| COLLEGE BASEBALL COACHING CAROUSEL |
| Army |
Out: Joe Sottolano
In: Matt Reid (interim)
Buzz: Joe Sottolano put together a fantastic coaching tenure at West Point, but the academy decided this week to part ways with the long-time head coach, terminating him for what they called "behavioral issues". Sottolano spent 13 seasons with the program, earning three Patriot League Coach of the Year honors, seven Patriot League championships, and reaching six NCAA postseasons, including the Austin Regional title game in 2009. He finished his tenure with a 391-286-5 overall record. In the meantime, Army announced associate head coach Matt Reid as in the interim coach for 2014. However, Army's athletic director alluded to there being a national search for a new head coach following the '14 campaign.
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| Auburn |
Out: John Pawlowski
In: Sunny Golloway
Buzz: The Tigers decided to part ways with Pawlowski after five seasons at the helm of the program, tallying a 167-126 overall record, along with 71-79 record in the Southeastern Conference. Also worth noting, the Tigers compiled a 33-23 record this past season, but failed to make the NCAA postseason. Auburn is seeking its fourth head coach since Hal Baird retired after 2000. Samford's Casey Dunn had been suggested by Baird, but the Tigers decided to go with a splash hire in Oklahoma's Sunny Golloway. Golloway spent nine seasons at Oklahoma and previously at Oral Roberts, has reached the NCAA postseason in 14 of 15 years as head coach, recently guiding the Sooners to the Baton Rouge Super Regional.
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| Cal State Northridge |
Out: Matt Curtis
In: Greg Moore
Buzz: In one of the more surprising coaching changes so far this summer, the Matadors parted ways with head coach Matt Curtis, who really had started to change the tone around the program. Curtis guided the Matadors to a 30-plus win record for the first time since 2002 this past season, but a new athletic director felt the need to go a different direction … The Matadors responded by making a very good hire in San Francisco pitching coach Greg Moore. Moore spent the past three seasons as the associate head coach for the Dons. Before that, he was the pitching coach at Washington, and before that, had an earlier stint on Nino Giarratano's coaching staff. Moore is a very well respected coach on the West Coast. |
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| Cincinnati |
Out: Brian Cleary
In: Ty Neal
Buzz: It wasn't too much of a surprise the Bearcats made an offseason coaching move, parting ways with Cleary after he compiled a 434-528-1 overall record in 17 seasons with the program. The Bearcats didn't have a solid 2013 campaign, finishing the year with a 22-31 mark, 4-17 in the Big East. Several intriguing names entered the mix at Cincinnati, including former Georgia coach Dave Perno, but the Bearcats went with long-time and heralded Indiana assistant Ty Neal. Neal spent the last eight seasons with the Hoosiers as the top assistant and recruiting coordinator. Neal is the 27th head coach in University of Cincinnati history.
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| Georgia |
Out: Dave Perno
In: Scott Stricklin
Buzz: Dave Perno spent several seasons as the head coach at Georgia, but the Bulldogs parted ways with him after the program failed to reach the NCAA postseason this past spring. As a result, the Bulldogs didn't waste much time in hiring a new head coach, reeling in a good one in Kent State's Scott Stricklin. Stricklin has plenty of ties to the State of Georgia, including a three-year stint as an assistant for coach Danny Hall at Georgia Tech. Meanwhile, Stricklin guided the Flashes to a College World Series appearance last year, while also compiling a very impressive 350-188 overall record in nine seasons at KSU. |
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| Indiana State |
Out: Rick Heller
In: Mitch Hannahs
Buzz: Indiana State is becoming quite the stepping stone job. Though I could've seen Rick Heller staying there for a few more seasons, as he thoroughly enjoyed his time there, Heller's movement to Iowa makes sense given his ties. Heller did a very nice job the past four seasons with the Sycamores, guiding the program to the NCAA postseason two seasons ago ... The Sycamores didn't waste much time hiring a new head coach, as they went with decorated former player and assistant coach Mitch Hannahs. Hannahs not only played for ISU, but served as an assistant -- two stints -- for legendary coach Bob Warn.
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| Iowa |
Out: Jack Dahm
In: Rick Heller
Buzz: In not exactly a shocking development, the Hawkeyes parted ways with Dahm after the 2013 baseball season. Dahm led the Hawkeyes to a 22-27 overall record and 10-14 Big Ten mark this past season. Additionally, in his 10 seasons as head coach, he guided the program to a 235-302 overall record, including finishing higher than eighth in conference just three times. The Hawkeyes have plenty of intriguing candidates, both from the JUCO and Division I ranks ... In the end, the Hawkeyes decided to turn the program over to Rick Heller, an Iowa native who has strong ties to the program and landscape of baseball in Iowa. Heller did a nice job during his tenure at Indiana State, leading the program to the NCAA postseason two years ago, while leading the program to a winning season in all four years at the helm.
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| Kent State |
Out: Scott Stricklin
In: Jeff Duncan
Buzz: Scott Stricklin spent nine seasons as the head coach at Kent State, but a fantastic opportunity arose at Georgia and Stricklin will now try his hand in the SEC after guiding the Golden Flashes to the College World Series last season. The Golden Flashes have a lot of options on the table, including well-regarded and outstanding assistant Mike Birkbeck, among other potential candidates … With Birkbeck staying put as associate head coach and pitching coach, the Flashes made a solid hire with the addition of Purdue assistant Jeff Duncan. Duncan, an associate head coach for the Boilermakers, recently completed his fourth season with the program. He also is very well respected in the Midwest and has much experience, previously with a coaching stint at Auburn.
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| Longwood |
Out: Buddy Bolding
In: Brian McCullough
Buzz: After spending 35 years with the baseball program, long-time coach Buddy Bolding finally called it a career, retiring at the end of the season with a 953-544-4 overall record during his tenure with the Lancers. As a result, the Lancers promoted pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Brian McCullough, who spent the last four seasons in the role. McCullough is one of the youngest head coaches in college baseball at age 28.
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| McNeese State |
Out: Terry Burrows
In: Justin Hill
Buzz: Burrows has several years of history with McNeese State, but his tenure as head coach came to an end after the Cowboys finished the 2013 campaign with a 23-31 overall record, 10-17 mark in the Southland Conference. Even with the lackluster '13 season, Burrows finishes his tenure at McNeese with 138 career victories, ranking fourth all-time in the McNeese State record book … In a name we mentioned a few weeks ago when the McNeese State job first came open, the Cowboys made an outstanding hire with the addition of Justin Hill. Hill spent the past five seasons as an associate head coach at both Louisiana-Monroe and Southeastern Louisiana. In addition, Hill is a former LSU player and knows the landscape of the Pelican State very well. He's also well respected in Louisiana. |
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| Miami (Ohio) |
Out: Dan Simonds
In: Danny Hayden
Buzz: With Simonds looking for a change of scenery, he found a new home at Indiana University and with a familiar coach in Tracy Smith. Simonds took over the Miami (Ohio) program after Smith left for Indiana back in 2006. Now he's headed to IU to be with Smith as an assistant. Fortunately for the Redhawks, they have some talented coaching options at their disposal ... Despite having strong interest in former Georgia head coach David Perno, the Redhawks went with Xavier assistant coach Danny Hayden. Hayden is one of the younger head coaches in college baseball, recently completing his second season as an assistant for the Musketeers. The Hayden name runs deep in the Miami (Ohio) program, as the ballpark is named after his grandfather, and the family gave a $1 million gift in 2012. Though Hayden's addition seems like a risk, it does means the addition of a young, charismatic coach. |
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| Nevada |
Out: Gary Powers
In: Jay Johnson
Buzz: Gary Powers was a mainstay for the Nevada baseball program for 31 seasons, but the long-time head coach decided to call things a career toward the end of the 2013 campaign. Powers, in his 31 seasons, tallied a very respectable 937-762-5 overall record, becoming just the 21st coach in NCAA history to achieve the 900-win milestone … With the retirement of Powers, the Wolfpack made a very impressive hire in the acquisition of San Diego associate head coach Jay Johnson. Johnson spent the last eight seasons as the associate head coach for the Toreros, leading the program to six NCAA postseason trips, while also serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Johnson has a stellar reputation as an excellent recruiter and good hitting coach, helping groom PG National College Player of the Year and first-round pick to the Chicago Cubs, 3B Kris Bryant.
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| New Orleans |
Out: Bruce Peddie
In: Ron Maestri
Buzz: In one of the silliest coaching changes of the offseason thus far, the Privateers fired Peddie, who tallied a 40-161 in three seasons as head coach. Though not an impressive record, Peddie guided the program through a tumultuous time when the UNO administration was jockeying between going Division III or staying Division I. The Privateers are set to unveil a $3 million renovation next season, so it'll be interesting to see if they can reel in a solid head coach this summer ... The Privateers went with tradition in hiring legendary head coach Ron Maestri. Maestri previously served several seasons as the head coach at UNO, guiding the program to a 518-247-1 overall record during his previous tenure. Maestri put UNO baseball on the map, and with some facility renovations, should get the program headed the right direction. |
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| Oklahoma |
Out: Sunny Golloway
In: Pete Hughes
Buzz: Oklahoma coach Sunny Golloway spent nine seasons as the head man of the Sooners, leading the program to a few NCAA Super Regionals, most recently the Baton Rouge Super Regional against LSU. Though the Sooners will miss Golloway to Auburn, they'll have some solid options to choose from. Though the Sooners courted several candidates for the open position, they surprised some with the addition of Hughes, who guided Virginia Tech to an NCAA Regional host this past season. Hughes also guided the Hokies to an NCAA postseason appearance in 2010, while leading the program to five-straight 30-plus win seasons. Before his stint at Virginia Tech, Hughes spent time at Boston College, in addition to a stint at Division II Trinity University in Texas. |
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| Pennsylvania |
Out: John Cole
In: John Yurkow
Buzz: The Quakers are in the midst of a national search to find a new head coach this offseason. John Cole spent eight seasons as the skipper for Penn, compiling a 143-178-1 overall record. Interestingly, the Quakers finished the 2013 campaign with a 22-21 overall record, ending the year with seven-straight setbacks ... As a replacement, the Quakers went with a very safe bet in John Yurkow, who spent the last seven seasons as an assistant with the program, leading the way on the recruiting trail, while also doing a great job in a variety of other roles. |
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| Penn State |
Out: Robbie Wine
In: Rob Cooper
Buzz: After nine seasons on the job at Penn State, Robbie Wine has decided to call it a career. Wine compiled a 228-261 overall record in his nine seasons with the Nittany Lions, also tallying a 111-135 mark in the Big Ten. Additionally, he guided the Lions to four Big Ten tournament appearances. A national search is underway, with Wright State's Rob Cooper and other two assistants highlighting a very good list of potential candidates ... The Nittany Lions decided to hire Wright State's Rob Cooper. Cooper has spent nine seasons as the head coach of the Raiders, leading the program to multiple NCAA postseason appearances, while also guiding the program to seven-straight 30-plus win seasons. Additionally, Cooper has a lot of experience in other avenues, too, such as spending a summer as an assistant coach for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. |
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| Richmond |
Out: Mark McQueen
In: Tracy Woodson
Buzz: After going through a sticky situation with previous head coach Mark McQueen, the Spiders have their new coach in Valparaiso head coach Tracy Woodson. Woodson is a very solid hire for the Spiders. He spent the last seven seasons as the head coach of the Crusaders, most notably leading the program to back-to-back NCAA postseason appearances the past couple of years. Woodson, while a great coach, also brings some professional experience to the table. Additionally, he's a Richmond, Va., native, who knows what it takes to win there. |
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| St. Mary's |
Out: Jedd Soto
In: Eric Valenzuela
Buzz: After spending 10 seasons as the head coach of the Gaels, Soto decided to resign his post, citing some off-the-field (health) issues. Soto tallied 209 career victories during his tenure at St. Mary's, which ranks second-most in program history ... After an exhaustive search, the Gaels decided to hire San Diego State pitching coach Eric Valenzuela. Valenzuela has ties to St. Mary's, but he made a name for himself during his stint as pitching coach at San Diego, along with his four-year stint most recently at San Diego State. Valenzuela is one of the rising coaches on the West Coast and is an excellent hire. |
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| Southeastern Louisiana |
Out: Jay Artigues
In: Matt Riser (interim)
Buzz: After eight successful seasons at the helm of the Lions baseball program, head coach Jay Artigues decided to take over the athletic director position at Southeastern Louisiana. Artigues leaves behind an impressive legacy for the Lions. He helped formulate the program into a consistent winner in his eight seasons, finishing this past season with a 36-24 overall record. In the meantime, long-time assistant Matt Riser will serve as interim coach with the ability to become the full-time head coach. |
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| Tennessee-Martin |
Out: Bubba Cates
In: Brad Goss (interim)
Buzz: The Skyhawks, to no real surprise, decided to part ways with Cates this summer. Cates had spent the previous 15 seasons as the head coach of UTM. However, the Skyhawks decided to switch gears after the program ended last season with a 11-40 wins, also tallying just four wins in Ohio Valley Conference play ... The Skyhawks attempted to lure in some intriguing candidates, including former Tennessee head coach Rod Delmonico. However, those attempts were unsuccessful, thus they promoted Goss, who has spent the last nine seasons at UTM as an assistant, to head coach.
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| Valparaiso |
Out: Tracy Woodson
In: Brian Schmack
Buzz: The Crusaders experienced much success the past couple of seasons, thanks to a stellar coaching job by Tracy Woodson and his staff. However, Valpo now has some work to do after losing Woodson to Richmond. Woodson is a Richmond native, so it's not a surprise that he took the post there. Now, though, the Crusaders have the tough chore of replacing someone as valuable and quality as Woodson ... With that said, the Crusaders have hired long-time assistant Brian Schmack. Schmack spent the last seven seasons as the pitching coach for the Crusaders. |
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| Virginia Tech |
Out: Pete Hughes
In: Pat Mason
Buzz: With head coach Pete Hughes hitting the road to Oklahoma, the Hokies didn't have to look far for a new head coach in Pat Mason. Mason has a lot of experience, and certainly experience guiding the Hokies program. He spent the last three seasons as the pitching coach for the Hokies, including last season as the associate head coach. Mason has a very good reputation in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and has good ties to both the Mid-Atlantic region of the country, as well as the Northeast, where the Hokies surely will spend much time during the recruiting periods.
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| Wichita State |
Out: Gene Stephenson
In: Todd Butler
Buzz: In one of the more surprising offseason moves thus far, Wichita State wasted little time firing long-time head coach Gene Stephenson. Stephenson basically built the Shockers program from scratch, guiding the program to seven College World Series appearances and 28 NCAA postseason appearances in 36 years with the program. Interestingly, Stephenson had just one year left on his contract, which was set to expire in June 2014. The Shockers decided to go out and hire one of the nation's top assistant coaches, Todd Butler of Arkansas. Butler has spent several seasons as an assistant coach, and recently as an associate head coach for the Razorbacks. In addition to being a solid hitting coach, Butler is a charismatic guy who is an outstanding recruiter. Butler plus pitching coach Brent Kemnitz, who is staying on staff, should make a great duo.
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| Wright State |
Out: Rob Cooper
In: Greg Lovelady
Buzz: Rob Cooper put together a solid coaching stint with the Raiders, but decided to move on and take on a new challenge at Penn State University. Cooper guided the Raiders to seven-straight 30-plus win seasons in nine total seasons with the program. Though the Raiders may engage in an actual coaching search, it's strongly believed that associate head coach Greg Lovelady will be promoted to head coach for the Raiders ... As fully expected, with Cooper's departure, the Raiders decided to promote Lovelady. Lovelady, a very well-respected coach in the Midwest, spent nine seasons as an assistant at WSU, including seven of those as the associate head coach. His promotion comes as absolutely no surprise. |
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