FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The Cal State Northridge baseball program has hired Eric Newman as the team’s pitching coach, effective immediately, head coach Matt Curtis announced Wednesday.
“I believe that Eric is one of the best college pitching coaches in the country,” said Curtis.
Newman comes to Northridge after serving four years as the pitching coach at Nebraska University. In his first season with the Huskers, he helped guide a pitching staff with just 14 returning wins to a 41-win season and a No. 1 regional seed in the NCAA tournament. His staff led the Big 12 in complete games (seven) and ranked among the league leaders in saves (17, second), strikeouts (491, third) and ERA (4.18, third). While at Nebraska, Newman coached a total of 11 pitchers that were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Prior to his time with Nebraska, Newman spent five years at Dallas Baptist University; his final three as the program’s head coach. As the pitching coach from 2002-05, his staff lowered its ERA from a collective 5.80 to 3.28. As the head coach, he guided the team to a 95-72 record while leading the program through its transition to Division I status.
“I saw first-hand his ability to recruit and develop outstanding pitching staffs at both Dallas Baptist and Nebraska,” Curtis said. “I’ve known Eric for almost 20 years as a teammate and opponent and I know he will invest in the student-athletes at Northridge and help develop competitors, leaders, and young men of character.”
Newman has spent time in the professional ranks, as well. In 2002, he served as player-coach for the Vero Beach Dodgers of the Single-A Florida State League.
Newman began his collegiate playing career at Fresno State in 1992 before transferring to Texas Tech University after two seasons. He played for the Red Raiders for one year before being chosen in the fifth round of the MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres in 1994. He spent a total of eight seasons playing professionally in the minor leagues, including stints in the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations.
Newman graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor’s degree in family studies in 1997, and completed his master’s degree in higher education at Dallas Baptist in 2005. Eric and his wife Melissa have a 4-year-old son, EJ.
6 comments
Talk about a culture shock, Nebraska to CSUN, talk about penthouse to out-house. one of the best facilities to probably the worst facilities in the nation, I guess if you need a job you take what you can. Don’t expect him to be there long.
Talk about a culture shock, Nebraska to CSUN, talk about penthouse to out-house. one of the best facilities to probably the worst facilities in the nation, I guess if you need a job you take what you can. Don’t expect him to be there long.
Augie,
Would you rather coach in the Big West, or the Big Ten?
Let’s make it easy for you: Would you rather play in the nation’s #5 conference (Big West), or the nation’s #16-20 conference (Big 10)?
How many California assistant coaches become head coaches? How many Big 10 assistants get the same opportunity?
Moreover, how much college coaching experience does the Northridge head coach have, and how much does the new Nebraska coach have? (Hint: one has won a CWS, the other has never been a paid coach anywhere.)
Augie,
Would you rather coach in the Big West, or the Big Ten?
Let’s make it easy for you: Would you rather play in the nation’s #5 conference (Big West), or the nation’s #16-20 conference (Big 10)?
How many California assistant coaches become head coaches? How many Big 10 assistants get the same opportunity?
Moreover, how much college coaching experience does the Northridge head coach have, and how much does the new Nebraska coach have? (Hint: one has won a CWS, the other has never been a paid coach anywhere.)
Brian,
Having pounded at you for 2 days in the other discussion, I wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to express my opinion about your site’s news coverage.
I’m a longtime coach who was a journalist for 10 years before I grew up and found honest work 😉 It’s a fairly unusual perspective.
While your commentary often shows your youth still, your hard news reporting has been absolutely superb. CBD has become the only site I check every day. You’ve simply shot past Baseball America and Rivals as THE source for inside information first. There simply is no comparable source of current information on coaching moves or pro signings or controversies in college baseball. If its happening, I can find it here.
No easy accomplishment. Kudos are certainly in order from all of us who follow the college game.
Brian,
Having pounded at you for 2 days in the other discussion, I wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to express my opinion about your site’s news coverage.
I’m a longtime coach who was a journalist for 10 years before I grew up and found honest work 😉 It’s a fairly unusual perspective.
While your commentary often shows your youth still, your hard news reporting has been absolutely superb. CBD has become the only site I check every day. You’ve simply shot past Baseball America and Rivals as THE source for inside information first. There simply is no comparable source of current information on coaching moves or pro signings or controversies in college baseball. If its happening, I can find it here.
No easy accomplishment. Kudos are certainly in order from all of us who follow the college game.
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