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Arkansas

Dave Van Horn shares feelings on facing Michael Brooks, other former Arkansas players vs. Kansas

Danby: Daniel Hager05/27/25DanielHagerOn3
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Jun 18, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn walks off the field after the national anthem before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Kansas Athletics

Arkansas will be hosting a Regional in Fayetteville this season for the third consecutive NCAA Tournament. It has been paired up against No. 2 seed Kansas, No. 3 seed Creighton and No. 4 seed North Dakota State.

The potential matchup with No. 2 seed Kansas is an especially interesting one, as two former Razorbacks currently play for the Jayhawks. Senior third baseman Michael Brooks and junior catcher Max Soliz Jr. will be facing their former programs this weekend in Fayetteville.

“Well, Michael’s a good defender that came in out of high school,” Van Horn started with on Tuesday. “We had some good infielders and it just didn’t go well for him in the fall. We knew he’d end up being a pretty good player. It’s a good thing he transferred to another Division I and now he’s there, and has been there for a couple of years. Just solid, just a solid player. I enjoyed having him in here that fall.”

Brooks, who committed to Arkansas out of high school, spent the fall of 2020 in Fayetteville before transferring to UCF. After two seasons in Central Florida, the Wellington, FL native transferred to Kansas for his final three seasons of college baseball. In 149 games (147 starts), Brooks boasts a .296 batting average with 39 doubles, 25 home runs and 110 RBI as a Jayhawk.

“If you don’t see yourself playing right away, you can move.”

“It’s very common that you’re gonna play somebody or run into somebody with a player or two that’s been in your program,” Van Horn said. “Especially nowadays. If things don’t go well or you don’t see yourself playing right away, you can move.”

Soliz Jr. spent one year in the Arkansas program before transferring to Chattahoochee Valley Community College for the 2023 season. He transferred back into Division I baseball for the 2025 season (did not play in 2024), where he’s played in just 13 games (nine starts) for Kansas.

Arkansas finished the regular season with a 43-13 (20-10) record, good enough to secure the No. 2 seed in the 2025 SEC Tournament (lost to Ole Miss in Quarterfinals). The Razorbacks won six of their 10 SEC series this season and will head to the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 6 in D1Baseball’s latest Top 25 Rankings.

It looks to get back to the College World Series this season for the first time since 2022. If it fails to do so, it’s three-year drought (2023-25) would be its longest since its four-year drought from 2005-2008.