ATHENS, GA.—–Mitch Gaspard, who has 13 years of experience leading baseball programs, has been named the volunteer coach on the Bulldog staff, Ike Cousins head coach Scott Stricklin announced Friday.
Gaspard will work with the infielders, assist the hitters, base runners and serve as the first base coach. He served as the head coach at Northwestern State (2002-07) and Alabama (2010-16) and played collegiately at LSU and Houston.
“We are thrilled that Mitch Gaspard will be joining our staff for the 2018-19 season,” said Stricklin. “Mitch has a tremendous amount of SEC experience as a player, assistant coach and head coach. He’s been a part of teams that have won SEC titles, NCAA Regionals, Super Regionals and three that advanced to the College World Series.”
A native of Port Arthur, Texas, Gaspard’s head coaching record is 444-331. Most recently, he spent two seasons at Kansas State as an associate head coach. He began his coaching career at Houston with stops in Louisiana-Lafayette, Northwestern State and Alabama before getting his first head coaching job with the Demons in 2002. At NSU, he posted a 210-138 record in six seasons with one NCAA Regional appearance. He returned to the Crimson Tide in 2008 and worked two years under Jim Wells before being named head coach in 2010. In seven seasons as head coach at Alabama, he compiled a record of 234-193 and made four NCAA Regional appearances and one Super Regional.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Coach Stricklin and the way he’s led his programs at Kent State and Georgia, and I’m looking forward to working with the players and staff at Georgia,” said Gaspard. “It’s going to be exciting to be back in the SEC and helping the players reach new heights.”
Gaspard is a 1988 graduate of Louisiana-Lafayette after playing for the legendary Skip Bertman at LSU and then transferring to Houston where he finished his career under the direction of Dr. Bragg Stockton. Gaspard is married to the former Kim Howell, and they have two daughters, Brae (25) and Paeton (21).
The Mitch Gaspard File
Born: May 26, 1965 in Port Arthur, Texas
High School: Port Arthur-Jefferson High School, Port Arthur, Texas
College:LSU (1984-85), Houston (1986-87), Louisiana-Lafayette (1998), B.A. in General Studies
Family: Wife: Kim; Children: Brae (25), Paeton (21)
Playing Career
LSU (1984-85), Houston (1986-87)
Coaching Career
Asst. Coach, Houston, 1988
Asst. Coach, Louisiana-Lafayette, 1989-92
Asst. Coach, Northwestern State, 1993-94
Asst. Coach, Alabama, 1995-2001
Head Coach, Northwestern State, 2002-07
Asst. Coach, Alabama, 2008-09
Head Coach, Alabama, 2010-16
Assoc. Head Coach, Kansas State, 2017-18
Volunteer Coach, Georgia, 2018-present
