The Kansas Jayhawks are proving that their record-breaking 2025 season was no fluke. After a historic breakthrough last year, the team is on pace for its best campaign since the legendary 1993 squad that made the program's only College World Series appearance. Currently riding a 10-game winning streak and winners of 21 of their last 22 games, the Jayhawks have opened up a four-game lead in the Big 12 Conference after sweeping Arizona. The team reached a new milestone on Monday, earning its highest-ever ranking at No. 7 in the D1Baseball.com poll and No. 9 by Baseball America.
“I think they just love playing baseball,” head coach Dan Fitzgerald said. “They’re tough, they work hard, and they take their preparation very seriously. They’re really fun to be around. There’s a lot of work that goes into this. Still a lot of coaching, a lot of preparation, and it’s specific to each player. There’s a lot of stuff right now that they’re just running with — the energy in the dugout, their attitude towards each other. It’s a very selfless group.”
For a program with 136 years of baseball history, this level of success is uncharted territory. Kansas (37-11, 20-4 Big 12) has an all-time record just barely above .500, and their last regular-season conference championship came all the way back in 1949. They did win the Big 12 Tournament in 2006, but 22 of their 29 regular-season conference records have been sub-.500. The turnaround under Fitzgerald, who took over after assistant coaching stints at Dallas Baptist and LSU, has been remarkable. The Jayhawks' 2025 totals of 43 overall wins and 20 conference wins were both program records, and their 80 total wins since the start of last season are tied for third-most in Division I.
What makes this run even more impressive is the roster overhaul. Fitzgerald has successfully integrated a wave of junior-college transfers, with 26 of the 35 players being newcomers and 24 who had never played in Division I before. One standout is Tyson LeBlanc, who played junior college ball at LSU-Eunice last season and has seamlessly transitioned to the big stage. The Jayhawks are showing that their rise is built on a foundation of hard work, preparation, and a selfless team culture — and they're just getting started.