Coaching Change in SoCon

[offtopic]

The University of Tennessee will announce Western Carolina's Todd Raleigh as its new head baseball coach in an 11 a.m. press conference today at Neyland Stadium's East Side Club, multiple sources told the News Sentinel.

Raleigh, 38, will replace Rod Delmonico, who was fired earlier this month after 18 seasons at Tennessee.

As expected, Rod Delmonico's son, Tony, a UT sophomore and former high school All-American at Farragut High, will transfer to Florida State, the family's attorney said.

Tony Delmonico was an All-SEC tournament selection this season for the Vols, and led the team in runs, RBIs, walks and home runs.

Delmonico's attorney, Terry Adkins, said "a lot of colleges expressed interest in Tony and sent their condolences to Rod. It was really an outpouring."

Rod Delmonico, UT's winningest baseball coach, is on vacation in Miami and unavailable for comment.

Raleigh's hiring comes after other potential candidates opted not to leave their jobs.

One of those, Michigan coach Rich Maloney, interviewed for the Tennessee job last weekend but has reached a five-year deal with the Wolverines that is expected to make him the highest paid coach in the Big Ten, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Arizona State coach Pat Murphy, whose name surfaced on Internet message boards Wednesday and in an Arizona newspaper linked to the Tennessee job, was contacted by a search firm hired by UT but never interviewed for the job according to the East Valley (Ariz.) Tribune.

Raleigh, a Vermont native and Western Carolina alumnus, posted a 257-209 record in eight seasons as the Catamounts' head coach.

Western Carolina finished the 2007 season 42-20 and earned the program's second NCAA bid under Raleigh.

The Catamounts advanced to the Chapel Hill, N.C., regional final before bowing out to No. 3 national seed North Carolina, which still is alive in the College World Series.

The Vols are 7-0 against Western Carolina since Raleigh took over in 2000.

However, Raleigh helped guide Western Carolina to road upsets of Clemson and Georgia Tech in 2006, when both teams advanced to the College World Series. In 2005, his Catamounts defeated then-No. 1 Georgia Tech.

Western Carolina finished 15-38 in Raleigh's first season replacing Rodney Hennon, but improved to 43-21 in 2003, when it won the Southern Conference and reached the finals of its NCAA regional.

Western Carolina has produced its share of major-college coaches.

Prior to Hennon, the late East Carolina coach Keith LeClair coached at Western Carolina.

LeClair took over for current Clemson University coach Jack Leggett in 1991.

Before taking over at Western Carolina, Raleigh spent the 1999 season as the hitting instructor and recruiting coordinator at East Carolina.

Prior to that, Raleigh made stops as an assistant at James Madison, Belmont Abbey, Western Carolina and the University of Vermont.

Attempts to reach Raleigh at his office beginning Wednesday morning were unsuccessful.

[elonfan06]

Another Coaching change in the Conference.



Interdonato New Coach At WOFFORD
SPARTANBURG, SC --Todd Interdonato, an assistant coach the last two seasons, has been named Wofford’s new head baseball coach. Director of Athletics Richard Johnson made the announcement today.

Interdonato succeeds Steve Traylor who retired following Wofford’s Southern Conference Tournament championship and NCAA Regional appearance.

“We just concluded a remarkable baseball season; leading the nation in home runs, having a first team All-America selection, and winning the Southern Conference Baseball Championship,” said Johnson. “It was important to find someone who could continue that momentum and take our baseball program to the next level.

“I have been very impressed with the energy that Todd has brought to the program the last two seasons,” Johnson continued. “This past season’s team was the most successful offensive team in school history. With our tournament championship and NCAA appearance, we felt that Todd was instrumental in helping us achieve that success.”

Interdonato, 28, spent the last two seasons coaching Wofford’s hitters and coaching third base. Traylor considered Interdonato the team’s offensive coordinator.

In 2007, Wofford set school records for base hits, runs scored, doubles, home runs, total bases and RBIs. The Terriers led the nation in home runs per game this season at 1.71 (108 in 63 games), and wee fourth nationally in slugging percentage (.519) and tenth in OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) at .903. Wofford also tied the school record for wins in a season with 30.

“Since Steve Traylor announced his retirement from coaching, I have received countless resumes and applications from all over the country,” said Johnson. “During the search process, I talked with coaches and administrators from some of the top college baseball programs in the country. I benefited greatly from these conversations. I also received valuable input from current and former players. I had the benefit of two years of first hand personal observations, confidential player evaluations, and interviews with colleagues and staff.

“Twenty years ago, a young Wofford assistant under the tutelage of Mark Line, left to take his first head coaching job at the age of 24. Today, as the head baseball coach of the SEC Champion and number one-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores, Tim Corbin is at the top of his profession. I think that Todd Interdonato has the potential to follow in those footsteps.”

Interdonato’s influence on the Wofford offense began in 2006. The Terriers stole 90 bases, the second-highest total in school history. Wofford also set school records with 103 doubles, 777 total bases and 66 hit by pitch during the 2006 season.

A 2000 graduate of UNC Asheville, Interdonato came to Wofford after working as an assistant coach at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College in 2005. He previously served a two-year tenure as an assistant at Gardner-Webb, where he received an MBA in 2004.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity that Wofford and the Athletic Department has given me,” said Interdonato. “We would like to continue to build on the success that we enjoyed this past season and work to take Wofford baseball to the next level. I am thankful for the responsibility that Coach Traylor has given me over the last two years and that will play a key role in the coaching transition.”

At Fort Scott, Interdonato served as the primary hitting and outfield coach while taking complete responsibility for the offensive progress of the program.

Interdonato played collegiately at UNC Asheville. He was a co-captain in the 2000 season when he batted .320 with six home runs and a team-best 38 RBI. He was named a Big South Conference Player of the Week in March 2000.

A first baseman/outfielder, Interdonato also saw action on the mound. He had over 25 appearances as a starter and reliever in each of his two campaigns with the Bulldogs.

Interdonato played his first two collegiate seasons at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Ariz.

After graduating UNC Asheville, Interdonato signed a professional contract with the Evansville (Ind.) Otters in the Frontier League.

Interdonato began his coaching career as an assistant with UNCA in the 2002 season where he was the primary hitting and outfield instructor. He was also responsible for placing players in summer collegiate leagues.

He has also served as a summer league coach, leading the Salisbury (NC) Pirates of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League. As the head coach of the Hornell Dodgers in the New York Collegiate League, he earned NYCL Coach of the Year honors in 2005.

[The Cats]

Another change....

Bobby Moranda Named Head Baseball Coach at Western Carolina

Former Georgia Tech associate head coach becomes WCU's 10th Head Coach


July 16, 2007

Cullowhee, N.C. - Former Georgia Tech associate head and pitching coach, Bobby Moranda, has been named head baseball coach at Western Carolina University announced today by WCU Athletic Director Chip Smith. Moranda, who becomes the 10th different head coach of the Catamounts since 1951, brings nearly 21 years of coaching experience - 18 of which comes from schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference - to WCU.

Moranda will formally be introduced as the head coach this Thursday (July 19) at 11:00 am in the Hospitality Room of the Ramsey Center. The press conference is open to the public.

Moranda replaces Todd Raleigh who accepted the head coaching position at the University of Tennessee in late June after guiding the Catamounts to within a game of its first-ever NCAA Super Regional appearance.

Terms of the contract are undisclosed, pending the approval of the Western Carolina Board of Trustees.

"Bobby Moranda is one of the most dynamic coaches in college baseball. He has been an important part of successful programs at such schools as Virginia, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech," Smith said. "His career includes numerous conference championships and appearances in the NCAA post-season play, including two College World Series berths. We are very excited that Bobby, his wife Pamela and their family will be part of Catamount Athletics and Western Carolina University."

Smith added, "The search process was difficult in that a number of very qualified coaches made themselves candidates for the position. Throughout the process, we spent a great deal of time talking with college coaches and athletic directors, including those who continue to be close to Western Carolina Baseball. One name that we heard consistently was Bobby Moranda. Throughout his career, programs with which he has been associated have achieved an enviable level of success. His commitment to academic excellence is an important part of his overall philosophy. Probably as important as any factor in his hiring was the enthusiasm he generated with the members of the baseball team who met him during the interview process."