Van Horn's tearful presser may hint at his final chapter at Arkansas

Arkansas baseball's performance this postseason has been phenomenal. To lose the four of the last regular season series and go 0-1 in the SEC Tournament but head into the College World Series undefeated is an incredible task. And the absolute dominance they've displayed in the process makes it even more sweet.

Dave Van Horn's emotional press conference sparks retirement talks

It's been an emotional roller coaster this season for fans, and judging by Dave Van Horn's postgame press conference, it's been the same for the Razorbacks' head baseball coach. The gravity of the Super Regional victory, compounded by the past two heart-breaking seasons, left Van Horn unable to make it through his opening statement without breaking down.

"I'm just so happy for everybody involved with the program," said Van Horn. "Especially, you know, the players because they're the ones who do all the work. They're the ones who win all the games. So happy that they're gonna finish this season in Omaha."

At that point, Van Horn began to tear up, and his voice began to shake. "I don't know. It just means a lot," he said while hiding his face behind his hat.

Fans seldom see Van Horn get emotional like this, so it's clear that this season—that this team means a great deal to him. And it's caused some to speculate about his future as the head coach at Arkansas.

Van Horn is advancing in age, and he's devoted 23 years of his life to leading the Diamond Hogs. The question of his retirement is not a matter of if but when, and seeing how special this season is to him, it's logical to assume that that day is coming sooner rather than later. However, that's not the only piece of evidence.

One of the biggest storylines of the Fayetteville Regional was Creighton's head coach, Ed Servais, retiring after 21 seasons with the Bluejays. After Arkansas advanced to the Super Regional round against Creighton, Van Horn was caught on a hot mic telling Servais that he wasn't far behind him. At the time, it was dismissed as a light-hearted conversation between two older gentlemen, but now the comment seems like foreshadowing.

Then there's Tennessee head coach Tony Viltello's reaction. Vitello stayed around to shake hands with the Arkansas coaching staff and talk with Van Horn. During his press conference, the media asked him about those exchanges, and Vitello, who, like Van Horn, doesn't wear his feelings on his sleeve, became emotional as well.

"Hopefully, I didn't look bad in front of my team," Vitello said as his voice began to tremble. "I'm some of those guys... Some of those guys said something they didn't have to say, and I think there's some mutual respect there. There's a coach in our league that anytime he sees you on the road, always says, 'I know we're supposed to hate each other, but I have a lot of respect for you guys."

While Vitello doesn't give a name to the coach he mentions at the end, in context, it seems to be about Van Horn. Despite their rivalry on the diamond the past few years, the two are good friends, and his reaction in the press conference could have been from knowing that it would be the last time they played each other. But that is all speculation, of course.

However, if it is indeed Van Horn's last season on the Hill, it may be his best shot at the national championship. In the same postgame press conference, every player who spoke to the media expressed that, above all, they want to win a natty for Van Horn. Regardless, the next week (hopefully two) is bound to be an emotional ride for the team and fans alike.