Baseball Coach Ryan Hunt Voted Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year After Phoenix's 2025 Resurgence

LEBANON, Tenn.--Ryan Hunt has been named the 2025 Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year, announced by the Mid-South Conference on Tuesday. The honor is the first of Hunt's head coaching career.

Now in his fourth season at the helm, Hunt led the Phoenix to a 33-15-1 overall record and a 13-5 mark in Mid-South play, vaulting Cumberland to a second-place finish in the regular-season standings. The Phoenix also received votes in four consecutive NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 polls this season with one more poll set to be released Wednesday. Cumberland placed the most players on the All-Conference list in the league with 10.

Last season, the Phoenix finished sixth in the league standings with an overall record of 22-28. This spring, they made a decisive jump forward. The Phoenix won every conference series this season and won every series all year except one.

Cumberland's success in 2025 has been backed by one of the most balanced statistical profiles in the NAIA. The Phoenix rank 22nd nationally in both batting average (.335) and on-base percentage (.451), while also sitting among the top 40 in home runs (54), slugging percentage (.513), and total bases (778). The lineup has been especially disciplined, drawing 244 walks (32nd) and ranking 12th in the country in times hit by pitch (98).

On the mound, Cumberland's pitching staff posted a 5.18 team ERA, good for 33rd nationally, and held opponents to a .269 batting average. The Phoenix recorded five shutouts this season (18th in the NAIA) and stayed among the toughest teams to hit against, with 379 innings pitched and consistent weekend starting performances. Cumberland's combination of offensive firepower and pitching depth helped push the program back into the national conversation.

A Cumberland alumnus and former longtime assistant, Hunt stepped into the head coaching role in 2022, following the retirement of his father, Woody Hunt, who built Cumberland into an NAIA powerhouse. Over 41 seasons, Woody amassed more than 1,600 wins, three national championships, and 17 Coach of the Year honors, leaving behind a legacy that shaped the program's identity.

While the family name carries weight, the connection is inescapable. Ryan has carved his own path in the dugout with his steady leadership and a clear, forward-looking vision. Earning his first Coach of the Year honor this season is a meaningful milestone and a sign that the next era of Cumberland baseball is not just continuing, but still thriving.

Hunt's Phoenix now turn their attention to the Mid-South Conference Tournament set to begin on Wednesday. Cumberland will chase its shot at a title with hopes of bringing postseason hardware back to Lebanon.

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