BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Baseball head coach John Pawlowski announced the hiring of assistant coach Adam Pavkovich to the Hilltopper staff on Tuesday. Pavkovich comes to The Hill from Notre Dame, where he coached the Fighting Irish in the competitive Atlantic Coast Conference.
“The WKU Baseball program would like to welcome Adam Pavkovich and his family to The Hill,” Pawlowski said. “With nine years of collegiate coaching experience and an extensive playing career under hit belt, Adam will continue to enhance the development of our Hilltopper student-athletes.
“When you look at the teams that Adam has been associated with in his career, we feel very fortunate that he will be joining us. With the momentum that we created by finishing fourth in Conference USA and making the tournament in Biloxi, this helps us position our program for continued success.”
“My family and I are really excited to come to Bowling Green,” Pavkovich said. “This is a fantastic school and athletic department in a great community, and it’s a very unique combination of all three that WKU can provide for student-athletes. I’m looking forward to being a part of it.”
Pavkovich spent the 2019 campaign at Notre Dame, where he was responsible for infield defense, running the offense and play calling, and assisted in hitting. He helped complete the No. 48 recruiting class for 2020 and the current No. 38 class for 2021. He also worked with the analytics team to develop advanced scouting reports and internal evaluations.
For three years at Georgia State (2016-18), Pavkovich helped improve the Panthers’ slugging percentage in each season. He was responsible for coaching infield defense, as well as instituting offensive approaches and philosophy. He prepared and executed a recruiting strategy that helped land a school-record No. 61 class for 2017.
Prior to his time at Georgia State, Pavkovich spent two seasons at Notre Dame, which he helped to an NCAA Regional berth in 2015. He worked with infielders and hitting for the Fighting Irish, who led Division I in double plays while ranking ninth nationally in fielding percentage during the 2015 campaign.
Pavkovich coached an ABCA Rawlings Gold Glove Award recipient at both Notre Dame (second baseman Cavan Biggio, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays) and Alabama (center fielder Taylor Dugas, who was selected in the 12th round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees). Biggio has made his MLB debut in 2019 after being Eastern League MVP and Rookie of the Year last season, as the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats claimed their third Eastern League Championship in franchise history.
Pavkovich went to Notre Dame after one season (2013) as an assistant coach at Alabama-Huntsville. He also spent two years (2011-12) as a student assistant at Alabama, his alma mater, where he coached first base, worked with the infield and outfield defense and assisted with hitting.
Selected in the 11th round of the 2003 MLB Draft, Pavkovich enjoyed an eight-year professional baseball career with the Los Angeles Angels organization, reaching the Triple-A level. During his time with the Angels, he worked with some of the best baseball minds in the game, including former Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia, hitting coach Jim Eppard and former hitting coach Mickey Hatcher.
He played in 708 career minor league games, turning in his best year in 2008 as he batted .280 with 22 home runs and 80 RBI for Triple-A Salt Lake City. He earned invitations to Major League spring training in 2008 and 2009.
Pavkovich began his coaching career at IMG Academies (2007-2010) in Sarasota, Fla., as a special instructor during his offseasons. While at IMG, he worked with several players who went on to be drafted and two who eventually reached the Major Leagues in Tyler Pastornicky of the Atlanta Braves and J.R. Murphy of the New York Yankees.
Pavkovich was a three-year letterwinner as a shortstop at Alabama (2001-03), helping the Crimson Tide to Southeastern Conference Tournament championships and NCAA Regional appearances in 2002 and 2003. His best year came in 2003, when he batted .338 with 11 homeruns, 55 RBI and an SEC-leading 27 doubles and was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team.
Pavkovich completed his degree in Commerce and Business Administration as an Accounting major with a minor in Computer Science at Alabama in 2012. The Venice, Fla., native is married to the former Lindsay Devore, and the couple has two daughters, Presley Grace and Sadie Belle.
