North Carolina Central University Men's Baseball

Koerner and the Eagles were right in the thick of the MEACs Southern Division race throughout the entire season, putting together one of the best seasons offensively since the program restarted.  NCCU recorded 454 hits, the second-most since 2007, and ripped a Division I high 22 home runs, along with the most doubles in the modern era of the program (75).    Individually, Carlos Ortiz earned the programs first MEAC Rookie of the Year honors, while Tyson Simpson and Carter Williamson also earned spots on the All-MEAC squads.   New standards were set in the 2013 campaign for Koerner and his program as the Eagles set a new modern era record with 27 wins overtaking the 21 victories collected in the 2007 season, the only year NCCU played at the NCAA Division II level.  Despite finishing third in the Southern Division and dropping its opening round matchup against Norfolk State in the 2013 MEAC Baseball Championships, the Eagles recovered to win two of the next three to advance all the way to semifinals as one of the four remaining teams left in the tournament, going 2-2 during the week.   For the second straight season, Luis Diaz earned first team All-MEAC honors, while Glenn Frye became the first pitcher at the NCAA Division I level to earn postseason praise after being added to the second team All-MEAC roster.  Diaz also earned All-Tournament team honors along with redshirt sophomore Eric Kimber and junior Troy Marrow.   Off the field, Gavin Guarrera with his 3.93 GPA was named both Capital One Academic All-American (third team) and to the 2013 Capital One All-District Three team, while 12 student-athletes earned All-MEAC Academic honors by sporting a grade point average higher than 3.0.  Guarrera was the first male student-athlete at NCCU to earn that honor.   Michael Romano became the first NCCU baseball student-athlete at the NCAA Division I level to sign a professional contract when he signed with the Taos Blizzard of the Pecos League in the summer of 2013.   As a team the Eagles set a number of program standards breaking the modern era records offensively and defensively beginning with hits (436), doubles (70), walks (222), intentional walks (11), and sacrifice hits (44).  On the defensive side, NCCU set new marks in walks allowed per nine innings (2.66), earned runs allowed (209), walks allowed (141), strikeouts (279), strikeouts looking (89), fielding percentage (.956), double plays turned (46), and earned run average (3.95).   Along with the records came a couple of upsets, as the maroon and gray beat a nationally-ranked Campbell squad 5-1 at home for the first time on April 16, 2013 and on Feb. 20, 2013 beat the Southern Conferences Davidson College 3-1 to earn the first modern era victory over the Wildcats.   The 2011-2012 baseball program at North Carolina Central University under the tutelage of head coach Jim Koerner saw a seismic shift of momentum as it transitioned into the NCAA Division I level. The 19 victories were three more than the previous three years combined, and a surprising second place finish in the very tough Southern Division of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, NCCU sent a message that Eagles baseball would be a force to reckon with in the coming years.   A number of individuals set new modern era records beginning with junior Luis Diaz, who became the first player since the program was restored to amass more than 60 hits in a season, ending his first campaign at NCCU with 65. Diaz was also honored as a first team All-MEAC selection. Sophomore Carter Williamson recorded a modern era record of 45 RBI that placed him fourth in the MEAC. Senior Ross Plummer (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and sophomore Dylan Drayton (Raleigh, N.C.) became the fifth and sixth players since 2007 to record 100 career hits. Junior Glenn Frye (Lillington, N.C.) became the first hurler to record 150 career strikeouts since the baseball program was dropped in 1975.   North Carolina Central University ended the year with the 30th-best turnaround in the nation with a nine-and-a-half game improvement from 2011 to 2012 according to a report compiled by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). In addition, eight North Carolina Central University student-athletes earned recognition by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) for achieving academic success as they were among the 69 student-athletes from the conferences 13 institutions to earn 2012 Baseball All-Academic honors.   Representing NCCU, senior Etienne Farquharson (Business, 3.97 GPA) led the way followed up by Glenn Frye (Computer Science-3.73 GPA), Carter Williamson (Business, 3.55 GPA), Sam Fulmer (Nursing, 3.22 GPA), Ross Plummer (Business, 3.29 GPA), Tyson Simpson (Public Administration, 3.29 GPA), Troy Marrow (Recreation, 3.17 GPA), and Dylan Drayton (Criminal Justice, 3.00 GPA). Farquharson and Williamson earned Capital One Academic All-District III honors voted on by CoSIDA (Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America) to give the duo their second recognition for their achievements in the classroom.   Farquharson (Inagua, Bahamas) was also selected by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference to receive the Nike Post Graduate Scholarship for his performance in the classroom and on the diamond.   Koerner came to NCCU from the University at Buffalo, where he was the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. On the field Koerner was primarily responsible for running the offense and developing the hitters. It was under his aid that the 2009 Bulls established an all-time high in wins since the reinstatement of baseball in 1999 (23). The 2009 and 2010 seasons were also offensively the two finest in UB baseball history. In 2010, records were set for team batting average (.312), home runs (46) and stolen bases (71). In 2009, new highs were established in hits (591), runs (424), doubles (132), triples (23), RBI (384), and total bases (874). Those two seasons combined saw Buffalo break over 25 single season, career, team and individual records. It also included the second time in Koerner's coaching career where he coached the program's all-time hits leader (Brad Agustin).   During Koerner's time four players earn All-Mid-American Conference honors, including 2011 MAC Player of the Year in catcher Tom Murphy. Murphy went on to play with Team USA during the summer of 2011 and was drafted in the 3 round of Major League Baseball's 2012 June Amateur Draft by the Colorado Rockies. In addition to Murphy, Koerner coached eight other players that signed professional contracts, which included Steve Geltz, would made his Major League debut with the Anaheim Angles this past summer. Numerous other players also earned Player-of-the-Week honors. Prior to Buffalo, Koerner held the same position with Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.   While at Marshall one of his players earned All-Conference USA honors while the team made its first post-season appearance in 10 years. During the 2006 season Marshall was consistently in the Top 5 in most offensive categories and had two players finish in the Top 10 in batting. Koerner also helped one of his players (Adam Frederick) break Marshall University's all-time hits record with 250. In addition, Koerner recruited and signed several of the Top 100 rated players in the Northeast, including a 20th round draft pick of the Kansas City Royals. Nine of the players Koerner signed and/or coached while at Marshall signed professional baseball contacts. In his 12 years of coaching college baseball, Koerner has now sent 20 players onto various levels of professional baseball.   Koerner broke into the Division I ranks as an assistant coach at Monmouth University during the 2004 season where he helped lead his team to its seventh consecutive conference tournament appearance. Koerner began his coaching career in 2001 as the head baseball coach at Medaille College. His three year stint culminated in 2003 with a 15 win improvement from the previous season, a second place finish in the both the regular season and post-season tournament, as well as being named Conference Coach-of-the-Year. Koerner has also been head coach of several US teams that competed in international tournaments, including the Belgium Open and the Chianti (Italy) Baseball Challenge. He received his bachelor's degree in economics in 1997 from St. John Fisher College (N.Y.), and a master's degree in athletic administration from Marshall University. Koerner and his wife, Kylie, have two children, Sam and Elizabeth.       Accomplishments: 2015: One All-MEAC Selection 2015: One NCBWA Freshman All-American Selection 2015: One NCSSIA All-State Selection 2014:  17 All-MEAC Academic Selections 2014:  Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American (Carlos Ortiz) 2014:  MEAC Rookie of the Year (Carlos Ortiz) 2014:  Three All-MEAC Selections 2014:  Four NCCSIA All-State Team Selections 2013:  School Record for wins (27) 2013:  Two All-MEAC Selections 2013:  Three All-MEAC Tournament Selections 2013:  12 All-MEAC Academic Selections 2013:  One Academic All-American 2013:  First NCAA Division I baseball student-athlete at NCCU to sign professional contract (Michael Romano) 2012:  No. 30 Biggest Improvement in Division I Baseball 2012:  One All-MEAC Selection 2012:  Two All-MEAC Tournament Selections 2012:  Nine All-MEAC Academic Selections rd

Battisto enters his third season as an assistant coach and the first with North Carolina Central University. Battisto will be serving as the team's top assistant coach and working primarily with the pitchers. At the University of New Orleans Battisto worked with both the pitchers and catchers. He took over a pitching staff that previously had a team ERA of 7.25 and over his two years spent at UNO his staff lowered the team ERA to an average of 4.82. The staff also tallied over 30 pick-offs in two seasons more than the five previous seasons combined. He also coached Alex Smith into the UNO record books. Smith graduated and ended his career in several Top 10 categories, including innings pitched, total starts, and pickoffs. The catching staff also saw major improvements as both catchers were in the top five in the Southland Conference with total runners thrown out. The catching duo both threw out more than 40% of baserunners. In Battistos first recruiting class he saw Kevin Kelleher go in the 12th round of the MLB draft. Kelleher was the highest Privateer selected since 2008. Shawn Semple a freshman RHP received Player of the week and Freshman Player of the week honors during the 2015 season. After posting a complete game four-hit shutout, Semple was the first honoree of this award since 2008 and the first since joining the Southland Conference. Semple was also name the Collegesportsmadness.com Southland Player of the week award. Battisto brings a wealth of experience to North Carolina Central University, having spent seven years pitching in the minor leagues, including three separate tours of duty with the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs. He also played professionally in the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball League. The native of Pottstown, PA appeared in 167 games during his career, posting a 21-10 record with a 3.62 ERA and nine saves. Battistos career accolades include a 2008 South Atlantic League All-Star selection during a season in which the pitcher posted an 8-1 record with a 1.55 ERA over 49 appearances. During that same year he was named the Pitcher of the Year for his South Atlantic Team, Greensboro Grasshoppers. The right-handed pitcher initially began his career at the professional level after being selected in the 30th round of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft out of Georgia Southern. While at GSU, Battisto played for head coach Rodney Hennon and graduated with a perfect 12-0 record over three years. He left school ranked first in winning percentage for pitchers with at least 10 wins and the 92 appearances during his three years in Statesboro, Ga. rank second in school history. A second-team All-Southern Conference selection in 2007, Battisto added 12 saves during his collegiate career, including 10 in his final season. The double-digit save total ranks amongst the top ten all-time best relief efforts for an Eagle. Battisto currently holds a Bachelors Degree in Public Relations from GSU and has completed the necessary hours towards receiving a Masters Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Phoenix. Battisto married the former Brandy McNeal in October 2012 and the couple resides in Durham, NC.  

Henry comes to North Carolina Central University after operating as an assistant coach at Palm Beach State College.  While there from 2013 to 2015, Palm Beach State was the runner up in the Southern Conference in 2014, and the champion in 2015 where it eventually became the runner up in Region Eight.  Henry helped to coach and develop three Major League Baseball draft picks, and sent 20 players to play at four-year institutions.   In 2014, Henry was an assistant coach specializing in hitting with the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League, a summer collegiate league. Henry began his head coaching career at Starkville Academy from 2009 to 2013.  During the 2013 season, Starkville Academy won AAA-D2 South Conference Championship.  In 2012, Starkville Academy won the AAA-D2 South Conference Championship and was also AAA-D2 runner up.  Henry earned AAA South Coach of the Year honors in 2012.   Henry graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Sciences from Delta State University in 2009, and managed the baseball team from 2006 to 2008.  He also graduated with an associates degree from Mississippi Delta Community College in 2006 where he played from 2004 to 2006.