Ducks Sign White to New Contract
EUGENE, Ore. – After becoming Oregon softball’s all-time winningest coach in his sixth season, head coach Mike White will be at the helm for another six years after signing a new contract with the Ducks, athletic director Rob Mullens announced Wednesday.
“I’m so excited to be able to keep coaching at this great institution,” White said. “The support the administration has shown softball - with new Jane Sanders Stadium and today’s announcement – and all women’s athletics has been absolutely tremendous. I want to thank Rob Mullens and Lisa Peterson for getting this done. Our goals of winning national championships in softball are shared.”
The total value of White’s new contract is $1.425 million over six seasons with an average annual value of $237,500 through the 2021 campaign. There are incentives on top of that figure tied to program success. As with all other UO coaches and staff, funding for White’s contract comes solely from the athletic department budget with no direct institutional support.
“Mike White is an outstanding softball coach and under his leadership Oregon has achieved unprecedented success,” Mullens said. “With our exceptional student-athletes, the generosity of Mr. Sanders and now the retention of Mike White, Oregon softball is poised to make a run at a national championship.”
White’s time at Oregon has been the most successful stretch in program history, as his 280-83-1 record attests. This year the Ducks advanced to the Women’s College World Series for the third time in the last four seasons after winning their third straight Pac-12 championship. Oregon softball had never won a conference title before White became head coach prior to the 2010 season and had earned just one WCWS bid, coming in 1989.
After the Ducks went 56-9-1 and claimed a No. 1 national ranking for the first time in program history last year, White’s squad went 51-8 this season, winning each Pac-12 series it played. Oregon has won 24 of its last 26 conference series and improved to 18-0 in NCAA Regional play under White after going 3-0 this season. White has taken the Ducks to the WCWS or Super Regionals in each of his six seasons.
In White’s tenure, the Ducks have earned 12 All-America honors and three academic All-America selections. Oregon has claimed 33 all-region choices, three straight Pac-12 pitcher of the year honors, two Pac-12 batting champions and one Pac-12 freshman of the year selection over the last six seasons. White was named Pac-12 coach of the year in both 2013 and 2014. This year the softball program was one of eight teams at Oregon to earn a perfect 1,000 APR score from the NCAA.
In White’s first season, in 2010, the Ducks averaged 394 fans per game. This season, in his sixth year, Oregon averaged 1,198 fans per game.
“Looking to the future I know I will be here for a long time,” White added. “And with our new facilities and some of the best current and future softball student-athletes in America committed to the Ducks, our goal of winning national championships is attainable.”
