FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
TULSA, Okla. – Oral Roberts University has named Ryan Folmar as the ninth Head Baseball Coach in program history, as announced by Athletic Director Mike Carter and ORU President Dr. Mark Rutland on Wednesday morning. Folmar has spent the past nine seasons as ORU’s top assistant coach.
“My philosophy has always been that if our program is in good shape, we need to look internally first,” said Carter. “In this case we have a great person to take over in Ryan Folmar. He is well-respected and loved by our players and coaches, he has strong leadership skills, and he is a great mentor to our student-athletes.”
“I’m grateful to Dr. Rutland and Mr. Carter for giving me the chance to build on the success we’ve had here over the last decade,” said Folmar. “I am very excited about the challenge in front of me, and I look forward to working with our returning staff and players to bring more championships to ORU.”
Folmar has spent the past nine seasons developing a reputation as one of the finest hitting instructors in all of college baseball. ORU has won the Summit League championship in each of Folmar’s nine seasons on the ORU staff, advancing to NCAA Regional play each season.
The Golden Eagles advanced to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament in 2006, finishing the season ranked in the top-25 nationally in every major college baseball poll. Folmar’s offense was the backbone of the squad, finishing in the national top-20 in batting average, runs scored and slugging percentage.
The 2008 season was another banner year for Folmar’s offense. The Golden Eagles won 48 games that season and posted one of the best offensive efforts in program history. That season, ORU placed in the top-20 nationally in hits, runs, batting average and doubles.
Folmar’s 2012 offense ranked as the finest in the Summit League, leading the conference in runs scored and home runs. Folmar tutored freshman 3rd baseman Jose Trevino into one of the finest young players in college baseball, as the rookie earned Summit League Newcomer of the Year honors and two freshman All-America nods.
Eight of Folmar’s ORU hitting protégés are currently playing affiliated Minor League Baseball, including 2005 alumnus Michael Hollimon, who spent time with the Detroit Tigers in 2008, and Tim Torres, a current member of the Tulsa Drillers. Two of Folmar’s ORU desciples, Cam Schiller and Bennett Pickar, were picked in the first 11 rounds of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft and will begin their professional careers in the next week.
Folmar joined the Golden Eagles after spending five seasons (1999-2003) as Director of Baseball Operations at Oklahoma State. At OSU Folmar handled various administrative duties, including the Cowboy baseball camps and served for three years as the color voice on OSU radio broadcasts.
A four-year letter winner at OSU from 1994-97, Folmar earned honorable mention All-Big 8 honors as a sophomore in 1995, and he helped lead the Cowboys to the 1996 College World Series. Following his OSU playing days the Chambersburg, Pa., native spent two seasons in the Colorado Rockies organization.
Folmar and his wife Kay Lynn have three children: Kade (10), Reese (8) and Luke (3).
