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Sources confirm the Diamond Dawgs have hired new Head Coach

Our new coach is the guy on the left. We hope he can build something close to the guy on the right. - Matt Ryerson-US PRESSWIRE

According to my sources within the program, the University has agreed in principle to hire Scott Stricklin as the new skipper for its baseball team. An official announcement could happen as soon as Sunday.

Stricklin_medium

via Kent State University

The former Georgia Tech assistant coach and recruiting coordinator just finished his 9th season at the helm of the Golden Flashes, compiling a 350-188 record. He led the team to its first-ever College World Series appearance in 2012 (where they eliminated the Florida Gators), and his teams have competed in the MAC conference tournament in 8 of his 9 seasons. In addition to the 2012 CWS appearance, Kent earned berths in NCAA regionals in 2007, 08, 09, 10, and 11. Stricklin was named National Coach of the Year in 2012 by collegebaseballinsider.com.

Stricklin, 41, leaves his alma mater to head to Athens, following 2 stints under Danny Hall on North Avenue (1998-99, 2002-04), as well as two seasons as an assistant at Vanderbilt. He is highly regarded as a recruiter and has extensive knowledge of baseball in Georgia, with connections among Perfect Game and East Cobb baseball, both hotbeds of prep talent. That should help the Dawgs reclaim higher profile recruits which have been lost to other in-state programs like Kennesaw State and Mercer over the past few seasons. His 2002 Tech recruiting class, including second-round draft picks Micah Owings and Tyler Greene, was ranked #1 in the country by Baseball America.

Signed to a six-year contract extention at Kent just this past September, Stricklin's compensation was $300,000 annually. Sources also tell me that University of Virginia head coach Brian O'Connor also interviewed for the position.

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