TUSCALOOSA, AL — Former Alabama baseball coach Jim Wells, who guided the Crimson Tide to three College World Series appearances during one of the most successful stretches in program history, has been selected for induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2027.
Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.
The Bossier City, Louisiana native compiled an 817-411 record over a 20-year college head coaching career at Northwestern State and Alabama, winning nearly 67% of his games.
Wells began his coaching career at Loyola College Prep in Shreveport before joining legendary LSU coach Skip Bertman's staff as a graduate assistant in 1987.
He then went on to serve as the head coach of his alma mater at Northwestern State for five seasons before spending 15 seasons at Alabama from 1995-2009.
Wells inherited an Alabama program coming off what was then the worst season in school history in 1994 and quickly turned the Crimson Tide into a national contender.
His Alabama teams made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances and won Southeastern Conference championships in 1996 and 2006.
The Crimson Tide also reached the College World Series three times under Wells, highlighted by a run to the national championship game in 1997.
Before arriving in Tuscaloosa, Wells engineered a similar turnaround at Northwestern State.
The Demons had endured 13 consecutive losing seasons before Wells took over in 1990. His first team opened the season with 20 consecutive victories, then a Louisiana collegiate record, and Wells went on to lead Northwestern State to Southland Conference championships in 1991, 1993 and 1994.
His Northwestern State teams also earned NCAA Tournament berths in 1991 and 1994.
Across his two head coaching stops, Wells led teams to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, five conference championships and three trips to the College World Series.
Wells was also inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2023.
Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Tuscaloosa Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.