Wingate Names Allen Osborne Head Baseball Coach

Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University vice-president and director of athletics Steve Poston announces the appointment of Allen Osborne as head baseball coach. Osborne will begin his new duties immediately.

Osborne spent the 2007 season as an assistant coach at the University of Memphis, helping head coach Darren Schoenrock as a hitting and catching instructor and third base coach. In addition, Osborne served as camp coordinator and field maintenance coordinator on the Tiger staff.

In 2007, the Memphis Tigers made their first NCAA Regional appearance since 1994. Memphis (36-27 overall) compiled the most regular season wins since the 1994 campaign, as the Conference USA members notched back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time since the 1994 and 1995 seasons.

"We want to play for the South Atlantic Conference championship every year," Osborne said. "We want to play for championships every year."

Osborne was attracted to the Wingate job for several reasons. "The beauty of the school is one of the first things that caught my eye," Osborne noted. "The support of the administration is very evident. North Carolina is a great baseball state. We will have the ability to grow as a baseball program."

"Allen Osborne is a baseball man," vice-president and director of athletics Steve Poston said. "He brings energy and passion to his sport. His connections to our area will help us recruit the talent necessary to continue our strong baseball tradition. We are very excited to have the Osborne family join the Bulldog community."

Memphis head coach Darren Schoenrock gives Osborne high marks. "Allen Osborne possesses a tireless work ethic," Schoenrock said. "He will build great relationships with people on campus and in the community. These are two very important attributes for a head coach."

"My relationship with Allen Osborne goes to back to 2000, when we were both members of the University of Georgia staff," Schoenrock added. "I was honored to have Allen involved in our program at Memphis. He did a tremendous job with each of his responsibilities."

Osborne has been involved with several successful baseball programs. He was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for three seasons at East Carolina University, another member of Conference USA. The Pirates participated in NCAA post-season play each of his three seasons in Greenville.

In 2003, ECU defeated number seven Georgia Tech in the NCAA regional tournament in Atlanta. In 2004, the Pirates posted an amazing 47-9 overall record during the regular season. At one point during the 2004 year, ECU was ranked as high as number four by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. The Pirates advanced to the Columbia super regional in 2004 before falling to the host South Carolina Gamecocks.

Osborne spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Georgia, working with head coaches Ron Polk and David Perno. In 2001, Georgia won the Southeastern Conference championship and participated in the College World Series. In 2002, Osborne helped the Georgia Bulldogs qualify for back-to-back regionals for the first time in school history.

Osborne enjoyed two stints at Georgia, as he served as a graduate assistant baseball coach for the Bulldogs for two seasons (1997, 1998). In between his two tours in Athens, Osborne was an assistant coach for one year at Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Fla. Chipola was 45-11 overall during the 1999 season. Fourteen of Chipola's 16 sophomores had the opportunity to further their careers in baseball.

In 2006, Osborne was the assistant baseball coach at Wakefield High School in Raleigh. He was the hitting and catching instructor and third base coach for the perennial N.C. power. Osborne was the head coach for the Cortland Apples in the Northeastern Collegiate (summer) League from 1998-2000. The Apples won the Eastern Division championship in 1999 and 2000. He was an assistant coach for the one year with the Cortland Apples.

While at Georgia, Osborne earned a Masters of Education in Sport Management. He played four seasons at Marshall University, earning a Criminal Justice degree. While a member of the Thundering Herd baseball team, Osborne earned Southern Conference Freshman of the Year honors. He was an All-Southern Conference catcher.

A native of Chesapeake, Ohio, Osborne is married to the former Janey Wheeler. Allen and Janey Osborne have a one-year old daughter, Ellason Grace Osborne.

"Our players will have fun playing the game of baseball," Osborne said. "They will play fundamentally sound baseball."

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution offering students active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, world travel, faith nurturing, career development and community service.

Wingate offers more than 37 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers pre-professional programs and graduate degrees in business, education, physical education and sport administration.

In the spring of 2007, Wingate University awarded its first-ever doctor of pharmacy degrees. Bulldog student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division II sports.