Tuesday, August 23, 2005

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Aug. 23, 2005) - ETSU head baseball coach Tony Skole announced on Tuesday the addition of Clay Greene as the team's new assistant coach.

Greene comes to ETSU after having spent the last three years at the University of Tennessee as an assistant, helping guide the Volunteers to the College World Series in 2005. Prior to his coaching career, Greene also played for Tennessee from 1996-97, and spent four seasons playing professionally in the San Francisco farm system.

"I am extremely excited to add such a quality person to our staff," Skole said. "Coach Greene is highly regarded and recognized as one of the top young coaches in the Southeast. He has experience at the highest levels of baseball and he has a very innovative and creative mind when it comes to teaching baseball.

"He brings a lot of positives to our program and will be a great asset to State Baseball. Our entire coaching staff now has ties with the NCAA Tournament and College World Series. We hope this experience will help take our program to another level."

Greene, who was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 1997, played four seasons in the minor leagues. He began his career with Salem-Keizer in the short-season Northwest League before spending three seasons with the San Jose Giants in the Class A Advanced California League from 1998-2000. He also spent two years coaching at the Thunder Baseball School in Knoxville, Tenn., helping to tutor youngsters in the fundamentals of the game.

As a Vol, Greene helped lead Tennessee to back-to-back NCAA Regionals in 1996 and 1997. The center fielder led the nation and set a then-school-record with 54 stolen bases during his senior campaign. He finished his two-year career with a .318 average, eight home runs and 87 stolen bases. Greene also reeled off a 14-game hitting streak during his final season, while swiping a Southeastern Conference-record six bases in seven attempts against MTSU.

A native of Cleveland, Tenn., he helped lead Cleveland High School to a district title and a runner-up finish in the regional during his senior campaign. He also established a school mark for stolen bases in a season with 37. He was born Nov. 10, 1974, and earned his degree in sport management from the University of Tennessee in 2001. Greene is married to the former Heather Redecker, who played on the Lady Vols soccer team from 1996-99.

Skole said Greene's addition only adds to the excitement already surrounding ETSU baseball.

"Our coaching staff is energized about the upcoming season and we are looking forward to our first season in the Atlantic Sun Conference," Skole said. "This year's recruiting class is very solid and we are excited to have these twelve young men on campus this week. We have a strong foundation of returning players and I am eager for fall practice to begin."