Shepherd University director of athletics B.J. Pumroy announced today that Matt McCarty ’10 has been elevated to interim head baseball coach and that Anthony Jackson ’11 has been elevated from part-time assistant coach to interim full-time assistant coach for the 2012-13 academic year. Both of them were players in the 2009 season when the Rams won the WVIAC title and served as assistant coaches in 2012 when the team won the title.

McCarty served as full-time assistant coach in for the 2012 season and was a part-time assistant coach in 2011. During his two years as a player for Shepherd he was a standout pitcher and outfield earning All-American honors his junior year. Jackson spent the 2012 season as a part-time assistant coach. During his playing career he was a two-time All-WVIAC selection and played catcher on the 2009 championship team.

“Their coaching experiences both here at Shepherd as well as in the Valley Collegiate Summer League give them the expertise necessary to take on these leadership roles,” said Shepherd University director of athletics B.J. Pumroy. “This move will also keep some continuity to a program coming off of a conference championship season. Our student-athletes are familiar with the coaches and endorsed this decision.”

The move comes as a result of the departure of Wayne Riser who served as Shepherd’s head baseball coach since 1991. Riser chose to leave Shepherd to become head baseball coach at the University of Mary Washington on Sept. 21.