Saturday, September 27, 2008

Former Gryphon Edwards returns to EKU to coach baseball

From Eastern Kentucky Sports Information

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University head baseball coach Jason Stein named Jerry Edwards his new assistant/pitching coach on Aug. 25.

Edwards served as the pitching coach at EKU from 1999-2001 under former skipper Jim Ward, and was the interim head coach of the Colonels in between the tenures of Ward and Elvis Dominguez.

“Jerry brings 10-plus years experience as a pitching coach at the college level,” Stein said. “As a recruiter, he is a tireless worker, and he has many connections throughout the country.”

Edwards comes to Richmond from Louisburg College in Louisburg, N.C., where he has been the pitching coach since 2005.

While coaching at the two-year college, Edwards saw nine of his pitchers signed by Division I schools, and two of his pitchers drafted and signed in the top 12 rounds of the MLB Draft.

Before Louisburg, Edwards served as the head coach at Hiwassee College in Madisonville, Tenn. While at Hiwassee, Edwards saw two of his players taken in the MLB Draft.

In between his stints at EKU and Hiwassee, Edwards was an Associate Scout for three years with the Atlanta Braves under the guidance of Area Scouting Supervisor Billy Best.

While serving under Ward at EKU, Edwards helped lead the Colonels to their most recent OVC regular season championship in 2000.

Before coaching at EKU, Edwards spent two year at North Carolina Wesleyan College as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator. During those two years, he helped lead North Carolina Wesleyan to the 1999 Division III National Championship.

Edwards earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from North Carolina Wesleyan College in 1999, and he earned a master’s degree in physical education/sports administration from EKU in 2001.

He lives in Richmond with his wife, Amy, and their two children Jacob (8) and Claire (6).

(Note: Edwards, a former Gryphon football and baseball player, is a 1986 graduate of Rocky Mount Senior High School.)