SALEM, Ore. – Earlier today, Corban University Director of Athletics Bill Pilgeram announced the hiring of Ryan Harris to the position of Baseball Head Coach entering the 2023-24 school year. His appointment comes at the end of a monthslong search and hiring process where he was selected out of over twenty-five qualified applicants that applied to become the next skipper of Warrior Baseball.
"We are very excited to have Ryan take over as our new head coach for the baseball program," Pilgeram stated. "He consistently rose to the top of an extremely qualified pool of candidates and is a perfect fit for this program."
Pilgeram continued on about Harris by sharing, "His heart for discipleship and servant leadership will propel the program forward in promoting the mission of Corban University in educating Christian to make a difference in the world for Jesus Christ. We're pleased to have Ryan continue working in the NAIA, but now out on the west coast where some of the best baseball in the association is played!"
Harris joins the University as the leader of the baseball program following a successful collegiate career as a dual-position student-athlete, playing in both the outfield and making appearances on the mound for Cornerstone University from the 2013 to 2016 spring seasons. He was a four-year varsity starter for the Golden Eagles out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, posting a career batting average of .275 in 71 games played and an ERA of 4.66 in 106.1 innings pitched to represent a true two-way player on the diamond.
After graduating from Cornerstone in the spring of 2016 with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Coaching, Harris was accepted into the Master's in Coaching and Exercise Science program at Concordia University Irvine, where he received his first graduate degree in the spring of 2019. He is currently completing the coursework for his second master's from CUI, which will focus on Coaching and Sports Administration.
Now six years deep into a pair of coaching degrees, Harris returned to the Golden Eagles' program for the 2018 spring season as the Head Junior Varsity Coach, working on the day-to-day operations of the JV program on a recruiting, scheduling, and fundraising basis, while also assisting on the varsity side of the team when called upon. In addition, Harris filled the role of both the catcher and infielder coaching responsibilities for both the varsity and junior varsity teams.
One season as an assistant for the Cornerstone varsity program is all Harris needed to secure a full-time assistant coaching gig at another NAIA school in Brewton-Parker College, which is a member of the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) for baseball. Harris continued to pile on the responsibilities since his arrival at BPC, taking on the title of Associate Head Coach in addition to his duties as the Barons' hitting, catching, and head JV coach. Furthermore, Harris has served as the Head Groundskeeper for all outdoor athletic complexes at Brewton-Parker, managing the budgets for each facility while still finding time to assist his current head coach with Top 25 Coaches' Poll rater responsibilities within the SSAC.
Harris and his wife, Lexanna, enjoy spending time with their two cats and dogs on the east coast, but have shared that they are looking forward to exploring the Pacific Northwest and become a part of the Salem community.
"I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to serve as the head baseball coach at Corban University," Harris said when asked to share his thoughts on joining the west coast program. "I am looking forward to building a program and culture in which we honor and glorify Jesus in everything that we do. My wife and I are overjoyed with this opportunity to be at Corban where we believe in the mission and the people that embody the University."
Harris will make the long journey from coast-to-coast in the coming weeks to prepare his squad for the next school year, taking over the reins officially from his remote location in Georgia as soon as possible to begin the recruiting and scheduling for the Warriors' 2024 campaign.
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