I have heard nothing that makes me think they give a tinker's damn about baseball or softball competing for an ACC championships and World Series appearances.

He was given 4 years and his contract wasn't renewed. Mik is in year 5. And outside last year's NCAA appearance, I wouldn't say his results are materially more impressive than Schrage's (although Schrage certainly had some mitigating conditions).

I do think the athletic department cares about the success of men's baseball, just like they did women's volleyball. Just like they did with women's lacrosse.

ND has had too much talent to continually be a .500 program (or just barely ahead of that).

And not sure if you've been following but ND women's softball finished 3rd in the ACC and lost in the Championship of the ACC tournament this season. And last year, ND finished 3rd in the regular season. It's hard to say what the athletic department's (or administration's) reaction to those performances indicate, but from my laymen's vantage point they aren't that far from competing at the highest level of the conference.

Schrage was a Kevin White hire. The previous women's VB and LAX coaches likewise were hired by earlier ADs.

I think Swarbrick cares, at least in the general sense. But the big question to me is how much it will take for him to get rid of a head coach he brought to ND. As disappointing as this season has been, and as mediocre as the last 6 have been in the aggregate (not to mention the 4 before that), I'd be surprised if Swarbrick pulled the trigger after this season.

We'll probably know soon. Schrage's departure was announced in mid-June 2010.