Head Coach Tommy Boggs
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
AUSTIN, Texas—Concordia University Texas today announced that Tommy Boggs, former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher with the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves, has been named as the University’s new head baseball coach.
“I am excited to introduce Tommy Boggs to the Concordia family. Tommy has touched the lives of so many of our former and current baseball players, which made it an easy decision to bring him on staff,” Dan Huntley, Concordia Athletics Department Director, said. “Tommy’s playing background in MLB and coaching background with Austin Slam, make him a great asset in terms of teaching and managing the game, as well as in recruiting the best student-athletes to Concordia.”
The Tornados competed in the NCAA Division III World Series in 2002 after a 35-13 season record, making them the only Division III University from the State of Texas to compete in the Division III World Series, to date. Since joining the American Southwest Conference in 2000, Concordia has participated in the ASC Championship Series five times and has been honored with numerous All-Conference Student-Athletes.
“I am pleased with the choice that the University has made by hiring Tommy,” Mike Gardner, former head coach of the Concordia baseball program, said. “He is the best that we could have hoped for to lead the program and I have nothing but good things to say about Tommy. Concordia is lucky to have him on staff,”
In 1974, Boggs was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the first round and as the second overall pick after a successful high school career at Lanier High School in Austin. Boggs pitched for the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves over the course of his 13-year career. He was a member of the 1982 Western Division Championship team with the Atlanta Braves and was honored to have played for great managers, such as Billy Martin, Bobby Cox and Joe Torre, among others.
“It has been a dream of mine to coach baseball at the collegiate level and I look forward to taking over the outstanding Concordia baseball program that Mike has developed at such an exciting time with a new turf stadium being built on the new campus,” Boggs, said. “It is my intent to share the baseball knowledge that I obtained from managers and teammates through my years of professional baseball with my student-athletes and coaching staff. I look forward to the opportunity to work with many young athletes and to watch them fulfill their dreams of playing college ball, along with helping to mold them into great leaders.”
After retiring from professional baseball due to an arm injury in 1986, Boggs started the Austin Slam Baseball program, which was designed to highlight and develop local high school talent. Austin Slam has had well more than 300 athletes receive college scholarships and many reach their ultimate dream of playing professional baseball. To date, 13 players from the Austin Slam program have played baseball at the Major League level, including current MLB players, Houston Astros All-Star, Lance Berkman and Colorado Rockies pitcher, Matt Belisle.
Boggs was honored in February of 2008 at the Round Rock Express Annual Awards Banquet with the Inaugural Jackie Moore Lifetime Achievement Award for his service and contributions to baseball in the central Texas area.
Boggs will take over immediately as the head coach for the baseball program. Former head coach, Mike Gardner, who stands as the all-time wins leader at Concordia, transitioned to a faculty position at the University this past April.
