Here are the News and Notes for July 8th around College Baseball.
VCU names Rich Witten as Assistant Coach
RICHMOND – The VCU Baseball program and Head Coach Shawn Stiffler have announced the hiring of Rich Witten as the new Assistant Baseball Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for the Black & Gold. Witten will also focus on the offense and infield defense in his coaching duties.
“Rich is a emerging star in our profession. His energy for the game and passion for developing relationships is contagious,” said Stiffler. “Rich has played and worked at some of the best programs in the country, and those experience will continue to keep our program excelling at the national level.”
Witten joins the Rams from Winthrop University, where he led the Eagles to 102 total wins over the last three seasons, including a number one seed in the Big South tournament in 2017 and a 40-win season in 2015. He led the Eagles to one of the best offenses in the Big South, leading them from worst in 2014 before his arrival, to the top of the conference after his arrival in 2015 with a team average of .299. Each year under his watch, Winthrop had a Johnny Bench Award nominee, given to the best catcher in college baseball.
Lots of Interest in College of Charleston Opening
While there have been more than 40 coaches looking to become the College of Charleston’s next baseball coach, the leading candidate for the vacancy continues to be former South Carolina head coach Chad Holbrook.
As College of Charleston President Glenn McConnell announced the formation a search committee to find its next baseball coach Friday afternoon, Holbrook, along with North Carolina State assistant coach Scott Foxhall and Clemson assistant coach Bradley LeCroy have been contacted about the position, The Post and Courier has learned.
Joe Renner returns to Marshall as Pitching Coach
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall head baseball coach Jeff Waggoner announced Friday that Joe Renner will return as the program’s pitching coach/recruiting coordinator.
Renner held the same position with the Thundering Herd for four seasons (2010-2013).
Renner comes back to Huntington after four years as Mount St. Joseph University’s pitching coach, which was his second stint with that program as well (2008-09). The Lions steadily improved while Renner was on staff, posting a winning record last season (24-20) en route to a runner-up finish in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Tournament.
St. John’s Matt Messier transfers to D-2 power Southern New Hampshire
ORLEANS — He spent the last two years with a Division I program.
Now, former Lake Region Union standout pitcher Matt Messier will be competing in D-II, making the decision to transfer to Southern New Hampshire University after two years with St. John’s University in New York.
The former pitching coach at St. John’s, Corey Muscara, advised Messier “that he should transfer if he wanted more action,” Matt’s dad Andrew Messier said.
Southern Miss names Christian Ostrander as Pitching Coach
Southern Miss introduced Christian Ostrander as assistant coach on Friday.
Ostrander also coached at Gulfport High in 2007 and 2008, as well as Jones County Junior College.
“His experience at the collegiate level and his proven success to teach and develop young student-athletes both as men and players made this hire easy,” said Southern Miss baseball coach Scott Berry.
