FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
AUBURN — Auburn is in the market for a new baseball coach after relieving John Pawlowski of his duties Monday after five years on the job.
“I have concluded it is time for our baseball program to move in a new direction,” said Athletics Director Jay Jacobs. “We have a rich baseball heritage and our goal is to compete for championships. I believe a change is necessary to help us achieve that goal, and I look forward to finding a coach who can get us there.”
Pawlowski had a 167-126 record at Auburn, including a 71-79 record in the SEC. His 2010 team won the SEC West, but the Tigers had losing conference records in each of his other four years, including the last three.
Pawlowski said before this season’s SEC Tournament, and again after a first-round loss, that he thought Auburn deserved an NCAA bid. But the Tigers were not one of the nine SEC teams that made the NCAA field that was announced Monday.
His 2010 team went 43-21 overall, won the West with a 20-10 conference record and hosted an NCAA regional. But the Tigers couldn’t match that the last three years, going 14-16, 13-17 and 13-17 in league play.
“I appreciate the opportunity I had here at Auburn and I wish nothing but the best for this program and Auburn University,” Pawlowski said. “I’m grateful for the student-athletes that have played in this program, and I wish them all the success in the future.”
Pawlowski’s four SEC Tournament teams were seeded second, eighth, 10th and 10th, and compiled a 2-7 tourney record. Auburn was eliminated in the first round of this season’s tournament in a 6-3 loss to Alabama.
“I want to thank Coach Pawlowski for all he has done for Auburn baseball over the past five years,” Jacobs said. “Coach Pawlowski worked extremely hard throughout his time here, and he has been a great representative for Auburn University.”
Pawlowski leaves Auburn as the third winningest coach in the program’s history, trailing Hal Baird and Paul Nix.
Pawlowski won his 500th college game in 2013. He was hired before the 2009 season after compiling a 338–192-1 record in nine years at the College of Charleston where he won three Southern League regular-season titles.
John Pawlowski
Five years as Auburn’s head coach:
Year Overall SEC
2009 31-25 11-19
2010 43-21 20-10
2011 29-29 14-16
2012 31-28 13-17
2013 33-23 13-17
Total 167-126 71-79
