Head Baseball Coach Retires After 28 Years

Mr. Jim DeGraw has announced that he will retire from his position as Rockhurst High School’s Head Baseball Coach at the conclusion of the 2024 season. Coach DeGraw has led the Rockhurst baseball program since 1996.

 

He joined the Rockhurst community in 1992 as a Social Studies teacher and freshman baseball coach, and has faithfully served Hawklet students and student-athletes ever since.

 

“When I made the decision in early-February to retire from coaching, I began to reflect on the relationships over 28 years that were developed and how much coaching and teaching can consume your life. I’m looking forward to having more time to spend with my family in this next chapter,” said Coach DeGraw.

 

Under the leadership of Coach DeGraw, Rockhurst varsity baseball teams have averaged 17 wins per year, completing 23 winning seasons over his 27 total campaigns coached (2020 was canceled). Through April 2024, he held a career head coaching record of 460-283 while winning 10 of the school’s 15 District Titles.

 

Rockhurst has been ranked as the #1 team in Missouri during the course of five different seasons in his tenure, and 30 players were named to the All-State Team.

 

The program’s two State Final Four appearances came in 2004 and 2010. The 2004 season will be remembered by many; Rockhurst started the season on an 18-game winning streak and earned a top-20 national ranking before losing its first game. The team went on to finish 26-3 as the State Runner-Up.

 

Coach DeGraw has mentored 32 players who have gone on to play Division I baseball and eight who have played professionally. In 2020, he was inducted into the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

 

Mr. DeGraw will continue teaching Social Studies at Rockhurst in 2024-25, his 33^rd year in the department. 

 

“I have had the privilege of working with Jim DeGraw as a school administrator for 11 of his 32 years at Rockhurst,” said President David Laughlin. “He is a quality classroom teacher, and, with maybe the most modest facilities of any school he competed against, Coach DeGraw led the baseball program to much success. We’re grateful for his many years of service as head baseball coach, celebrating him as a Missouri Hall of Fame coach, and we are excited that he will continue with the formation of young men in the classroom.”