Jim Wells retires...

Mark Ethridge at SEBaseball.com reports that Jim Wells has retired as head baseball coach at Alabama.

Wells was hired at Bama in 1995 and won the SEC baseball tournament in 4 of his first 5 seasons (95, 96,97 & 99) including his first 3. Wells' Bama clubs in the 90's reached unpresidented heights for the program. The Tide advanced to Omaha in 1996, 1997 and 1999. They won 40+ games 6 straight seasons from 1995-2000 with the pinnacle being Bama's 1996 56 win team, a school record. That team reached the national championship game. Wells was named SEC coach of the year in 1996 and in 2002, and was named Southland Conference coach of the year in 3 of the 5 seasons has was at Northwestern State.

After last season Wells turned down the LSU job and was given a contract extension at Bama with a promise of facility upgrades.

The Out of Bounds staff was said to be "really broken up" at the departure of Wells. Jay White was overheard saying, "I heard the bear already turned the job down, so naturally Bama fan is pissed, and hates the new coach and he hasn't even been interviewed yet!"

WELLS CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

*Three College World Series (1996, 1997 and 1999) appearances

*Two SEC Championships (1996 and 2006)

*Three SEC Western Division titles (1996, 2002 and 2006)

*Six SEC Tournament Championships (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2003)

*Four, 50-win seasons, including school record 56 wins in 1997

*12, 40-win seasons, including six in-a-row from 1995-2000

*12 NCAA Regional Appearances

*Two-time SEC "Coach of the Year" (1996 and 2002)*1997 Baseball America "Coach of the Year"

*1999 American Baseball Coaches South Region "Coach of the Year"

*1999 NCBWA District III Player of the Year (Andy Phillips)

*2002 Johnny Bench Award Winner (Jeremy Brown)

*2002 Collegiate Baseball/Redline Defensive Player of the Year (Jeremy Brown)

*2002 NCBWA District III Player of the Year (Jeremy Brown)

*2002 Johnny Bench Award Finalist (Jeremy Brown)

*2003 NCBWA District III Player of the Year (Beau Hearod)

*2004 National Freshman of the Year (Wade LeBlanc)

*Five, First-Team All-America Selections

*22, Second and Third-Team All-America Selections

*12, Freshman All-America Selections

*30 All-SEC Selections*Six Academic All-America Selections

*12 Academic All-District Selections

Year School Overall Conference
1990 Northwestern State 38-13 9- 9 (5th)
1991 Northwestern State 40-21 13-5 (1st)
1992 Northwestern State 29-26 9-13 (7th)
1993 Northwestern State 40-14 18-6 (1st)
1994 Northwestern State 45-15 16-5 (1st)
1995 Alabama 42-23 19-11 (3rd West, Won SECT)
1996 Alabama 50-19 20-10 (SEC Co-Champions, Won SECT, CWS)
1997 Alabama 56-14 20-9 (2nd West, Won SECT, CWS)
1998 Alabama 46-18 19-9 (3rd West)
1999 Alabama 53-16 22-8 (2nd West, Won SECT, CWS)
2000 Alabama 42-24 16-14 (4th West)
2001 Alabama 32-23 15-15 (T5th West)
2002 Alabama 51-15 20-10 (SEC Western Division Champions, Won SECT)
2003 Alabama 38-24 14-16 (5th West, Won SECT)
2004 Alabama 29-26 10-20 (6th West)
2005 Alabama 40-23 17-13 (3rd West)
2006 Alabama 44-21 20-10 (SEC Co-Champions)

2007 Alabama 31-26 15-15 (T3rd West)

N'western State Totals 192-89 65-39

Alabama Totals 553-272 226- 158

Career Totals 745-361 291-197