coaches, biomechanists, nutritionists, sleep specialists, sports psychologists, and performance staff while competing daily for a role.

The environment is demanding because playing time is earned. The support is extensive, but nobody is promised a place in the lineup. That combination of resources and real competition is why the level of college baseball continues to rise.

The Foundation Randy Mazey Built

Steve credits former West Virginia coach Randy Mazey with creating the foundation for the program's modern success. Mazey led the transition into the Big 12, helped build the facilities, and took the program from second-to-last in the Big East to its first Super Regional.

For Steve, Mazey also became a baseball mentor. As a young assistant with energy for recruiting and player relationships, Steve learned the deeper X's and O's of the game: baserunning, pitch calling, strategy, and how to see the whole field. A decade of competing in scrimmages and learning from Mazey prepared him to lead the next chapter.

Build a Staff That Lets You Lead at Home Too

Coaching at the highest level comes with real time demands, and Steve is direct about the cost of trying to be great. His answer is to hire people he trusts, creating a staff that can carry responsibility and give him the chance to be a better husband and father.

His children grow up around highly motivated student-athletes and are included in the life of the program, from birthday cookie cake in the nutrition center to family moments on the field after a regional win. The work is demanding, but the community and short commute make it possible to stay connected at home.

Recruiting in a 34-Man Roster World

New NCAA roster limits, revenue sharing, and the transfer portal have changed college baseball. With a 34-man roster, programs have less room to wait on raw projects, absorb injuries, or take a chance on a player who may need years to become competitive.

That pushes the sport toward a more professional roster-building model. Coaches still want to develop high-school players, but they must balance those players with experienced athletes who have already proven they can compete.

What Coaches Need From Recruits

Talent remains the entry point, but the intangibles determine whether that talent can show up on the field:

• The ability to concentrate and focus
• Coachability and a willingness to apply feedback quickly
• Persistence through adversity
• Confidence and emotional maturity
• A disciplined work ethic and readiness to compete immediately

"If you don't work hard, you have no chance. You're not even in the discussion."

Choose the Place That Wants You

For players who dream of reaching an elite program but are not ready for it today, Steve's advice is practical: go where you are wanted and where you will receive a genuine opportunity to play and develop.

Junior College, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and other programs can all be meaningful steps. Players should be loyal and grateful for the chance they receive, work to improve, and honestly evaluate their next step each year as their ability and goals evolve.

"Go where you're really wanted, where people are interested in you, and where you're convinced you're going to get a great opportunity."

Elevate the Team, Not Just Yourself

Steve closes with his message for the next generation: resist the pull toward individualism. Baseball is a team sport, and players separate themselves when they care as much about the team result and their teammates' success as their own statistics.

Ask more than "How many hits did you get?" Ask how the game went, whether teammates scored, and whether the player helped the group move forward. That team-first mindset is central to winning, belonging, and enjoying the game.

Episode Timestamps

Tap any timestamp to jump the player straight to that moment.

• 0:35 - Why Morgantown and the Mountaineer community are special
• 4:18 - Steve's path from 27-year-old assistant to head coach
• 7:00 - West Virginia's program transformation and back-to-back Super Regionals
• 10:33 - Why elite college baseball is a powerful development environment
• 12:56 - Randy Mazey's lasting impact on West Virginia baseball
• 17:09 - Family, leadership, and the cost of pursuing excellence
• 24:17 - Roster limits, transfers, and the professionalization of college baseball
• 30:30 - What recruits need when they are not finished products yet
• 34:30 - Choosing the college path where you are wanted and can develop
• 38:29 - Team-first advice for elevating the next generation
• 41:42 - Breaking through to Omaha and what it would mean to West Virginia

---

Episode 82 features Steve Sabins, head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, on building a championship-level program, developing players, and putting the team before the individual.