King University Men's Baseball

Tolbert became the second head coach in program history in February of 2023, replacing Jason Moorman, who led the program for the first four years. Tolbert was a member of the first bass fishing team in 2019-20 and has been fishing for more than 20 years. While a member of the Tornado bass fishing team, Tolbert helped Johnathan Carter run the East Tennessee First Responders Club. He continues to fish competitively as he and his dad won more than a dozen tournaments in 2021, the same year he and his dad won the Watson’s Bass-O-Rama, pulling more than 19 pounds in both rounds. Following that they won the Morristown Marin Tournament on South Holston Lake, a tournament that featured more than 250 boats. Last year he finished 11th of 160 boats at the BFL event on South Holston Lake. Tolbert graduated from King with a degree Business Administration with a focus in Accounting and Business Finance in 2021.  

Brunecz joined the Tornado staff in July of 2023 as the head cross country and track & field coach. King Highlights - Women's Cross Country Ermay Vazquez Adame earned All-Conference Carolinas honors after an 18th-place finish at the Conference Carolinas Championships Conference Carolinas Finishes - Women's Cross Country 2023 - 6th Year-by-Year Highlights 2023 - Brunecz led the Tornado to a sixth-place finish in his first season, with Ermay Vazquez Adame earning All-Conference Carolinas honors. The Tornado had three individuals run at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional meet, with Vazquez Adame leading the way with an 82nd-place finish.  King Highlights - Men's Cross Country Jordan Keith was named the Conference Carolinas Scholar-Athlete of the Year presented by HUDL, while also earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors.  Keith, along with Josh Booher, were named All-Conference Carolinas after recording a fifth and 11th-place finish, respectively Conference Carolinas Finishes - Men's Cross Country 2023 - 8th Year-by-Year Highlights 2023 - King had a pair of All-Conference Carolinas honoree in Bruneczs' first season, with Jordan Keith earning First Team All-Conference after finishing fifth at the Conference Carolinas Championships, while Josh Booher finished 11th to earn Second Team All-Conference honors. The Tornado would finish 8th at the conference championships. At the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional, Booher finished 54th, while Keith was 61st to lead the Tornado. King Highlights - Women's Track and Field Annah Blankenship racked up numerous academic awards in the first season for Brunecz, as she was named College Sports Communicator Academic All-District, in addition to winning the Conference Carolinas Elite 23 Award for Outdoor Track and Field.  Conference Carolinas Finishes - Women's Track and Field 2023-24 - 11th (indoor) 10th (outdoor) Year-by-Year Highlights 2023-24 - After finishing 11th at the Conference Carolinas Indoor Track and Field Championships, the Tornado earned a 10th-place finish at the Outdoor Championships, improving on their finish from the 2022-23 season. Annah Blankenship was named Conference Carolinas Women's Outdoor Track and Field Elite 23 Award winner, and was also College Sports Communicators Academic All-District.  King Highlights - Men's Track and Field Jordan Keith was named Academic All-Conference Carolinas, along with Clathon Henfield, Matthew Henfield and Mason Sanders, while Keith also earned a spot on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team.  Conference Carolinas Finishes - Men's Track and Field 2023-24 - 11th (indoor) 11th (outdoor) Year-by-Year Highlights 2023-24 - The Brunecz era got off to a hot start, as at the first meet of the indoor season the Tornado shattered two school records, including Lance Hatcher, who set the record in the 1000 meters with a time of 2:38.29. King had three school record times in the 300 meters, led by Clathon Henfield, who finished in 35.82 seconds. He was joined in breaking the record by Skyler Miller and Matthew Henfield.  Prior to King Brunecz has served as the director of cross country and track & field at Methodist University since 2019, after serving as the head cross country coach and track's distance coach since 2015. Over seven years, he guided the Monarchs to five top three USA South finishes on the men's side in cross country and one on the women's side. That included a USA South East Division championship for the men in 2020 with a perfect score. Under his tutelage, both the Methodist men's and women's cross country team posted their best NCAA South/Southeast Regional Championship finishes in school history, 18th for the women in 2018 an 15th for the men in 2017. Individually, Brunecz coached 35 all-conference performers, including 17 first team members, four conference champions and one USA South Rookie of the Year in cross country. Five of his runners garnered all-region honors, including a pair of national qualifiers. On the track, Brunecz coached the Monarchs to seven school records in the mid-distance and distance events. He also guided the first USA South champions in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters in the conference's inaugural championship in 2019. In seven years with the track program, he coached 117 all-conference honorees, including 46 that earned first team accolades. That list includes four USA South Athletes of the Year, two rookies of the year and 30 all-region athletes. He also guided six individuals to All-America honors and 10 NCAA Division III National Championships qualifiers. Prior to his time at Methodist, Brunecz served as the head cross country coach and assistant track & field coach at Pine Forest High School. He was selected 2011 Mid-South Athletic Conference Boys Cross Country Coach of the Year and guided them to their first state qualification since 1987. In cross country he coached 21 all-conference honorees along with one individual state qualifier. In track & field, Brunecz coached 12 conference champions at Pine Forest, 10 regional champions, three state champions and one national champion. Under his guidance, 40 individuals qualified for the state championships and 13 qualified for the national championships while five school records were set. Personal Brunecz graduated from State University of New York at Fredonia in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in education. He owns USATF Coaching Education Level 1 and Level 2 certifications with a distance events focus. Brunecz has also trained and raced competitively at a variety of distances in recent years. Mile - 4:37 (June 2022 at Sir Walter Raleigh Pop-Up Miles) Marathon - 2:38:38 (February 2023 at Novant Health Wilmington Marathon) *PR* 12-Hour Run - 86 miles (December 2022 at 12 Hour Nutcracker Endurance Run) *PR*  

Brown guided the Tornado to another Conference Carolinas Tournament berth in 2015, leading King to a 16-10 conference record, only dropping two league series all season long. The Tornado took two-of-three from the top two teams in the conference, Erskine and Mount Olive to help earn the fourth seed in the Conference Carolinas Tournament. King got off to a slow start, but won eight-of-nine games from March 7-21 and ultimately ended the season with a record of 24-26. In 2014, the Tornado got off to a slow start, but got hot down the stretch as the won their final seven regular season games, including six Conference Carolinas matchups to qualify for the Conference Carolinas Tournament. King won their first two tournament games before falling to top seed University of Mount Olive. The Tornado then won their next game to face a rematch with Mount Olive in the championship game, but the Trojans edged King to give the Tornado their second straight runner-up finish. In all, the Tornado finished with an overall record of 24-29-1, including a mark of 11-10 in conference play. Brown guided King to a 31-20 record in a 2013 season that saw the Tornado qualify for their second consecutive Confenence Carolinas Tournament. The Tornado won their first three games of the tournament, and were one win away from an NCAA Tournament berth, before dropping back-to-back game to Coker. In his two years at the helm, the Tornado have a 4-3 record over perennial Division II power Mount Olive College, including a 3-1 mark over the #1 ranked Trojans in 2013. Five of Brown's student-athletes were named All-Confernece Carolinas, and two earned All-Tournament honors. In his first season manning the top step, Brown led the Tornado to a 30-win season and a postseason berth in just their first season as a member of Conference Carolinas and NCAA Division II. Led by a three-headed monster pitching staff that finished 22-14 in 39 starts and posted 10 complete games, King went on to win five of their last six games against the top two teams in their division, qualifying them for the Conference Carolinas Tournament. Not only did the Tornado make the tournament, but won their first postseason game in a 9-4 decision against Pfeiffer University. The 2012 squad finished in the top-3 as a team in multiple offensive categories including runs scored (3rd), triples (1st), home runs (2nd), runs batted in (3rd), stolen bases (t-3rd), batting average (3rd), and slugging percentage (3rd). That offense helped King break into the league with a monster 22-3 win over Barton College in its first Conference Carolinas contest in the programs history and was one of two 20-plus run games of the season. Brown and the Tornado were rewarded for their successes in 2012 when three members of the team were named to the Conference Carolinas All-Conference Team and were awarded the Messick Sportsmanship Award by the conference. The Tornado helped King achieve the most student-athletes named to the 2011-12 Presidential Honor Roll, 190, by leading all teams with 19 recipients. Bryant Walker achieved one of the highest academic honors when he was named a Capital One Academic All-American, presented by CoSIDA. While an assistant with the Tornado from 2009-11, he helped construct a team that made two NCCAA World Series appearances and was one win away from the championship game in 2011. Brown was responsible for hitting and defense while overseeing the catchers and infielders of a Tornado team that finished with a 30-16 overall record in 2010 and ended the year ranked fifth in the country by the NCCAA. That year, King was ranked eighth in NCAA Division II in stolen bases, 18th in stolen bases per game, and ninth in defensive fielding percentage. Brown reloaded the Tornado lineup in 2010 with one of the largest recruiting classes in the country, topping out at 32 players representing eight states. That class produced eight All-Mid-East Region players and one All-American between 2010 and 2011. Prior to joining the Tornado, Brown was an assistant coach with the University of Maryland from 2005-2009. He helped 10 Terrapins sign Major League Baseball contracts, including current MLB players Brett Cecil (Toronto Blue Jays) and Justin Maxwell (New York Yankees). His 2008 squad was the second Terrapin team in school history to hit the 30-win plateau and made an appearance in Baseball Americas top-30 rankings that season. That season, Maryland finished second in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and set a school record in fielding percentage (.975). Browns involvement with top-tiered baseball programs began when he served as the top assistant coach at Slippery Rock University (Pa.), a perennial top-25 NCAA Division II program. In two seasons (2004-05) with The Rock, he helped his teams to a NCAA regional berth and averaged 30 wins per season. Three of his recruits went on to earn NCAA All-Region honors and 10 played their way to All-PSAC honors. From 2004-06, he was the head coach of the New Market Rebels (Va.) of the Valley Baseball League (VBL). Eighteen players signed professional contracts and an unprecedented franchise turnaround after he inherited the team mid-way through the 2004 season. Brown took the helm of a 6-20 team and led the Rebels to a 16-4 record in their final 20 games of the season en route to a playoff berth. Over the next two seasons his teams amassed a combined 65-35 record. In 2006, the team recorded 34 wins to set a new franchise record and won its first pennant in 26 years. They were ranked as high as 13th for collegiate summer league teams, the first such ranking in team history. Brown began his coaching career at Drexel University (NCAA Division I) in 2002. In just one season, he helped the team improve in its play behind the dish and in the outfield while accomplishing many of the behind-the-scenes tasks to help Dragon Baseball earn its fifth-best record in school history. He spent the summer of 2003 in Sao Paulo, Brazil working for Major League Baseball as an International Envoy to help develop and scout talent at the high school and semi-pro levels. He also assisted the Brazilian Junior National team in their quest for the 2003 World Championships. A native of Richmond, Kan., Brown was a four-year letterman at the University of Saint Mary (NAIA) as a catcher for the Spires from 1998-2002. During his tenure at Saint Mary he was a two-time All-Conference and All-Region honoree. In 2002, he was named to the NAIA All-American and Academic All-American teams after establishing himself in the top-10 of multiple offensive categories that still stand today. In 2009, Brown was inducted into the Saint Mary Athletics Hall of Fame. He graduated from Saint Marys with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 2002. Brown currently resides in Bristol, Tenn., with his wife Jennifer and daughter Bella.

Brad Hill, an experienced collegiate and high-school baseball coach with a proven track record of player development and program building, is in his second year as the head coach of King University Baseball. Hill originally joined the Tornado staff prior to the 2019–20 season as the program’s recruiting coordinator before being elevated to head coach. In 2026, Hill led King to a Conference Carolinas Tournament appearance, finishing the season 14–38 overall. The Tornado defeated Emmanuel 10–6 in the tournament play-in game before battling competitively against North Greenville and UNC Pembroke. The team also secured a key late-season win over North Greenville in their regular-season series. In his first season as head coach in 2025, Hill guided King to a 14–36 record, highlighted by victories over top-ranked opponents Young Harris and North Greenville. Hill’s tenure as an assistant coach at King included several notable seasons. In 2024, the Tornado produced one of the most explosive offensive stretches in program history, sweeping Davis & Elkins in their first home series and recording a dominant 23–0 victory as part of a five-game winning streak. King also earned a signature 2–1 win over No. 25 UNC Pembroke—the program’s first win over a nationally ranked opponent since 2021—and qualified for the Conference Carolinas Tournament. The 2023 season saw King open with a 6–0 start, its best since 2008, and later sweep Chowan at home. Under Hill’s guidance, Drew Moore earned First Team All-Conference Carolinas honors and was named Second Team All-Region by the NCBWA, D2CCA, and ABCA. In 2022, King finished 16–13 in Conference Carolinas play, earning sixth place in the league standings and a win in the opening round of the conference championship. Moore again earned First Team All-Conference honors, while Robbie Scott earned Second Team recognition. In 2021, King secured wins over No. 3 Mount Olive and No. 11 North Greenville, with Moore and Austin Meyer earning all-conference honors. Moore also collected Second Team All-Region recognition from both the NCBWA and D2CCA, and Bennett McCann earned CoSIDA All-District honors. Hill’s first season on staff in 2020 saw King open 15–9 (7–2 in conference) before the season was canceled due to COVID-19. That year, Trader Flora earned the Conference Carolinas Elite 23 Award, and all 11 seniors received all-conference honors. Before arriving at King, Hill served as the head coach at Happy Valley High School from 2016–22, where he coached four players who went on to compete collegiately and oversaw significant facility improvements and program development. Prior to that, he spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Milligan College, helping guide the Buffaloes to a .315 team batting average and .454 slugging percentage over a five-year span. During his tenure, Milligan produced seven all-conference selections, including one honorable mention All-American. Hill began his coaching career at Morristown-Hamblen High School East, while also coaching the Tennessee Thunder of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League. A native of East Tennessee, Hill earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Secondary Education Licensure in Mathematics from Milligan College in 2005. He later completed his Master of Arts in Education in Kinesiology, Leisure, and Sports Studies at East Tennessee State University in 2008. Last updated: 5/14/26

Cullen K. Glosson, a rising collegiate baseball coach with experience across NCAA Division II, NJCAA Division I, and the Jayhawk Collegiate League, was announced as the Recruiting Coordinator and Assistant Coach at King University in July 2025. Glosson brings a strong blend of player development, recruiting expertise, and on-field coaching experience to the Tornado staff. In his role at King, he oversees all recruiting operations, serves as the program’s first base coach, works with both infielders and outfielders, and assists with hitting and catching instruction. He also develops scouting reports and contributes to overall game planning. During his playing career, Glosson etched his name into the record book with the third-highest fielding percentage, second-most doubles, third-most home runs, and most hit-by-pitches in program history. Before joining King University, Glosson spent the 2024–25 season as an assistant coach at Carson-Newman University, where he worked primarily with the outfielders while also assisting with hitting, recruiting, infield development, and catching instruction. His impact was immediate: Carson-Newman produced two All-SAC hitters, finished with the third-highest batting average in the South Atlantic Conference, and recorded the most SAC wins in school history (27). The Eagles capped the season with an NCAA Division II Regional appearance, marking one of the program’s strongest campaigns. In the summer of 2024, Glosson served as an assistant coach for Dirtbags Baseball Club in the Jayhawk Collegiate League. There, he assisted with recruiting, lineup creation, and served as the team’s third base coach, gaining valuable experience in one of the nation’s premier summer leagues. Glosson began his collegiate playing career at Garden City Community College (2019–21), competing at the NJCAA Division I level, before transferring to Newman University, where he played from 2021–24 in the MIAA. His time at Newman laid the foundation for his transition into coaching, as he developed a reputation for leadership, work ethic, and baseball IQ. A native of Kansas, Glosson holds multiple degrees from Newman University, earning his M.B.A. in Leadership (2024) and B.A. in Business Administration (2023). He also completed dual associate degrees at Garden City Community College, earning an A.S. in Business Management and an A.A.S. in Management Marketing in 2021. Last updated: 5/13/26

Tyler Kipp joined the King University men's basketball staff in August 2025. A native of Reading, Pennsylvania, Kipp is a 2020 graduate of Muhlenberg High School, where he was a four-year member of both the golf and basketball programs. As a standout golfer, he was a three-time Pennsylvania State qualifier and became the first and only Muhlenberg golfer to win a County Championship. On the basketball court, Kipp helped lead the Mules to the 2020 Pennsylvania State District 3 Championship under the direction of a retired NBA player Tyrone Nesby. He ranks second all-time in program history for three-pointers made. Kipp began his collegiate career at California Univeristy of Pennsylvania (2020-2022), where he earned Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Freshman of the Year honors as a member of the golf team. He transferred to King University for his junior year, competing for both the Tornado golf and basketball teams. During the 2024 season, Kipp served as a volunteer student assistant for the men's basketball program.  As a two-year team captain under Coach Nesby, Kipp developed a strong passion for leadership and mentorship. In addition to his playing career, he has remained active in the game by coaching youth basketball camps and officiating games in both Pennsylvania and Tennessee.  "I am grateful to Coach G for this opportunity," Kipp said. "I'm excited to begin my coaching career and continue contributing to the Tornado basketball program."

Dixon joined the Tornado staff in September of 2023 following a stint as a high school head coach for three years. Prior to King Dixon has served as a head track & field coach in middle and high school for five seasons, including the last three at Letcher County Central High School in Whitesburg, Ky. In his time at Letcher County Central, Dixon developed training plans for sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers. He also served as a speed and conditioning coach for the Letcher County Central football and soccer teams as well as an assistant coach for the cross country programs. In his first season at Letcher County Central, the 4x200 meter relay team qualified for state, followed by two relays and an individual qualifying for state in his second year. Last season, Dixon coached eight state qualifiers as the 4x200 meter relay team set a school record. The team also finished as regional runner-up in his final two years. Prior to his time at Letcher County Central, Dixon served as the head track & field coach at Bruner Middle School in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. While there, he helped develop and implement training plans for the middle school student-athletes as well as conducted tryouts for sprints, distance, jumping and throwing. Personal Dixon graduated from the University of West Florida in 2018 with his Bachelor of Science in fitness and conditioning.

Sam Morrison enters her first year as Assistant Coach with King University Cycling, bringing a strong background as both a racer and a coach. Morrison competed for four years with Lees-McRae College’s cycling program, racing across road, mountain, cyclocross, and gravel disciplines. Before collegiate racing, she developed through the Florida-based junior team VeloBrew Racing, where she served as team captain and for Florida NICA, where she was a GRiT Ambassador. In addition to her racing career, Morrison has built a strong record of leadership and coaching. While in college, she founded and owned a The Bike School, where she created programs that taught kids essential cycling skills and built confidence on the bike. She also launched Precision Racing, a U23 vanity road team, where she secured sponsorships, organized travel, and mentored athletes. She brings to the Tornado program her experience as both an athlete and coach, with a focus on athlete development, teamwork, and leadership.

Ray Berry, a rising collegiate baseball coach with a strong background in player development, recruiting, and program advancement, is in his first year as the pitching coach for King University Baseball. Berry previously served as the program’s recruiting coordinator before being elevated to his current role. Coaching Career at King University Berry was named King’s pitching coach ahead of the 2026 season, where he helped guide the Tornado pitching staff to one of the strongest statistical performances in program history. • The 2026 staff recorded 350 strikeouts, the second-highest total in school history and the most since 2018. • King posted its lowest team ERA since 2023. • Two starting pitchers ranked inside the top 20 in Conference Carolinas in ERA, and two starters finished inside the top 11 in strikeouts. Before transitioning to pitching coach, Berry served as King’s recruiting coordinator from June 2024 to August 2025, hired at just 21 years old by head coach Brad Hill. • King signed one of the highest-ranked recruiting classes in school history, rated 29th nationally by Perfect Game for the Class of 2025. • Several members of that class made immediate impacts in 2026, including seven freshmen combining for over 100 innings pitched, and two freshmen hitting over .300 with more than 100 at-bats. During the 2025 season, Berry assisted with hitters, defensive development—specifically outfield play—baserunning, and coached first base. The Tornado offense hit .294 and ranked among the top five in Conference Carolinas in home runs and slugging percentage. Playing Career Berry was a member of the King University Baseball program from 2020–24, earning the respect of his teammates and coaches as a team captain in 2024. • He made 44 career appearances, serving as both a weekend starter and reliever. • He totaled 147 innings pitched and recorded over 100 career strikeouts. Berry also competed in the Appalachian League as a member of the Bristol State Liners during the summers of 2021 and 2022. A standout at Chilhowie High School in Virginia, Berry earned First Team All-Region and All-State honors in 2019. Education Berry graduated cum laude from King University in 2024 with a B.A. in Business, completing dual tracks in Finance and Management. • He is a two-time Academic All-Conference Carolinas selection. • A two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree. • A member of the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. He is a 2020 graduate of Chilhowie High School in Chilhowie, Virginia. Last updated: 5/21/26