Steve “Hoot” Johnigan is in his fifth season as a coach with the Baylor softball program. Johnigan, who served as an assistant coach on Baylor’s baseball team for 20 years, has spent the last five years as Associate Director of Athletic Facilities and Operations in addition to serving as the color analyst for Baylor baseball broadcasts.
Johnigan is no stranger to the softball program as he filled in as the hitting coach during the 2019 season when associate head coach Mark Lumley suffered a hip injury.
During the 2024 season, Johnigan continued to work primarily with the hitters and outfielders, cultivating them as one of the top offenses in the country. Johnigan helped Shaylon Govan to unanimous first-team All-American honors, while almost doubling the power hitting from the previous season.
During the 2023 season, Johnigan primarily worked as the hitting coach, where he helped first-baseman Shaylon Govan to be named the 14th All-American in school history. Govan hit .369 with 11 home runs, nine doubles and 54 RBIs. BU had three hitters hit above .300 on the season. He also helped the Bears to their first 40-win season since 2017 and a trip to the NCAA postseason.
In 2022, Johnigan continued as the hitting coach and helped lead transfer McKenzie Wilson to set a Baylor single-season record with a .530 on base percentage and helped her claim on of the top spots in the Big 12 as Baylor’s leadoff hitter.
In the 2021 season, Johnigan served as the hitting coach and worked with the catchers. He helped Lou Gilbert lead the team and land as one of the tops in the Big 12 as Baylor’s leadoff hitter. The third-year sophomore earned All-Region honors in addition to a second-team nod from the Big 12.
During his time with Baylor Baseball, Johnigan served as the primary hitting coach, coordinated the Bears’ offense and baserunning and worked specifically with the infielders and catchers. Johnigan helped lead the Baylor offense to record seasons for runs scored and stolen bases in 1999 in addition to establishing BU as one of the nation’s leaders in development of catchers.
Before coming to Baylor, Johnigan spent four seasons at Mississippi State, where his primary responsibilities were coaching catchers, outfielders and hitters. In addition to his on-field duties, he also coordinated travel and umpire assignments.
A 1989 kinesiology graduate of Texas A&M, Johnigan served as both a student assistant coach and a graduate assistant at A&M. As a student assistant coach in 1988 and 1989, Johnigan worked with then-graduate assistant and former Baylor Baseball head coach Steve Smith. While at A&M, Johnigan worked with the Aggie infielders, catchers and hitters. He received a master’s degree in education from Mississippi State in 1991.
A walk-on catcher, Johnigan became a two-year starter (1984-85) at Texas A&M. His career batting average of .352 ranks among the best in Aggie history. In his junior season, Johnigan received the Wally Moon Award, given to the team’s most improved player. Johnigan was the squad’s captain in 1985 and was selected to the Southwest Conference all-tournament team that same year. For his efforts, he was awarded with the Marion Pugh Spirit Award for his “never say die” attitude.
After finishing his senior year at Texas A&M, Johnigan signed a professional baseball contract with the Cleveland Indians. He continued in the Cleveland organization through the 1987 season as both a player and assistant coach on two league-champion teams. Johnigan was catcher on the 1986 Midwest League championship team in Waterloo, Iowa. He also served as pitching coach for the 1989 Appalachian League champion Kinston Indians in Kinston, N.C.
A native of Bryan, Texas, Johnigan was a two-time all-district shortstop and pitcher at Bryan High School. He went on to Bee County Junior College in Beeville (1982-83), where he was team captain and all-conference catcher in 1983.
Johnigan is married to the former Donna Vaughn of Blossom, Texas. They are the parents of two boys, Zachary, who married former Baylor All-American pole vaulter Annie Rhodes; and Brycen.