Forward momentum

Baseball has been central to Mik Aoki’s life since he was a child throwing Kenko-brand balls to the second floor wall of his apartment complex in Japan. But the head coach of Spider baseball views the sport as more than a passion — it’s an opportunity to enrich the whole person.

Aoki began his coaching journey in 1991 at Manchester Community College in Connecticut. He went on to coach at Notre Dame, Boston College, Columbia, and Morehead State. However, his respect for UR’s program goes back to high school when Richmond was one of the schools he considered. 

“For a solid 20-year stretch, Richmond baseball was really good and was one of the places you thought about being able to combine academics and athletics at a high level, and I thought it might be a great fit,” Aoki said.

When Richmond’s head coach position opened in 2023, Aoki pursued it. He wanted to be part of a baseball program that offered the opportunity to be competitive combined with a great academic and developmental experience. He brought this mentality to his first season at UR.

“I want our kids to be the very best they can or aspire to be the very best wherever they find their feet, whether that’s in a classroom, the dormitory, [or] the baseball field,” he said.

His first season, in 2024, offered some challenges as Aoki and his team adjusted to each other. Despite a rough 0-5 start, Aoki was proud to witness significant improvement that carried the team to the A10 championship game. Resilience after losses was key to the team’s improvement.

“The ability for our guys to just forget what happened on Tuesday and be able to be that team that we were at the end of the year on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday was pretty remarkable,” he said.

During the 2025 season, progress continued. The team missed the cut for the A-10 tournament after its surprise appearance in 2024, but it finished with a record of 33-19 — the program’s highest win total in 21 seasons. Along the way, the Spiders picked up victories over North Carolina State and No. 23 Virginia, and outfielder Aaron Whitley set a new Spider single-season record with 36 stolen bases. Six players earned All-Conference honors, and Aoki collected his 600th win as a Division I head coach. Throughout, the team was present-minded, enjoying experiences in the moment.

“I hope that kids aren’t walking away from the programs that I’ve been involved with and the only thing they’ve learned is how to hit or how to pitch. I hope [the program is] helping them in school, helping them in life, and helping them once they transition into the work world.”