From Sidelines
Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
A graduate of Christiansburg High School is headed to Averett University as that school’s new head baseball coach. Averett University Director of Athletics Meg Stevens announced Friday the hiring of Drew Bailey who comes to Averett following three seasons as an assistant coach at Bluefield College.
Bailey takes over the Averett program, which has just one conference championship in 22 years of varsity play.
During his time at Bluefield, Bailey served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator while assisting with hitters and catchers. In each season, his pitching staff totaled more than 300 strikeouts. Twice the Rams qualified for the NCCAA Tournament, earning a bid in the NCCAA College World Series in 2015 and 2017.
Bailey played collegiately at Division II Concord University, where he was an all-conference relief pitcher twice. During his time there, he set the school record for saves and pitching appearances, and was a member of the 2008 Concord team that broke the programs’ wins record.
Following his junior season in 2010, Bailey was selected in the 35th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Oakland Athletics. He had his best pro season in 2011 when he went 5-0 with a 2.34 earned run average with the Class-A Vermont Lake Monsters. In addition to the Athletics’ organization, he also played with three independent teams.
He is also the founder of the Southwest Virginia Prospect Camp and served as the pitching coach at Christiansburg High School.
Also in other coaching news, a former football assistant at Auburn High School has been named the new head coach at Northampton High School in the eastern part of Virginia. J.T. Edney had served for two years at Auburn under then-Coach Jack Turner. Last year, he served as an assistant coach at Northampton.
