Mik Aoki 2018-19 Baseball Staff

458-516-2 overall (19 seasons)
248-253-1 at Notre Dame (Nine seasons)
55 MLB Draft Picks
Two NCAA Regional Berths

Through leading a pair of ACC programs, Mik Aoki has consistently produced professional prospects while competing on the biggest stage of collegiate baseball. Over 16 seasons as a head coach, Aoki has seen 50 of his players selected in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft while winning over 400 games.

Notre Dame (248-253-1 in nine seasons)

In 2011, Aoki inherited an Irish program looking to return to postseason baseball and immediately delivered. His first Notre Dame team returned to the conference tournament while slashing its staff ERA by 2.53. The program continued to improve in win total each of his first three seasons before embarking on play in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2014. The trend turned upwards again in 2015, as the Irish rode a blistering 10-1 start to 37 victories and a return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006.

During his tenure at Notre Dame, Aoki has seen 24 Irish players selected in the Major League draft, including 10 picks in the first 10 rounds. The 2013 draft saw three Irish players hear their name called in the first 10 rounds, the most for the program over those first 10 rounds since 2004. Aoki’s club set more Irish draft standards in 2017, as it tied a school record with six draft picks. In addition, three players taken in the first seven rounds were a program record for selections over those opening seven rounds, while it was the third time in school history Notre Dame had three picks in the first 10 rounds, the second such occurrence under Aoki.

Boston College (114-108-1 in four seasons)

Aoki took the Eagles to new heights in his four seasons in Chestnut Hill, including the program’s first NCAA Tournament bid since 1967. BC improved its win total each of his first three seasons before winning a program record 34 games in 2009 and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Slotted into the Austin Regional hosted by number one national seed Texas, the Eagles pushed the Longhorns to the brink with an NCAA-record 25-inning game with a spot in the regional final on the line, coming up just short.

During his time at BC, 28 Eagles were taken in the MLB draft, while the team produced six All-ACC performers. In 2009, BC had a player on the All-ACC First Team for the first time in program history.

Columbia (87-140)

Aoki inherited a Columbia program which had not won more than 20 games since 1987 and promptly led them to a trio of 20-plus win campaigns), as well as a pair of second-place finishes in the Ivy’s Gehrig Division.

Baseball Pedigree

Prior to being named the head coach at BC, Aoki spent three seasons as pitching coach for the Eagles. He saw five hurlers sign professional contracts during his tenure as pitching coach. In addition, Aoki was on the staff at Dartmouth for four seasons (1995-98) and Ohio for two (1993-94) following his coaching debut as the head coach at Manchester (Conn.) Community College.

He played collegiate baseball at Davidson College, seeing action at second, third and catcher. Aoki still ranks as one of the Wildcats’ best hitters thanks to a career .335 batting average and .547 slugging percentage. He capped his career as a senior by leading the team with a .365 average while adding 20 doubles. He went on to play one season for the HCAW Tigers in the Dutch National League.

Personal

Aoki has been a strong advocate for the Pete Frates #3 Fund since the diagnosis of his former outfielder, Pete Frates, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2012. Frates was a freshman at Boston College during Aoki’s first season as BC and served as team captain on the 2007 Eagles squad which was Aoki’s first as head coach. Since Frates’ diagnosis with ALS, Aoki has helped raise thousands for the foundation to help offset his medical costs and fund research for a cure to ALS.

Born in Yokohma, Japan, Aoki was raised in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and attended Milton Academy. He graduated from Davidson with a degree in English in 1990, while also earning a master’s degree in physical education and athletic administration from Ohio University in 1994. Aoki and his wife, Sue, have three children – son, Kai, and daughters, Bryn and Reese.

MIK AOKI YEAR-BY-YEAR