June 11, 2003
Lexington, Ky. –
Greg Goff, the pitching coach at the University of Kentucky for the past four seasons, has accepted the head baseball coaching position at the University of Montevallo, the school announced on Tuesday.
Montevallo is a liberal arts university located in Montevallo, Ala., about 30 miles south of Birmingham, which competes at the NCAA Division II level in the Gulf South Conference. Goff takes the reigns after longtime head coach Bob Riesener announced his retirement after 30 years at the helm of the program. He inherits a team that posted a 24-25 record in 2003, including a 5-16 mark in the Gulf South Conference.
“I’m excited to have the chance to be head coach at the University of Montevallo,” Goff said. “I am looking forward to the opportunity to build on the tradition that Coach Riesener has started.”
A native of Jackson, Tenn., Goff broke into the coaching ranks as the pitching coach at Delta State University in Mississippi, where he served from 1994 to 1997. The Statesmen made two World Series appearances in his time there, including a third-place finish in 1994. Goff’s next spent a two year stint as pitching coach at Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau, Mo., where the Indians’ staff posted the best earned run average in their conference in both of his seasons, 1998 and 1999.
While at UK, Goff has coached two pitchers that set the school’s single-season strikeout record: Brandon Webb with 123 in 2000 and Joseph Blanton with 133 in 2002. Blanton’s mark stands as the best in Southeastern Conference history. In all, Goff has coached 20 players who have gone on to play professional baseball, including eight All-Americans and two Division II National Players of the Year.
Goff feels as if he’s prepared for the duties of head coaching after serving under Keith Madison, Kentucky’s head coach for the past 25 seasons. Madison is widely regarded as one of the most well-respected coaches in college baseball.
“The opportunity I’ve had to work under Coach Madison has taught me so much about coaching at the college level. Watching him for the past four seasons has given me a great foundation to start my head coaching career. More than anything, Coach Madison has shown me how to better relate to players on and off the field and how to serve as a mentor to young men.”
I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given by Coach Madison and the University of Kentucky. My stay here has been educational and enjoyable.”
Goff, 33, earned his bachelor’s degree from Delta State in 1994 and a master’s degree from the school in 1996. He is married to the former Tina Newbill of Jackson, Tenn. The couple has two daughters, Kara, 4, and infant Kiley.
–UK–
