Legendary former University of Hawai‘i head baseball coach Les Murakami will be inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2025, the College Baseball Foundation announced on Monday.
Murakami, who led the Rainbow Warriors from 1971 to 2000, compiled an impressive 1,079 career wins over three decades. Under his guidance, UH appeared in 10 NCAA regionals and reached the pinnacle of the sport in 1980, finishing as national runners-up after a historic run to the College World Series.
A six-time Western Athletic Conference champion, Murakami was twice named WAC Coach of the Year and was honored as NCAA District Coach of the Year in 1986. He also earned national recognition with the prestigious Lefty Gomez Award in 1981.
Beyond wins and titles, Murakami’s legacy includes sending 74 players into professional baseball, 10 of whom reached the major leagues. His impact on the program and the sport is also immortalized in Honolulu, where the University of Hawai‘i’s home ballpark bears his name, Les Murakami Stadium.
In 2000, Murakami was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. His upcoming enshrinement into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame cements his status among the sport’s coaching elite.
The Hall of Fame, operated by the College Baseball Foundation, serves as the central institution for preserving and celebrating the history of collegiate baseball in the United States.