Upstate Baseball Announces Coaching Changes
7/23/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Spartanburg, S.C. – USC Upstate baseball head coach Matt Fincher announced Wednesday that Ethan Guevin has been promoted to pitching coach and former Spartan infielder Jordan Stampler has been hired as a volunteer assistant coach.
"We're very pleased that Ethan is going to be our pitching coach," Fincher said. "He has a nice background in baseball and was with us a year ago, so that will provide some continuity to the program. I'm also glad that Jordan decided to come back and help the program. He was an outstanding player in the program and will do an outstanding job as a coach."
Guevin spent the 2014 season as a volunteer assistant coach working primarily with the Upstate infielders. Under Guevin's guidance, the Spartans infield finished the season tied for fifth in the Atlantic Sun with 41 double plays turned. Individually, senior Daniel Seeba proved to be one of the top defensive infielders in the league, ending the year with just two errors in 168 chances.
Guevin spent two years working on the staff at the University of California before arriving in Spartanburg prior to the 2014 season. As a player, he was a four-year starter as both a pitcher and second baseman at Carleton College, earning all-conference honors in 2008 and 2009. Guevin was also named the 2009 Rawlings NCAA Division III Gold Glove Award Winner while batting .363. On the mound, Guevin served as the Knights' No. 1 starter in each of his four seasons and left the school as the all-time ERA leader.
"I'm very excited to step into this new role and help the pitching continue to build on the improvements we showed throughout the course of last season," Guevin said. "Our returnees know the level of commitment and hard work it will take to get where we want to be, and I think everyone shares my excitement in our potential on the mound. We have high expectations moving forward and it's going to be a fun year."
Stampler makes his return to Upstate following a successful season as an assistant coach at Division III Adrian College. Stampler helped lead the Bulldogs to a 33-15 record in 2014 and an appearance in the Midwest Regional final, falling just one game short of the Division III World Series.
Stampler, who will work primarily with the Spartan infield, started all of the 108 games in which he appeared in during his two seasons at Upstate. He finished his career at Upstate in 2013 with a .268 career batting average to go along with 88 runs and 42 RBIs. Stampler also holds the school record for the most times hit by pitch with 18 in 2012.
"It's great to be back at Upstate, and I can't thank Coach Fincher enough for the opportunity," Stampler said. "My experience at Upstate as a player was unforgettable, and I am now looking forward to working with the coaching staff and the team next season."
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