Education
In his first year, despite not playing a home game until their 18th game, his Shockers finished with a winning record.
In his first year, despite not playing a home game until their 18th game, his Shockers finished with a winning record.
As of the end of the 2012 season, he had compiled a 1798-647-3 (735) record. He has the second most wins among active coaches, and ranks second all time in career victories. Only Augie Garrido of the Texas Longhorns has had more wins.
He reached 1200 career wins in 22 seasons, a record.
When he arrived at Wichita State, he inherited a program that had been dormant for over seven years. In his third year, they made the first National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament appearance in school history, and in his fifth they advanced all the way to the title game.
The team, with four first team All-Americans (seven overall), lost to Miami. This was all the more remarkable considering that until 1984, they played at a bare-bones stadium with only a tiny bleacher section for seating.
The momentum from their 1982 title game appearance helped spearhead the building of a permanent facility, Eck Stadium, in 1985.
Under his leadership, the Shockers made seven College World Series and 26 National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament appearances, including 14 straight tournaments from 1987-2000. His teams never had a losing season. His 1982 team went 73-14, establishing an National Collegiate Athletic Association record for single-season wins.
Prior to coaching at WSU, he served as an assistant coach at Oklahoma.
Foreign most of the day on July 10, 2005, Stephenson was the head coach of Oklahoma. Several hours after accepting the job, however, Stephenson decided to remain at Wichita State, reportedly due to scholarship issues at Oklahoma.
After 36 years, Stephenson was fired on June 4, 2013. The following is a table of Stephenson"s yearly records as an National Collegiate Athletic Association head baseball coach.