JD Arteaga believes Miami is 'a step closer' after Super Regional run

There are very few coaches in college baseball who have had the chance to be a player, assistant, and head coach at one program. The Miami Hurricanes have one of those coaches in JD Arteaga, and his passion for the team has been evident throughout the postseason.

Now in their second season under Arteaga as head coach, the Hurricanes made it to the Super Regional before falling to Louisville. That’s an accomplishment that Arteaga is proud of, but it’s also one that he recognizes is just a step toward his eventual goal with the program.

“We’re a step closer,” JD Arteaga said. “Not where we want to be, but just a step closer. I’m never satisfied. I told the team that we were close, but we’re not in this to just get close, you know, but we’re closer today than we were yesterday, and closer than the day before, definitely closer than what we were last year.”

Arteaga was a pitcher for Miami from 1994 to 1997. He would have a brief minor league career before returning to Miami in 2003 as an assistant coach under multiple different head coaches over the next two decades. Then, in 2024, he’d become the team’s head coach looking at a rebuild over the next few seasons with the program.

Miami went just 27-30 in his first season as the head coach at Miami. The Hurricanes followed that up with a 35-27 season overall and 15-14 in ACC play. They’d make it into the Field of 64 as a bubble team, but once you’re in anybody can make a deep run. They’d win the Hattiesburg Regional, setting up a Super Regional against ACC foe Louisville. That series would go three games and come down to a tightly contested 3-2 game on Sunday that eliminated the Cardinals.

Throughout the postseason run, veteran pitcher Will Smith has been effusive in his praise for JD Arteaga. That included after their eventual elimination when he was emotional while thanking him for the opportunity.

“That guy gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. I can’t thank him enough, man. He means so much to me, and he means so much to the rest of the players. It’s not just me, man. He loves every single player and every single player loves him. It’s easy to play when you’ve got a guy like that. So, I can’t thank him enough or the University of Miami enough. I’ll be a Hurricane for life,” Smith said. “And I’m sure I’ll annoy JD next year when I’m working at State Farm and texting him, ‘Why are we shifting?’ But, unbelievable experience and I can’t thank him or the university enough.”

Smith won’t be with Miami next season, but Arteaga will along with several other key returners. Along with a few additions, the Hurricanes will hope to get past the Super Regional and make the College World Series next year.