FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Austin Morgan has been named the volunteer assistant baseball coach at East Carolina University according to an announcement from head coach Billy Godwin Wednesday afternoon.
Morgan, who will work directly with the catchers and assist Ben Sanderson as a hitting instructor, was a two-year letterwinner at College of Charleston and helped the Cougars to 74 wins and a pair of Southern Conference Tournament appearances from 2008-09.
“I am excited about Austin joining our staff,” said Godwin. “As a former catcher, he has a very good understanding of the game. I know he will be a tremendous asset in developing our catchers and working with our hitters.”
Morgan joins the Pirates’ staff after spending two years as the head coach of the Diamond Devils Baseball Summer Program, located in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Prior to working with the Diamond Devils, Morgan was a student assistant coach at CofC for one season where he worked alongside current ECU Associate Head Coach Dan Roszel. The Cougars received an at-large bid and No. 2 seed at the NCAA Tournament advancing to the 2010 Myrtle Beach Regional Championship Game before falling to No. 4 national seed Coastal Carolina, 11-10. The Cougars ended the season ranked 27th in the final National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll.
As a member of Monte Lee’s staff, he worked with the Cougars’ catchers and assisted with hitting instruction. His 2010 squad led the Southern Conference in 10 offensive categories and ranked among the national leaders in home runs (5th/105), scoring (7th/9.1), runs (8th/576), doubles (9th/160), walks (14th/298), slugging percentage (15th/.539) and hits (21st/732).
Morgan mentored five all-conference performers including 2010 SoCon Player-of-the-Year and ABCA Third-Team All-American Matt Leeds, who led the conference in home runs (21) and RBI (88). Outfielders Cole Rakar and Jose Rodriguez along with catcher Rob Kral joined Leeds as first-team selections. Rakar produced a solid season leading the Cougars and ranking among the national leaders in runs (13th/76), hits (14th/102) and doubles (15th/26).
“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to work with Coach Godwin and his staff,” said Morgan. “The East Carolina Baseball program is one that has great tradition and history. It is truly a privilege to be a part of this program and I look forward to its continued success.”
As a player at CofC, Morgan appeared in 114 games (112 starts) over two seasons batting .297 (110-for-372) with eight home runs, 32 doubles and 82 RBI. As a senior, he helped CofC to a 35-22 record making 56 starts behind the plate. Morgan batted .292 with five homers and 45 RBI during the year and posted a. 327 average with four round trippers and 30 RBI in league play.
A 2007 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner at Blinn College, Morgan helped the Cougars to a 39-20 ledger batting .301 with three home runs and 37 RBI during his junior year. He scored 43 runs, laced 14 doubles and legged out his lone triple against Indiana State.
Morgan earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from CofC in 2010.
