SWO begins search for new baseball coach

Contact: Justin Tinder, SWOSU Sports Information Director, 580-774-7162

SWOSU BEGINS SEARCH FOR NEW BASEBALL COACH

WEATHERFORD - Southwestern Oklahoma State University baseball coach Scott Selby has made tough decisions before, but his most recent one didn't involve pitching rotations or batting orders.

Saying that his budding family needed more of his full-time attention, Selby resigned his post as head baseball coach at SWOSU to accept a similar position near his Yukon home. Selby was approved Thursday night as the new head baseball coach at Mustang High School.

Selby, 46, said the demands of coaching college baseball over the last 14 years had taken a large chunk of time away from his family which now includes a teenage daughter and son at the home. His oldest son, Spencer, is nearing graduation at the University of Oklahoma.

"I need to catch up on being a Dad," Selby said. "This opportunity at Mustang will allow me to continue to do what I love (coaching baseball) and still be near my family and participate more in their daily lives."

Selby leaves SWOSU after four seasons in which he led the Bulldogs to a 97-107 (.475) record, including a pair of 30-win seasons. This season, Selby's last at SWOSU, the Bulldogs had a 33-18 record and earned qualification for the Lone Star Conference tournament.

"I have nothing but respect for SWOSU and the treatment I received from President (Randy) Beutler and (Athletic Director) Todd Thurman," Selby said. "The future and direction for Bulldog baseball is very bright. SWOSU is a Top 25 program and will continue to attract many of the top players around."

Todd Thurman, SWOSU's athletic director, praised Selby whom he has known for a number of years dating back to their days on Southern Nazarene University athletic staff.

"We are greatly appreciative of Scott and his hard work, commitment and service to SWOSU. In four short years, he has elevated the level of our baseball program and brought it to par with the top schools in the region," Thurman said. "We wish him and his family the very best in the future"

Selby arrived at SWOSU in 2008 after spending nine seasons at SNU where he was the school's all-time winningest coach with a 275-224 record. He has a combined record of 372-321 (.536) which spans 14 seasons.

This Bulldog squad accomplished several firsts on the way to their best season since 1996 when veteran coach Larry Geurkink won 34 games in SWOSU's last NAIA year. This year the Bulldogs qualified for the LSC Tournament and won their first-ever LSC tournament game, beating Texas A&M-Kingsville on the second day of play.

The Bulldogs spent two weeks ranked among the nation's top 25 NCAA Division II teams for the first time ever, peaking at No. 24 in the first week of April.

SWOSU also defeated the nation's No. 1 ranked team for the first time, toppling Emporia State on March 22. The Hornets were unbeaten through their first 15 games before SWOSU rolled to an 18-9 victory in Emporia, Kan.

Thurman has appointed current assistant Zack Saunders as the interim coach while the search for Selby's permanent replacement begins.

"We anticipate this job to draw a considerable amount of interest around the SWOSU community and among baseball coaches in the region," Thurman said. "SWOSU has a loyal and solid support system in place. We want to find the right person who will bring in student-athletes who will succeed in the classroom, community and on the diamond."