On Friday, January 9, the UC Irvine Anteaters announced that head baseball coach Ben Orloff will receive a contract extension through the 2030 season.
We are excited to announce Head Coach Ben Orloff has signed a 5-year contract extension to lead the Anteaters through 2030! Full release at the link below!
? | https://t.co/NLGBmePulg#EatersGottaEat | #RipEm pic.twitter.com/Mng36bKCNK
— UCI Baseball (@UCIbsb) January 9, 2026
In 2025, Orloff led UC Irvine to a successful season where they finished with a 43-17 overall record and a 24-6 record in Big West Conference games.
The Anteaters won the 2025 Big West regular season title and also made the NCAA Tournament. They played in the Los Angeles regional and won two games against Fresno State and Arizona State.
UC Irvine Athletic Director Paula Smith is a huge fan of Orloff and made that clear after the extension was made.
“Coach Orloff has built a championship-caliber program defined by sustained success, player development, and national respect,” Smith stated. “This extension reflects our confidence in his leadership and the future of UC Irvine baseball.”
Orloff’s Coaching and Playing Career with UC Irvine
After being an assistant coach on the UC Irvine staff, Orloff was promoted to be the program’s head coach for the 2019 season.
In seven seasons as head coach of the Anteaters, he has won 246 games. This makes him the third-winningest head baseball coach in UC Irvine history.
The 38-year-old has led UC Irvine to the NCAA Tournament three times, including back-to-back trips in 2024 and 2025.
Orloff is also a two-time Big West Coach of the Year winner. He won the award in 2021 and 2025.
Orloff also played shortstop for UC Irvine from 2006 to 2009. He was the Big West Player of the Year and an All-American in 2009. Orloff also won the Brooks Wallace Award that season, which goes to college baseball’s best shortstop.
After his collegiate career, Orloff was selected in the ninth round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros.
Up Next for the UC Irvine Anteaters
UC Irvine will begin the 2026 season on February 13 in Sacramento. They will play a road game against the Sacramento State Hornets at John Smith Field with the first pitch scheduled for 9 p.m. EST.
NCAA news: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: UC Irvine’s Colin Yeaman (34) bats during an NCAA baseball game on Sunday against Long Beach State, March 9, 2025, in Irvine, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
