Dusty Hart enters his fourth season as head coach of the Blinn College baseball team after taking the Buccaneers to the mountaintop in 2024. After a fantastic debut campaign in 2023, Hart upped the ante in 2024 by leading Blinn to a second consecutive Junior College World Series appearance (eighth overall) and its first NJCAA Division I national championship.
The 2025 campaign proved to be the latest chapter of success for Hart and the Buccaneers. Hart led Blinn to its highest win total during his three-year run with the program (48-15) and captained the ballclub to a program-record third consecutive Region XIV South and Region XIV South Regional title, as well as a third consecutive Region XIV Super Regional and Mid-South District championship. The Bucs qualified for their third consecutive NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series -- also a program record -- and finished 2-2 in the 10-team tournament. Additionally, Hart was named the Region XIV South Coach of the Year, and sophomore catcher Matt Quintanar was tabbed the South's Hitter of the Year. Sophomore pitchers Brok Eddy and Hunter Bond, sophomore first baseman Caden Ferraro and sophomore outfielder Bennett Fryman, and freshman pitcher Hayden Morris and Ben Polleschultz were first-team honorees. Freshman pitcher Cadyn Shaw was selected to the second team. At the JUCO World Series, sophomore catcher/designated hitter Ethan Gonzalez had a historic run as he tied the World Series single-game record with six hits before breaking the tournament record for batting average with a .700 performance (14 for 20). Nine players from the 2025 team signed with NCAA Division I programs.
The Buccaneers finished the 2024 season with a 47-17 record and went 29-6 in the Region XIV South to capture its second region crown in as many seasons. Blinn would go on to host the Region XIV South Regional Tournament for a second consecutive season, as well as the Region XIV Super Regional, where it defeated San Jacinto College-North in a best-of-three series to advance to the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.
Once the Bucs arrived in Grand Junction, they went on to post a 5-1 record, staving off elimination while advancing to the championship game. In the title tilt, Blinn defeated Northwest Florida State College 12-5 to bring the championship home to Brenham. The Bucs set multiple tournament team records, including total hits (101), total runs (86), and longest game played (4 hours, 14 minutes). Individual marks were also set, with sophomore Tanner Reaves collecting a tournament-record 18 hits and seven doubles, while sophomore Cade Climie had a tournament-best 15 runs. Additionally, Climie was named the tournament's inaugural Kirby Puckett Memorial MVP Award winner and the World Series' Most Outstanding Hitter, sophomore infielder Tony Vernars was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player, and freshman Lucas Davenport was tabbed Most Outstanding Pitcher.
Furthermore, Hart was named the 2024 Region XIV Coach of the Year — his 11th such region coaching award — and went on to earn recognition as the 2024 NJCAA DI ABCA/ATEC National Coach of the Year. Fifteen Buccaneers signed with four-year universities, including 12 at the NCAA Division I level. Sophomore infielder Connor McGinnis earned recognition as an NJCAA Division I Third-Team All-American.
Hart's second season at Blinn followed a fantastic debut in 2023.
The Bucs posted a 46-15 overall record and captured its first Region XIV South title since 2001, the Region XIV South Regional title, and the Region XIV Super Regional championship. Blinn reached the NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series for the first time since 2014 and the seventh time in program history. The Bucs went on to finish in fourth place with a 2-2 record at the World Series.
Hart was named the 2023 Region XIV Coach of the Year.
Prior to arriving at Blinn, Hart spent 16 seasons as head coach of the Grayson College baseball team (Denison, Texas).
During his head coaching career, Hart has compiled an impressive 716-312 record, which also includes the 2008 NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series championship.
In 2008, Hart was named the NJCAA National Coach of the Year, American Baseball Coaches Association Junior College Coach of the Year, and Diamond Baseball Coach of the Year, as well as the JUCO World Series Coach of the Tournament. Hart is a seven-time Region V North Coach of the Year and a two-time Southwest District Coach of the Year.
Hart is a graduate of Lubbock Monterey High School, where he played for legendary high school baseball coach Bobby Moegle. Hart was the starting shortstop during Lubbock Monterey's successful run to the 1996 Texas 5A state championship.
He attended Grayson College and was a two-year starter at shortstop during the 1997 and 1998 seasons before moving on to the University of Texas-Pan American. Hart played two seasons at shortstop for UTPA and graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology.
Hart spent one season as an undergraduate assistant for UTPA and served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Grayson from 2001-05 before being named Grayson's head coach.
Hart has sent dozens of players to Division I universities and 25 of his student-athletes have been drafted by Major League Baseball organizations.
Hart, his wife Stephanie, and their children, Braydon, Jax, Marlie, Dalton, and Grace live in Brenham, Texas.
