Josh Holliday named OSU's new baseball coach
BY ERIC BAILEY World Sports Writer
Friday, June 08, 2012
6/08/12 at 4:50 PM
STILLWATER – Josh Holliday’s first word at his introductory news conference – “Wow” – summed up his feelings after being named Oklahoma State’s 15th baseball coach Friday afternoon.
The former OSU baseball standout said it took him only “one or two seconds” to accept the head coaching job when offered by athletic director Mike Holder.
“I’m very honored and very humbled to be given an opportunity to come back to OSU and return to a place that has meant so much to me and my family over the past 30-plus years,” Holliday said. “I’m excited about the unique opportunity to build a future with a program that celebrates and recognizes its proud history, embraces the current players and works toward a future that everyone will be proud of and unite behind.”
Holliday replaces Frank Anderson, who spent nine seasons as OSU’s coach.
Holliday’s hire was on a fast track. The former Vanderbilt assistant said he wasn’t contacted by OSU until Tuesday, the day after the Commodores were knocked out of an NCAA regional.
Holliday is the first former OSU player to be named the program’s head coach. He played for the Cowboys between 1996-99 and was inducted into the school’s Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
Holliday is the son of Tom Holliday, who was an OSU assistant coach between 1978-96 and the head coach between 1997-2003. His younger brother Matt is an All-Star outfielder with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Holliday said the first order of business is getting to know the current team. Then it is rebuilding the tradition that he teethed on, from the days of Pete Incaviglia and Robin Ventura.
Selling his program won’t be difficult, he said, won’t be difficult.
“Recruiting to Oklahoma State will be recruiting from the heart,” he said. “Oklahoma State, to me, changed my life. To talk about that to people will be very easy and something I can do with a tremendous amount of joy.”
Associated Images:
Vanderbilt assistant coach and former OSU standout Josh Holliday was named the Cowboys next baseball coach Friday. Vanderbilt University photo
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