Coach Nathan Meade is entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Milligan College baseball program. In 2009, the Buffaloes finished the year with a school best 39-19 record, and a 17-10 mark in league play. Additionally, Meade has coached five AAC-first selections, two gold glove winners and has had one player (Nathan Fritz) advance to the professional ranks within the Twins Organization in the past three seasons.
A 2005 graduate from Milligan, Meade played four years for the Buffaloes, starting as a middle infielder and also collecting the single season record for stolen bases.
Milligan made two NAIA Region XII tournament appearances while he was a player, finishing second in 2005. Prior to this year, Meade was an assistant at Milligan throughout the 2005-06 season.
During the summer of 2006, he was head coach of the Tennessee Thunder (Johnson City, Tenn.), a member of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League.
The Lebanon, Va., native is a 2001 graduate of Lebanon High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Milligan College and a master's degree in sports management from East Tennessee State University.
The launching of the 2007 campaign marks the 12th year of Coach Smith's involvement with Buffalo Baseball.
A long-time professional player with the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres and Oakland A's, Coach Smith continues to manage in the Twins' system during the summer months, something he has done since 1987.
Smith, a graduate of the University of Oregon, also serves as Milligan's director of athletics.
He, his wife, Shelly, and daughter, Hannahlily (a Milligan freshman), reside adjacent to the Milligan College campus.
Coach Hill returns to Milligan College where he was a member of the baseball team from 2001 -2005 and teammate of Head Coach Nathan Meade. As a player Brad helped the team advance to the Region XII tournament two of the fours years he was at Milligan. He was also a member of the record setting team in 2004 that tied a school record for wins.
Brad has spent the last two years as a coach at Morristown East High School. While he was at East coach Hill saw three players sign college baseball scholarship. During the 2005 and 2006 summers coach Hill was a coach for the Tennessee Thunder, a member of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League.
At Milligan Coach Hill will be working with the outfielders during practice and coach first base during games. While working at Milligan Coach Hill will also be earning his masters degree in sport management from ETSU.
Brad and his wife, Ashley, live in nearby Gray.
Contact Coach Hill at 423.975.8722.
Chris Gordon Assistant Coach,
Baseball
Coach Chris Gordon is entering his second season as an assistant with the Milligan College baseball program. Chris has served as the catching coach for the past two seasons, but this year he is also the newly appointed recruiting coordinator and pitching coach.
During his undergraduate career, Chris was a member of the Milligan College baseball team from 2003-2007. While with the Buffs, Gordon was a member of the record setting 2004 team and the 2005 NAIA Region XII runner-up squad.
Upon graduation, Chris began his coaching career as an assistant coach for Science Hill High School in 2008. While at Science Hill, the Hilltoppers made it to the semi-finals of the state tournament. Chris is also as an assistant coach in the Southern Collegiate Baseball League. He has spent the last two seasons with the Tennessee Tornado handling the pitchers and catchers. During his tenure with the Tornado pitching staff, they have led the SCBL in ERA, Strikeouts, and WHIP, for two straight years. The Tornado have won back-to-back Jeffers Cups and the post season tournament title in 2008 and 2009.
Chris holds a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in history from Milligan College and is a member of the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association and the American Baseball Coaches Association.
