NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans baseball head coach
Dax Norris is stepping down after both sides mutually agreed to part ways following the 2025 season. The remainder of Norris' contract will run through the end of June.
Norris spent four seasons on the Lakefront, with the first three spent as the pitching coach. He was elevated to interim head coach a month ahead of the 2025 season after Blake Dean stepped down to take a job in the private sector.
Under Norris, the Privateers made it to the Southland Conference Championship Series after qualifying as the 8-seed. New Orleans ran through the Hammond Bracket with a 3-0 record before falling to HCU to end their season with a record of 28-26.
"After speaking with our athletic director, I have decided to step down from the program," said Norris. "I would like to thank all the players, their families, Dr. Kathy Johnson for her relentless support, and
Vince Granito. I know the future will be bright for this program."
Norris made his mark on the pitching side with an All-Southland selection four consecutive seasons.
Tyler LeBlanc was on the team in 2022. Brandon Mitchell earned a spot in 2023.
Colton Mercer made the postseason team in 2024 and
Grant Edwards earned a spot in the recently completed 2025 season.
Offensively, the Privateers finished second in the conference in home runs and slugging percentage. They also finished in the top five in the league in doubles, batting average and runs scored.
Norris has deep ties to New Orleans that stem back to his playing days. He spent parts of two seasons of his professional career with the New Orleans Zephyrs in the early 2000s while he was with the Houston Astros organization.
As pitching coach and this year as interim head coach, Norris has been at the helm of pitching staffs that have posted three of the top 11 single season strikeout totals in program history.
This year also included three All-Southland selections in Edwards,
Tristan Moore and
Bryce Calloway. Also, Calloway is a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year and the best amateur athlete in Louisiana. He was named a D1Baseball Midseason All-American and was a semifinalist for NCBWA Stopper of the Year.
"Dax has been an outstanding assistant and interim head coach for UNO," said Granito. "I appreciate him stepping up in a very difficult situation this past season taking on the head coaching duties on short notice. I wish Dax and his family nothing but the best in the future."
The position has been posted and a search is being conducted for the new head coach.
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