For just the second time ever, Kentucky won the SEC regular season championship in baseball. Sharing the honors with a couple of other teams, it’s still a huge accomplishment for head coach Nick Mingione. While they are now focused on the SEC Tournament in Hoover, he took some time to reflect on the journey.
Mingione traces the success to the backend of the 2022 season when Kentucky began to roll. Another step was taken forward last season by making the Super Regionals and being close to the school’s first-ever trip to Omaha. Everything has come together thus far in 2024 with plenty still to play for.
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“It’s hard,” Mingione said on winning the SEC. “The one thing I’m super proud of is the staff and the players for what they’ve been able to do. It’s been trending. I think back to ’22. Late in the year, we started moving along, figuring some things out. And then last year, being two wins from Omaha playing these same LSU Tigers. And then this year.”
The last time Kentucky took home conference honors was in 2007. Mingione was with Kentucky but as an assistant, getting his first taste of the SEC as a coach. Being his first year on board, Mingione admittedly thought the SEC was not too tough and something he thought was attainable consistently.
Now nearly two decades later, getting his first SEC title as a head coach, he understands how special the run was.
“I’ll tell you this — I was young and naive,” Mingione said. “In ’06, we win the conference and I think ‘This is easy, this is awesome. What do you mean it’s the first time we’ve ever won it?’ And boy, was I wrong. Got humbled because it is the best league in America with the best coaches and players. For the program, it’s being because we’ve had 82 seasons and only done it twice. So, for us to do it, I’m happy they get an experience they’ll never forget.”
Kentucky is certainly aiming for more than the SEC regular season championship. Earning another trophy in Hoover would be nice but getting to Omaha and winning a national championship is the ultimate goal.
Heading into the week, On3’s Jonathan Wagner has Kentucky as the No. 2 overall seed, putting them in a great position to advance far in the NCAA Tournament. Mingione hopes the magical run continues for at least a few more weeks.
The post Nick Mingione describes feeling of winning Kentucky’s second-ever SEC Championship appeared first on On3.