ABILENE – ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert announced Tuesday that former Dallas Baptist University pitching coach Rick McCarty has been hired as the new head coach of the Wildcats’ baseball program.
McCarty – who was introduced at an afternoon press conference – will officially begin his duties June 20. McCarty takes over for Britt Bonneau, who resigned May 19 after 22 seasons as the head coach.
“When we began the search for a new head baseball coach, we had several criteria with a strong Christian leader atop the list,” Schubert said. “Throughout the interview process, Rick McCarty’s name kept coming back to us, and then when the search committee and our athletics staff had the chance to meet him on campus last week we became sold that he was the right man at the right time to lead our baseball program.
“Rick has been a big part of coaching staffs on teams that have won more than 600 games in his career, which tells you he’s a winner,” Schubert said. “I’m confident that he will attract great student-athletes who want to be part of building something special in this era of NCAA Division I baseball.”
McCarty is just the fourth head baseball coach at ACU since the university re-instated the program in 1991, following Bill Gilbreth, Jimmy Shankle and Bonneau. He takes over a program that in 2019 will be in its sixth season of NCAA Division I play and second season of full eligibility for Southland Conference and NCAA postseason play.
“My family and I are extremely excited for the opportunity to lead the program at Abilene Christian University,” said McCarty. “Going through the interview process, it didn’t take very long to see how committed the administration and supporters are to seeing the baseball program be successful.
“The more time I spent on campus throughout this process, the more I felt that the foundation of ACU baseball program is strong. There has been a lot of hard work done by previous coaches and players to get the program where it is today. Our goal as a team will be to make every alumni proud by putting a very tough and competitive group of players on the field. Our players will understand who they represent each opportunity they get to wear the Purple and White.
A 2003 graduate of Murray State (B.S. Health and Physical Education), McCarty began his distinguished coaching career with the Racers before joining the 2004 Delta State staff as a graduate assistant pitching coach. He was met with immediate success in this role as the Statesmen (54-11) won the NCAA D2 National Championship over Grand Valley State.
McCarty went on to earn his Master’s in Education from Delta State in 2005, and again was part of a 50-win team that qualified for the D2 College World Series. He would spend three more seasons in Cleveland, Miss., before receiving the call to D1 and Southeast Missouri State.
His two seasons (2009-10) in Cape Girardeau, Mo., were followed by a four-year revitalization of the Campbell program (2011-14), a one-year stay at Louisiana Tech (2015), and three NCAA postseason campaigns at Dallas Baptist (2016-18).
“I would like to thank Mike Kinnison (Delta State), Mark Hogan (Southeast Missouri State), Greg Goff (Campbell), and Dan Heefner (DBU) for giving me opportunities to serve on their staff throughout my career. I’ve also been able to work with countless assistants that have shaped me as a coach and man. With the experiences with each of them at my previous stops, I feel very confident that I am prepared to lead the program at ACU.”
Under McCarty’s guidance, the 2018 Patriots once again were at or near the top of the Missouri Valley Conference rankings in several pitching categories. Led by Collegiate Baseball Third Team All-America and MVC Pitcher of the Year Trevor Conn, DBU ranked first in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.49) and walks allowed per nine innings (3.64), was second in WHIP (1.39) and third in ERA (4.53) and hits allowed per nine innings (8.87). The team’s K-to-BB ratio also was 42nd among all 297 D1 schools.
Conn (8-2, 3.15 ERA, 57K) additionally was one of four Patriot pitchers to make an all-conference team. He and relief pitcher Kragen Kechely (7-1, 3.76, 53K) each were tabbed to the first team, while second team honors were awarded to freshman Luke Eldred (7-3, 3.28 ERA, 43K) and Jarod Bayless (3-3, 3.12, 71K, 4SV).
Eldred later was named to Collegiate Baseball’s Freshman All-America Team, and 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete First Team nods went to Bayless and Kechely.
Over a three-year span as the DBU pitching coach, McCarty has helped produce eight pitchers selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, including a pair of top 10 round selections in 2017 in Seth Elledge (4th round – Seattle Mariners) and Dalton Higgins (7th round – New York Yankees). Gavin Fritz was also taken in the 2017 MLB Draft when the Miami Marlins selected him in the 16th round.
Earlier this month, DBU recorded the sixth-most draft picks in the nation with seven selections, including junior left-handed pitcher/first baseman Kody Funderburk (15th round – Minnesota Twins), senior RHP Sean Boyle (25th round – New York Yankees) and junior RHP Parker Towns (37th round – Seattle Mariners).
DBU’s Colin Poche and Darick Hall were each selected in the 14th round of the 2016 Major League Draft, as Poche was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Hall went to the Philadelphia Phillies. Senior left-hander Sean Stutzman also signed a professional contract as a free agent with the Houston Astros in 2016.
A native of Campbellsville, Ky., McCarty is known for his recruiting and player development. During his coaching stints at Campbell, Southeast Missouri State, and Delta State, McCarty helped develop four pitchers who made the major leagues: Campbell’s Matt Marksberry (Atlanta Braves), Southeast Missouri State’s Shae Simmons (Atlanta Braves, Seattle Mariners), Delta State’s Brent Leach (Los Angeles Dodgers), and Louisiana Tech’s Phil Maton (San Diego Padres).
While at Campbell, McCarty recruited and coached the first Big South Pitcher of the Year in school history in Ryan Thompson. In 2013, Thompson’s school record 0.88 ERA ranked tops in the nation and also established a new single-season record in the Big South Conference. Thompson went on to become the school’s first All-American pitcher, as he broke the school’s single-season saves record in both 2013 and 2014. The Houston Astros drafted Thompson in the 23rd round following the 2014 season.
McCarty also saw two other pitchers selected in the MLB Draft during his tenure at Campbell. Marksberry was a 15th round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2013 and Jacob Smith went on to become a 48th round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2011. McCarty recruited all four of Campbell’s All-Americans plus three academic All-Americans. He also coached 17 All-Big South Conference performers, including a school record nine All-Conference selections in 2013.
During his two years at Southeast Missouri State, McCarty helped develop Simmons, who was a 22nd round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2012. Simmons would break into the Big Leagues with the Braves just two years later.
While coaching at Delta State, McCarty helped develop six pitchers who signed professional contracts, including Leach, who would go on to make his Big League debut with the Dodgers in 2009 after being drafted in the sixth round.
“I have to thank the players I had to opportunity to recruit and coach,” said McCarty. “Relationships are a huge part of why I chose this profession. Our staff will take great pride in fostering a culture where relationships matter, not only for their time on campus but the rest of their life.
“I’m excited to reach out to current players, recruits and alumni to share my vision for ACU baseball,” he said. “I can’t wait to hit the ground running with recruits and their families. I’m looking forward to bringing in a group of young men to add to our current roster that will be ALL IN to the Wildcat Way. We will be looking for guys who play with energy and have a mindset of developing every single day. We will take great pride in growing daily academically, athletically and spiritually.”
On the diamond, McCarty starred as a pitcher for two seasons as the closer for Murray State, where he notched eight saves in 2001, tying a single-season school record. Prior to his two years at Murray State, McCarty played at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois.
McCarty is married to the former Rayna Netherland of Campbellsville, Kentucky. They have three children: Mya, Myles and Mia.
“I can’t thank Dr. Schubert and the administration enough for trusting me to lead the baseball program,” said McCarty. “I believe I’ve been called here to serve side by side of the other coaches in the department. My family and I are looking forward to investing into the community beginning today.”
RICK McCARTY CAREER COACHING HIGHLIGHTS
• In 16 seasons of collegiate coaching, teams that McCarty has been a part of have a combined record of 609-321 (.655 winning percentage) with eight trips to NCAA regional tournaments. Those teams are also a combined 23-15 in NCAA tournament play and he has been part of coaching staffs that have made four trips to NCAA Division I regional tournaments.
• As a full-time pitching coach, his teams have a combined ERA of 4.50 and have averaged 0.8 strikeouts per inning against just 0.4 walks per inning.
• Over the last three seasons at Dallas Baptist, Patriot pitchers have a combined 4.37 ERA and have recorded 1,526 strikeouts against just 730 walks in 1,656 innings of work (0.9 strikeouts per inning and 0.4 walks per inning). The 2018 staff set a school record with 556 strikeouts.
• He has been on the coaching staff for eight teams that have won at least 40 games – including each of the last three teams at Dallas Baptist where the Patriots have gone 44-19, 42-1 and 42-21 – and been on the staff for two teams that won at least 50 games.
• The Patriots have reached three straight regional tournaments: Lubbock Regional in 2016, Fort Worth Regional in 2017 and Fayetteville Regional in 2018. The Patriots won the Missouri Valley Conference Postseason Tournament championship in both 2016 and 2017.
• Has produced 11 All-Missouri Valley Conference pitchers in three seasons, including the league’s Pitcher of the Year in 2016 and 2018, and nine different Patriot pitchers have earned conference Pitcher of the Week honors over the last three seasons.
• Has coached 57 different players that have earned all-conference honors
• Has coached 22 different players who have been selected in the Major League Baseball draft
• Has coached 15 different players who have earned All-America honors
• Part of two teams at NCAA Division II powerhouse Delta State to appear in the College World Series (2004 and 2005)
• Part of the coaching staff for the 2004 NCAA Division II national champions at Delta State University
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT RICK McCARTY
“ACU just hit a no doubt home run in hiring Rick McCarty. Rick is a great coach, recruiter and, most importantly, a great person. He is passionate, energetic and has a great feel for every part of the game. He will create a winning culture and will help his players reach their full potential on the field and will develop them in their character and faith as well.”
— Dallas Baptist head coach Dan Heefner
“A friend once told me, ‘Class is hard to define, but easy to recognize.’ It’s certainly easy to recognize this great quality in Rick McCarty. Rick is a winner on and off the field and will represent Abilene Christian University with class.”
— Former Kentucky head coach Keith Madison
“I am genuinely excited for this great opportunity for Rick. He is one of the most capable and driven coaches that I’ve had as an assistant. He is a hard worker, passionate and his competitive spirit will give him an opportunity to have great success at ACU. I wish all the best for Rick and his family.”
— Delta State (Miss.) head coach Mike Kinnison
