FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
GREENVILLE, N.C. – The contract of Billy Godwin, head baseball coach at East Carolina University since 2005, will not be renewed according to an announcement by director of athletics Jeff Compher on Monday.
Godwin recently completed his ninth season heading the Pirate program following East Carolina’s 3-1 loss to Southern Miss on May 23 during the Conference USA Tournament. He compiled an overall record of 317-215-1 (.596) at ECU, which includes five NCAA Regional appearances and recent marks of 31-26 and 33-26 in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
Since 2010, ECU has also posted a 68-57-1 (.544) C-USA regular-season record, earning a pair of third-place, one fifth-place and two sixth-place league finishes.
“After a thorough and thoughtful evaluation, I have decided to make a change in the leadership of the ECU Baseball program,” Compher said. “I would like to thank Coach Godwin for his nine seasons of dedicated service to ECU. He has always been a great representative of our University and an exceptional colleague in our department, who has exhibited dignity and class throughout a difficult situation and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him.”
Godwin, who joined the Pirate program as an assistant on June 9, 2005 before taking over the top leadership role on an interim basis four months later, was officially appointed as East Carolina’s 10th head baseball coach in school history shortly thereafter on Oct. 28. He earned a contract extension following a 46-win campaign and Super Regional appearance in 2009 that added three years to his existing agreement that was initially dated to June 30, 2011.
He has produced a 579-298-1 (.660) mark in 15 seasons as a collegiate head coach, which includes a 262-85 record at Louisburg (N.C.) College from 1999 to 2005.
“I would like to thank Terry Holland and Nick Floyd for giving me the opportunity to be the head baseball coach nine years ago,” Godwin said. “I am extremely proud of and thankful for all of the players and coaches I have worked with in that time. We have averaged 37 wins a year on the field, graduated players and have 14 former Pirates playing in professional baseball. I will have nothing but great memories about my time spent as a Pirate.”
Compher indicated a national search to find a replacement to direct the Pirate baseball program will begin immediately and added he would not comment on potential candidates until the process has been completed.
“I fully understand the high level of competitive success that is expected of our baseball program at ECU,” Compher added. “It is our intention to hire someone who will build a national program that will graduate our student-athletes and compete for conference and national championships.
“We will strive to move expediently in the search process, and based on our history of competitive success and outstanding fan support, I am confident we will attract an outstanding list of candidates.”
In the interim, Compher said associate head coach Dan Roszel will continue to direct the team’s daily activities and recruiting efforts until a new head coach is appointed.
