Wright State Selects Greg Lovelady to Run Baseball Program
Wright State University associate head baseball coach Greg Lovelady has been promoted to head coach of the Raider program. He served for nine seasons as the top assistant for Rob Cooper, who recently announced he accepted the head coach position at Penn State.
"I'm very excited about Greg leading our baseball program,” said WSU Director of Athletics Bob Grant. “He has been a co-architect the entire step of the way with Coach Cooper and I expect a seamless transition. Greg is a tremendous baseball man and is more than ready for this challenge. It is especially gratifying when we are able to promote a member of our Raider Family to a head coaching position; this is a testament to Greg's hard work and dedication and the success our program has had for the last nine years."
On the field, Lovelady has worked as the pitching coach and with the catchers on a daily basis while off the field, he has served as the recruiting coordinator for the program, helping WSU to NCAA Tournaments in 2006, 2009 and 2011. During his time with Cooper at WSU, the Raiders posted an overall record of 286-230 with 141 wins in Horizon League games.
“I want to thank Dr. Hopkins, Dr. Abrahamowicz, Bob Grant and Rod Perry for allowing me to run this great program,” Lovelady said. “The last nine years have been a wonderful experience for me and my family, and we feel humbled and honored to be chosen to continue the great legacy of Raider Baseball. I am looking forward to building on the foundation that I have helped lay and continuing the precedent set by our past teams. I am blessed to be in a position to lead the great group of student-athletes we currently have and am excited to begin this new chapter.”
In 2013, the Raiders captured a second straight Joe Nuxhall Classic title with wins over Miami and Cincinnati and advanced to the championship game of the Horizon League for the sixth time in nine seasons. Three Raiders were honored by the league as Garrett Gray and Kieston Greene were named to the First Team and Mark Fowler and Greene to the All-Newcomer Team.
During the 2012 campaign, career win #250 came for the duo of Cooper and Lovelady at UIC on April 22 in the form of a 4-3 decision. The Raiders also posted the program's second-longest winning streak ever as the Raiders reeled off 14 straight victories during March and April, outscored their opponents 185-67 in the process. Also, during that stretch, WSU took home the Joe Nuxhall Classic title for the first time. Two pitchers were honored with Horizon League honors as Michael Schum was selected as the Relief Pitcher of the Year and Jordan Marker was voted to the HL's second-team.
The 2011 season saw Cooper and Lovelady record their 200th coaching victory with an 8-2 decision at home over Youngstown State on March 26. That season also saw Jake Hibberd become his fourth Horizon League Player of the Year, Michael Schum pick up his second HL Relief Pitcher of the Year and Corey Davis named the second League Newcomer of the Year under Cooper and Lovelady. Early-season wins over The Citadel and West Virginia helped catapult the Raiders to a sixth-straight 30-win season.
The 2010 season saw the Raiders win 30 or more games for the fifth straight year. Sophomore pitcher Casey Henn earned First Team All-Horizon League honors as he posted a 7-0 record with a league-leading 3.19 earned run average and 82 strikeouts in 84.2 innings while holding the opposition to a league-best .241 batting average. Senior pitcher Alex Kaminsky was named to the Second Team after winning five games with 88 strikeouts while senior catcher Gerald Ogrinc was selected to the First Team after throwing out 16 of 26 base stealers and recording five pickoffs to lead the league.
2009 saw freshman Michael Schum received the Horizon League's Relief Pitcher of the Year award after leading the conference with a 1.95 ERA and 13 saves, striking out 57 in 74 innings. Schum was also named to the Second Team and the All-Newcomer Team.
In 2008, Lovelady led a pitching staff that saw Jon Durket earn First Team All-Horizon League honors. As a staff, Wright State ranked second in wins and led the Horizon League in Fewest Hits Allowed. Durket led the league in ERA, and Alex Kaminsky led the league in wins and opponents’ batting average against.
In 2007, the Raiders boasted the most wins in the Horizon League (36) and held the second-best team ERA. The Green and Gold boasted only the sixth pitcher in WSU history to win 10+ games in a season, Kyle Kearcher, and compiled the seventh highest win total in school history. The Green and Gold also set the school standard for league wins in a season with 21 victories.
In 2006, the Raiders pitching staff set a new-school mark for pickoffs in a season (28) and came within 1/3 of an inning of breaking the school mark for innings pitched in a season.
Lovelady has also started to shape his pitchers and catchers into major league form. Relief pitcher Joe Smith opted to leave WSU after a spectacular junior season and was taken with the 93rd overall pick in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Mets organization. Smith made his Major League debut on April 1, 2007, in St. Louis. Along with Smith, 11 other Raider pitchers and catchers have joined the professional ranks during Lovelady's tenure (Greg Robinson, Ross Vagedes, Robert Barrett, Aaron Garcia, Jason Bennion, Kyle Kearcher, Garret Holleran, Ogrinc, Kaminsky, Durket and Travis LaMar).
Lovelady came to WSU after a successful playing career and three-year stint with one of the nation's elite teams in Miami (FL). The Hurricanes won two national championships, in 1999 and 2001, with Lovelady as the catcher. A four-year letterman for the 'Canes, Lovelady captained the 2001 squad that won its second national championship in three years.
Lovelady hit a career best .314 with a 14-game hitting streak during his 1999 campaign. Lovelady was also a fan favorite in Coral Gables, receiving the Arnold Novins Award in 2001, an honor bestowed on the "Most Popular Player" as voted by the fans of Miami. The 'Canes made a postseason appearance during each of Lovelady's years as a player and coach in Coral Gables. UM Reached the College World Series five times and advanced to the NCAA super regional seven times while Lovelady was on campus.
Lovelady graduated from Miami in 2001 with a degree in Finance and a minor in Sports Management as a member of the university's dean's list. Professionally, Lovelady played with the Utica Blue Sox, an affiliate of the Florida Marlins, and helped develop two UM catchers and numerous pitchers into major league draft choices.
Lovelady and his wife Lindsay resides in Beavercreek with their son, Noah Preston, who was born on December 16, 2008.
What others are saying about Lovelady...
“I am highly confident that the future of WSU baseball is in good hands with Bob Grant and Rod Perry as administrators, and that is apparent by promotion of Greg to head coach. Greg has had as much to do with our success in the last nine years than anyone. He will do a great job and he is the right man to lead the program.”
Rob Cooper, Head Baseball Coach Penn State
"Having Greg Lovelady as a pitching coach was invaluable to my baseball career. Love is there with you every day good or bad and his love, passion and drive for the game of baseball becomes a part of you when around him everyday. Greg truly knows how to bring out the best in his players. I have no doubt he will continue to lead the program into an even brighter future as the new head coach of Wright State."
Joe Smith, Former Raider and Current Cleveland Indians Pitcher
“Greg is one of the best people I have ever worked with. He was a champion as a player and associate head coach. The baseball program has exemplified integrity on the field and off because of Rob Cooper and Greg Lovelady.”
Billy Donlon, Head Basketball Coach Wright State
“This is a great decision by the leadership at Wright State. Greg has worked for everything he has ever achieved. It started with his days as a walk-on turned National Champion starting catcher. As his position coach, I was always impressed with his tenacity and leadership. As a coach, he worked his way up the ranks by earning each promotion. I knew one day this would happen, and I am excited to watch his growth as the head coach at Wright State. There is no question great success will follow.”
Mark Kingston, Head Baseball Coach Illinois State
(Release courtesy of Wright State Athletics)
