Western Kentucky baseball coach Marc Rardin was named ABCA/ATEC Midwest Region Co-Coach of the Year, the American Baseball Coaches Association announced Tuesday. (WKU ATHLETICS)

Western Kentucky baseball coach Marc Rardin was named ABCA/ATEC Midwest Region Co-Coach of the Year, the American Baseball Coaches Association announced Tuesday.

The ABCA/ATEC Regional Coaches of the Year are selected by members of the ABCA All-America and Coach of the Year Committees in all nine divisions: NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II and III, Pacific Association Division and high school.

Rardin is the first Hilltopper coach to be recognized for this award in program history. The ABCA has given out this award annually since 2003.

Rardin and the Hilltoppers are coming off arguably the greatest season in Hilltopper baseball history, as the team finished the season with a 46-14 (18-9 Conference USA) record — the second-most wins in a season in program history and the most in 45 years. WKU won its first conference tournament title in 17 years and first Conference USA Championship in program history. The Hilltoppers earned an NCAA regional berth as CUSA’s automatic qualifier, returning to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history and first time in 16 years.

Following the completion of the regular season, Rardin was named CUSA’s Keith LeClair Coach of the Year. He became the seventh conference coach of the year in program history, the first CUSA Coach of the Year in program history and the first in 16 years.

WKU got off to a fast start in 2025, winning 20 of its first 21 games — the best start in program and CUSA history — including a 15-game winning streak, the second-longest winning streak in program history. The Hilltoppers won their first 23 games at Nick Denes Field — the longest home winning streak in program history — and finished the regular season 30-3 at home, the most home victories in a single-season in program history and the most among Group of Five programs.

The Hilltoppers were recognized in multiple national polls following the series win at No. 17 Dallas Baptist. This marked the first national ranking for WKU since 2010. The Tops climbed as high as No. 17 in the Baseball America Poll — the highest ranking in program history by a national media outlet. This ranking came after the Hilltoppers earned a series win over rival Middle Tennessee.

Rardin earned his 100th career win at WKU in just his third season following the series sweep at Liberty. He’s the second-fastest coach to 100 wins at WKU behind Joel Murrie (1980-2005).

Rardin holds a 115-62 overall record in three years as the head coach of the Hilltoppers, the second-best record of Division I teams that made head coaching hires ahead of the 2023 season, only trailing Clemson (133-53).

The 115 victories are the most in a three-year span the program has seen since 1980-82. WKU has improved its win total every season under Rardin.