University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware Mourns the Passing of Baseball Coaching Icon Bob Hannah
12/15/2025 9:54:00 AM | Baseball
NEWARK, Del. - The University of Delaware mourns the loss of one of the most respected and successful coaches in the history of collegiate baseball, Robert "Bob" Hannah. He was the head coach of Delaware baseball from 1965-2000 and won more games than any coach in any sport in UD history.
A native of Trenton, N.J., Hannah led the Fightin' Blue Hens to a 36-year mark of 1,053-464-6. His 1,053 wins are tied for 85th all-time in college baseball history. Hannah was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame in 1991, was a charter member of the Delaware Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994, and was selected to the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1997.
He guided his teams to 12 NCAA regional appearances, 22 conference titles, and the school's only College World Series appearance in 1970. His teams had just two losing seasons and won 20 or more games 29 times, including a string of five straight 40-win seasons between 1994-98 when the Fightin' Blue Hens won five-straight conference titles.
A 1961 undergraduate and 1964 master's degree graduate of the University of Delaware, Hannah was a five-time NCAA District Coach of the Year and a nine-time conference coach of the year pick. He coached 25 All-Americans and 33 Major League Baseball Draft selections during his tenure, including major league players Kevin Mench of the Texas Rangers and Mike Koplove of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He also coached 21 conference players or pitchers of the year.
The University of Delaware baseball stadium, which opened in Hannah's second season as head coach in 1966, was renamed Bob Hannah Stadium in May 2000 in his honor. He also served as Chairman of the University of Delaware Department of Physical Education for several years.
