CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Brian O’Connor, the architect of Virginia baseball’s rise to national prominence, is stepping down after 22 seasons to become the next head coach at Mississippi State University.

The move, confirmed late Sunday night on Mississippi State’s official athletics website, HailState.com, comes just hours after the Bulldogs were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament. O’Connor’s departure had been widely speculated in recent days, and now marks the end of a historic era in Charlottesville.

Since arriving in 2004, O’Connor transformed Virginia into one of college baseball’s premier programs. Before his tenure, the Cavaliers had never advanced beyond an NCAA regional. Under his leadership, they made 18 tournament appearances, reached nine Super Regionals, and made seven trips

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