FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas baseball Coach Dave Van Horn got a celebratory ice cooler shower courtesy of pitchers Will McEntire and Brady Tygart prior to the start of Monday's practice at Hoover, Ala.
The reason for the cold bath? Pitching coach Matt Hobbs had just announced Van Horn earned SEC coach of the year honors. The Arkansas players responded with a round of applause.
SEC baseball coaches recognized the difficult route Van Horn and his staff navigated due to injuries to direct the No. 4 Razorbacks to the SEC regular season co-championship by selecting him for the honor in voting released by the conference office Monday.
Van Horn, 62, won the award for the third time after steering the Razorbacks (39-15) to their fourth SEC championship with a 20-10 record and a likely top-eight seed for the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Van Horn was joined on the All-SEC team by Arkansas pitcher Hagen Smith, a first-team selection, and designated hitter Kendall Diggs, a second-team pick.
Smith and center fielder Tavian Josenberger were named to the all-defensive team and pitcher Gage Wood was chosen to the all-freshman squad.
Van Horn has the Hogs one victory away from their 14th 40-win season in his 21 seasons and his 17th in 29 seasons at the Division I level.
"It's all about the team and having great coaches," Van Horn told the team in a UA video released on social media. "I've always said, and I've said this every time, it should be 'Coaching Staff of the Year.' Who wins that for you? You guys do. I appreciate you guys."
Hobbs told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that Van Horn has held the team steady through what could have been a rugged year.
"Obviously, our issues are well-documented in terms of the injuries," Hobbs said. "Sometimes it's just pitching or it's just offensive players that get hurt. But for us, it's been everybody.
"We've lost guys at different times all year, and he's done a masterful job of coaching through it all. Every time we had something that set us back, he just refused to give the team any excuses. He refused to give us as assistant coaches any excuses, and he refused to make any excuses himself.
"Because he is who is, he kept our heads above water the entire season. He gave the players confidence, because he never lost confidence. I've only coached with him for five years, but this has got to be up there with one of his best coaching jobs in the regular season in his career."
Junior outfielder Jace Bohrofen said Van Horn deserved the honor following Saturday's regular-season finale, a 7-6 loss at Vanderbilt.
"He definitely deserves it for pushing the right buttons and everything, playing the right people," Bohrofen told Whole Hog Sports. "He's an unbelievable coach. If he doesn't deserve it, I don't know who does."
Vanderbilt Coach Tim Corbin spoke of Van Horn's traits during their series last weekend.
"He's consistent," Corbin told Whole Hog Sports. "He never gets rattled. He gives his team strength by how he acts. I feel like he's got good confidence in every single one of his players."
Van Horn's work in producing the SEC co-championship is further highlighted by the Razorbacks having just two players on the All-SEC teams. He also won the honor in his second year at his alma mater in 2004 when he led the Razorbacks to a 19-11 record and an SEC co-championship with Georgia. He also won it after claiming the overall SEC title in 2021 with a 22-8 record when Arkansas won all 10 of its SEC series and swept its way to the SEC Tournament title.
Van Horn and the Hogs earned the No. 2 seed for the SEC Tournament behind co-champion Florida and open play Wednesday against the winner of Tuesday's game between Tennessee and Texas A&M.
The Razorbacks won seven of 10 SEC series, including sweeps of Auburn, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Texas A&M, despite a rash of injuries to both pitchers and position players that lasted virtually all season.
Pitcher Jaxon Wiggins was lost to Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery during the preseason, then right-hander Coty Frank suffered a season-ending lat injury in March and right-hander Dylan Carter went down in April needing Tommy John surgery. Would-be closer Brady Tygart missed nearly two months with a strained elbow ligament.
Additionally, second baseman Peyton Stovall suffered a torn labrum that ended his season in late April. Outfielders Josenberger and Jared Wegner, catcher Parker Rowland and utility player Ben McLaughlin have all missed amounts of playing time with various injuries.
Smith (8-1, 2.56 ERA) has been the Razorbacks' most consistent pitcher. The 6-3 sophomore from Bullard, Texas, split time as a starter and reliever due to the team's injuries and was named a semifinalist Monday for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the best amateur baseball player in the country.
The left-hander has wins in two of his past three starts, saves over Auburn and Texas A&M. Smith has allowed 42 hits and 37 walks while striking out 93 in 63 1/3 innings. Defensively, he has 3 put-outs, 2 assists and base-stealers are just 1 of 2 against him.
Diggs, a 6-0 sophomore from Olathe, Kan., is hitting .314 with 10 home runs, including 2 grand slams, and a team-high 56 RBI. He spent several weeks playing in the outfield when Josenberger and Wegner were out with injuries.
Josenberger (.301, 7 HR, 27 RBI) has committed no errors while making 109 put-outs with a team-high seven outfield assists. The junior from Park Hill, Kan., a transfer from Kansas, leads the team with 11 stolen bases in 14 attempts.
Wood (2-0, 3.81), a 6-0 right-hander from Batesville, grew into the closer's role about midway through the season and leads Arkansas with five saves. He has 41 strikeouts and 20 walks in 28 1/3 innings and ranks second on the team among regulars behind Brady Tygart with a .184 batting average against.
Bob Holt and Matt Jones contributed information for this report.