Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Dave Van Horn isn’t going anywhere, but then nobody was really talking about him going anywhere.
The Arkansas baseball coach just signed a new agreement that keeps him running the Razorbacks program through the 2031 season, replacing the 10-year deal he inked back in 2021.
The new contract bumps Van Horn’s annual pay to $2.1 million and tacks on bonuses if he wins a Men’s College World Series title or simply sees the deal through to its final year.
It’s a clear signal from Arkansas that Van Horn remains the guy they want steering the ship on The Hill.
Athletic director Hunter Yurachek didn’t hold back when explaining why the school moved to extend one of its most successful coaches.
“Over the past 24 seasons, Coach Van Horn has built and sustained one of the premier baseball programs in the country,” Yurachek said. “He embodies Razorback Baseball and this new contract is a well-deserved recognition of his extraordinary leadership and success.”
Yurachek also pointed to the financial backing behind the move.
“Thanks to the support of our donors and stakeholders we have made a nearly seven-figure investment of resources in Coach Van Horn and his staff over the past year reinforcing our commitment to competing for championships and sustaining excellence in Razorback Baseball for years to come,” he said.
Van Horn came back to coach his alma mater in 2003, and the 2027 season will be his 25th leading the Hogs.
It’ll also mark his 39th season overall as a college head coach. Since he returned to Fayetteville, Arkansas baseball has reached eight College World Series trips, including a runner-up finish in 2018 and five top-five finishes.
The Razorbacks have made 22 NCAA Tournaments under his watch and claimed three SEC regular-season titles along with eight SEC Western Division crowns and one SEC Tournament championship in 2021.
What Van Horn said about staying home
For Van Horn, the extension isn’t just business. It’s personal.
“I want to thank the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees, Chancellor Robinson and our Athletic Department administration for their belief in and support of our baseball program,” he said. “All I ever wanted to do was coach at Arkansas and I’m thankful to continue leading my alma mater for many more years to come.”
He also talked about where the program stands and where he wants it to go.
“I’m extremely proud of what our coaching staff and players have accomplished up to this point and I’m excited for our program’s future as we work hard to bring a national championship to the most loyal fans in the country,” Van Horn said.
Arkansas’ win total under Van Horn now sits at 974 overall, with 390 of those coming in SEC play. His player development record speaks for itself too.
Three Razorbacks have won the Golden Spikes Award on his watch: outfielder Andrew Benintendi in 2015, pitcher Kevin Kopps in 2021 and infielder Wehiwa Aloy in 2025.
Benintendi and Kopps also took home the Dick Howser Trophy those same years.
Add in 43 All-Americans, 59 All-SEC picks and 167 MLB draft selections, including a program-record 12 players drafted in 2026, and it’s easy to see why the university wanted him locked in long-term.
Hall of Fame honors keep stacking up
The accolades for Van Horn don’t stop at wins and draft picks. He’s already in the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame after being inducted in 2019 and joined the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor in 2024.
Most recently he was tabbed for induction into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as part of the 2027 class.
Across his 38 years coaching, starting at Texarkana Community College, Van Horn 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 combined for 10 College World Series trips, seven outright conference titles, a Division II national championship and 26 NCAA Tournament appearances over the last 28 full seasons he’s coached.
Heading into 2027, Van Horn becomes one of just 12 head coaches in NCAA history and one of only five SEC coaches ever to take multiple programs to the College World Series, joining names like Jim Schlossnagle and Jay Johnson on that short list.
Between his stops at Central Missouri State, Northwestern State, Nebraska and Arkansas, Van Horn has piled up 1,345 wins at four-year schools, the most of any active coach.
Toss in his 214 wins at Texarkana and his career total climbs to 1,559 victories, tops among all active Division I coaches.
Arkansas has had just two baseball coaches since 1970.
Van Horn and the late Norm DeBriyn combined have led the Razorbacks for 57 seasons and counting, piling up 2,135 wins and a dozen College World Series trips between them.
Key takeaways
- Van Horn’s new deal runs through 2031 and raises his salary to $2.1 million with title and completion bonuses
- Since returning in 2003, he’s built a 974-win Razorbacks program with eight College World Series trips
- Van Horn is set for induction into the ABCA Hall of Fame as part of the 2027 class
