 Head
Coach
Brent Fronabarger
Phone: 731-661-5489
Email: bfronaba@uu.edu
Brent Fronabarger begins his third season
as the head coach of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ University Baseball program after serving
eight seasons (1996-2005) as the assistant coach. He received a Bachelor of
Science in physical education and health from Â鶹ÊÓƵ in 1996 and received a
Master of Education degree from Â鶹ÊÓƵ in 1998. Fronabarger spent his days as
the assistant coach working mostly with the pitchers. Fronabarger was
named the AFLAC Assistant Coach of the Year in 2003 selected by Scholastic's
Coach and Athletic Director Magazine.
Last season, Fronabarger led the Bulldogs to a 33-18 record,
reaching the 33 win mark for the second straight year. In his two
seasons at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, Fronabarger has accumulated a 66-46 (.589) overall record.
In 2006, Fronabarger's first year as head coach, he led the
Â鶹ÊÓƵ Bulldogs to the NAIA Region XI Tournament, the teams first appearance
since the 2002 season. In Fronabarger's first season, Â鶹ÊÓƵ finished the
season 33-28 overall and 10-8 in the conference, good for third place.
After graduating from Â鶹ÊÓƵ in 1995,
Fronabarger returned to his hometown where he helped coach the Huntingdon
High School Mustangs in both football and baseball during the 1996-97
seasons. In 1997, he was hired by Â鶹ÊÓƵ as the assistant baseball coach and
head of grounds. During his eight seasons as an assistant coach, Â鶹ÊÓƵ
baseball posted a win-loss record of 293-146 (.667) with two conference
championships and three Region XI Tournament Appearances. The teams boasted
three seasons with 40 or more wins.
Fronabarger, the 1995 Tennessee
Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, holds several Â鶹ÊÓƵ
pitching records including Most Victories in a Season (13), Most Victories
in a Career (33), Most Strikeouts in a Career (306), and Most Innings in a
Season (117.2). In 1995, Fronabarger led the team with the lowest earned run
average (1.97) and had a incredible 11-2 record. Fronabarger was drafted out
of high school by the Toronto Blue Jays.
In addition to his head coaching duties
at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, Fronabarger teaches in the Physical Education, Wellness, and Sport
Department.
He is married to the former Sandy Cothran
and the two are proud new parents of Brady, born in May of 2007.
Assistant
Coach
Joseph Talley
Phone: 731-661-5956
Email: jtalley@uu.edu
Joseph Talley returns to his Alma Mater as the assistant
baseball coach for the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Bulldogs where he was a four-year starting pitcher.
Talley graduated from Â鶹ÊÓƵ University in 2003 with a BS in physical education
and health.
Talley came to Â鶹ÊÓƵ after spending four
seasons (2004-2007) as the assistant baseball coach at the University School of
Jackson. While at USJ, Talley helped coach the 2005 State Championship team and
also the state runner-up teams of 2006 and 2007.
During Talley’s four years at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, he
helped propel the Bulldogs to heights the program had not seen in recent history.
During his final season, he was named an NAIA All-American, NAIA Scholar
Athlete, first team All-Region, and first team All-Conference. As a senior,
Talley helped lead the team to the TranSouth Regular Season and Tournament
Titles, and to the second highest NAIA ranking (#4) in program history. Talley
finished his senior campaign with a 10-2 record, 3.78 ERA, 74 strikeouts, and a
team-high 81 innings pitched. Over his Â鶹ÊÓƵ career, Talley compiled an overall
record of 25-11.
Talley is a 1998 graduate of Chester County
High School were he was named an All-District and All-Region player. He is
married to the former Hanna Burke of Jackson.
Graduate Assistant
Joe Grapes
Phone: 731-661-5956
Email: joegrapes@hotmail.com
Joe Grapes is in his first
season with the Â鶹ÊÓƵ University baseball program. Grapes has begun graduate
work at Â鶹ÊÓƵ after earning his bachelors degree in Political Science from
Cumberland University in 2006.
Between his stops at Cumberland and Â鶹ÊÓƵ,
Grapes spent time in Heath, Ohio were he was the head baseball coach and
assistant soccer coach at Licking County Christian Academy during the 2006-07
season.
Grapes spent two seasons at St. Vincent
College in Latrobe, Pa. He then transferred to Cumberland where he was named a
TranSouth Scholar Athlete in 2005. Grapes was a member of the 2005 Cumberland
team that finished fourth in the NAIA World Series and also the 2006 team that
posted a runner-up finish in the series.
Grapes, a native of Pataskala, Ohio, prepped
at Watkins Memorial High School. He was named All-Conference, Ohio High School
Baseball Coaches Association Academic All-Ohio. Grapes also wrestled and played
football. He is the son of Ken and Nancy Grapes.
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