iStockphoto / Lamar University Athletics
Will Davis was announced as the new head coach of the Houston baseball program on Tuesday. He will be coaching for a different program this postseason.
Davis found out his NCAA Tournament fate on Monday after leading Lamar to a Southland Conference championship. He will remain with the Cardinals before moving into his new role.
That may seem like an obvious decision, but we’ve seen some crazy things happen over the last year in college sports.
Will Davis was hired by Houston.
Habemus exercitorem!
Welcome Houston’s newest skipper, Will Davis.
The next chapter of Cougar Baseball is here. pic.twitter.com/4RVHjEEpvI
— Houston Baseball (@UHCougarBB) May 26, 2026
Davis is a former LSU player that’s been the head coach at Lamar for 10 years. He led the Cardinals to 289 wins over that decade, making him the second-winningest coach in program history.
As a manager, he built Lamar into a mid-major power. They won 40+ games in both ’24 and ’25 before making the NCAA Tournament field this year.
During the regular season, the Cardinals picked up a win over Kansas, a team that will soon host a regional in Lawrence. Lamar will look to do some more damage against Power 4 opponents in the postseason.
The squad is headed to College Station as the No. 4 seed in the Texas A&M regional. They’ll line up in a field with the Aggies, USC, and Texas State. A familiar face will remain in the dugout.
Davis is *technically* not coaching his program.
On Monday, Lamar qualified for the NCAA Baseball Championship, as they will compete in the College Station Regional alongside Texas A&M, Texas State and Southern California beginning on Friday. On Tuesday, it was announced that the Houston Cougars will hire Lamar head coach Will Davis at the conclusion of the Cardinals’ postseason run.
While he has been integral in Lamar’s success over the last decade, the program is no longer his. It will soon be someone else’s to lead and make their own with Will Davis moving onto Houston. He’s handing over the keys.
With that being said, this team is still his. He’s led it through 59 games. He will continue to do so for at least two more.
There is something to be said for that decision. Lamar’s chances of advancing out of the regional are slim. Davis could very easily bolt for Houston now in order to settle in and kickstart recruiting.
It’s something we recently saw happen in college football. Lane Kiffin bailed on Ole Miss ahead of a national championship run in order to get started at LSU. While the recruiting calendars in the sports are a bit different, it was still a shocking saga to watch play out.
Davis refuses to leave his players high and dry. He will finish his current job before taking on a new one.
Will Davis is the head coach of the Houston baseball program. He will commendably coach a different school during the postseason.