It's official—TCU's Randy Mazey will be the next head baseball coach at West Virginia.
WVU athletic director Oliver Luck made the official announcement around 10 a.m. EST on Wednesday:
“We are delighted to welcome Randy into our Mountaineer family,” says Luck. “He is a blue-collar guy whose father was a coal miner, and he was raised in Johnstown, Pa. He understands the work ethic that all Mountaineers share, and in that regard he is one of us.
“Randy is a down-to-earth person who has done a great job at TCU. He knows our regional recruiting area, as well as the traditional Big 12 recruiting areas. He’s a pitching coach who understands the importance of pitching in a top-flight conference like the Big 12, and I know he will bring in an excellent group of assistant coaches. Randy is smart, very well respected in the college baseball community and understands the challenges that we will face in the Big 12.”
Mazey also issued a statement, expressing his excitement to take on the challenge at WVU.
“I am extremely thankful to Oliver Luck and West Virginia University for giving me this opportunity,” says Mazey. “I am excited to be the head baseball coach at such a fine university and look forward to the journey into the Big 12 Conference and the challenge that lies ahead. I also look forward to becoming part of the Mountaineer family, and I am anxious to work with WVU’s administration, alumni, fans and the Morgantown community to take this baseball program to new levels.”
The last part of that statement really stands out to me. It is clear Mazey is ready to take the WVU baseball program to "new levels," which is exactly what the Mountaineers need right now.
Luck took his time and interviewed numerous qualified candidates until he found his man in Mazey.
If any of Luck's previous decisions can be used as a litmus test to judge this most recent one, the West Virginia baseball program is certainly on its way to reaching new heights.
Read on below to find more about Mazey:
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It appears as though West Virginia has ended its search for a new head baseball coach.
Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is reporting that TCU associate head coach Randy Mazey will be the next skipper at WVU.
Since his arrival in Fort Worth in 2007, the Horned Frogs have seen nothing but success, winning 40 or more games each season and reaching the NCAA Regionals all six seasons.
In those six appearances, the Frogs have advanced to the Super Regionals three times and the College World Series once, with the possibility of another CWS birth this year this year.
According to Stevenson, Mazey will remain with TCU for the rest of the postseason, as they are set to take on LSU in the Baton Rouge Super Regional on Friday.
Prior to his stint at TCU, Mazey was the head coach at East Carolina.
During his three-year tenure at ECU, the Pirates reached the NCAA Regionals all three seasons.
His 2004 squad finished 51-13, hosted an NCAA Regional and advanced to the Super Regionals, and Mazey was named C-USA Coach of the Year.
Mazey also led Charleston Southern to its first ever NCAA Regional in 1996 as its head coach.
The Johnstown, Pa. native also spent time as an assistant with SEC powers Tennessee and Georgia.
Mazey has his bachelor's degree and an MBA from Clemson and was named all-ACC three times in his playing career.
He was not on the initially rumored list of candidates, which was highlighted by former Tennessee head coach Rod Delmonico and former Arizona State head coach Pat Murphy.
On paper, this looks like an excellent hire for WVU.
Mazey comes without the negative baggage that would have been brought by Murphy, who was let go at ASU following NCAA sanctions.
Plus, he has an impressive resume that screams success. With help in the form of new facilities coming, it appears as though the WVU baseball program is on its way up.
There has been no official word from the University as of Tuesday evening, but it appears as though the Mazey Era will soon begin at West Virginia.
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