MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Mike McGuire, who served as the pitching coach at Morehead State in 1995 and 1996, has returned to the Eagle baseball program as the 12th head coach in school history.
McGuire, an 18-year coaching veteran, has previously made stops at Winthrop University, Lander University (S.C.) and Louisburg College (N.C.). He has mentored 17 All-Americans and 40 players who signed professional contracts.
"I'm very excited about coming back to Morehead State,” McGuire said. “I had the opportunity to get my coaching start here as an assistant under Dr. Frank Spaniol, and have gained a lot of experience over the years which has prepared me for this position. The goal here will be to compete for OVC championships and participate in NCAA postseason play on a regular basis. For that to happen, my staff and I have to recruit talented student-athletes and develop them.”
Director of Athletics Brian Hutchinson is excited about the future of the program under McGuire’s leadership.
"Coach McGuire has been successful for a very long time as both a collegiate assistant coach and head coach,” Hutchinson said. “His previous experience at Morehead State made quite an impression on him. His enthusiasm about this team and our future helped set him apart in a very competitive and deep pool of candidates. I know the team is excited to get to know him, and our alumni and fans will be eager to reacquaint themselves. Mike walks into this role at a pivotal time in our program's history, given the success of the 2012 Eagles, and our ambitious plans for the future. I’m looking forward to the success we will enjoy."
McGuire played collegiately at Akron for two seasons before transferring to South Carolina. He participated in two NCAA Regionals as a member of the Gamecocks. He then played two professional seasons for Zanesville (Ohio) in the Frontier League, leading the Greys to the league title in 1993.
He guided the pitchers and catchers at MSU, and helped lead the Eagles to the OVC Tournament title game in 1996.
He served as assistant head coach at Winthrop from 1997-2002, where he helped lead the Eagles to a pair of NCAA Regional appearances and school-record 48 wins in 2001.
McGuire served as head coach at Lander from 2003-05. In his three seasons, the Bearcats averaged more than 30 wins and ranked among Division II’s Top 25 teams. His 2004 squad established a then-school record with 33 wins.
He returned to Winthrop in 2006 as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator. The first season of his second stint saw the Eagles post a 46-18 mark and advance to the finals of the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional. In six seasons, he coached single-season and career record holders in nearly every statistical category. While coaching the offensive aspect of the game, his hitters established single-season team marks for hits, home runs and total bases.
McGuire served as head coach at Louisburg in 2012. He led the Hurricanes to a school-record 52 wins and the program’s first-ever No. 1 National Junior College Athletic Association national ranking. Louisburg also constructed a school-record 27-game winning streak.
He replaces Morehead State alum Jay Sorg, who recently stepped down after five seasons.
McGuire received a bachelor’s degree in sports administration from South Carolina and master’s degree in health, physical education and recreation from Morehead State. He and his wife Angela have two daughters, Courtney and Sydney.
