Matadors Hire Eric Newman as Pitching Coach

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The Cal State Northridge baseball program has hired Eric Newman as the team's pitching coach, effective immediately, head coach Matt Curtis announced Wednesday.

"I believe that Eric is one of the best college pitching coaches in the country," said Curtis.

Newman comes to Northridge after serving four years as the pitching coach at Nebraska University. In his first season with the Huskers, he helped guide a pitching staff with just 14 returning wins to a 41-win season and a No. 1 regional seed in the NCAA tournament. His staff led the Big 12 in complete games (seven) and ranked among the league leaders in saves (17, second), strikeouts (491, third) and ERA (4.18, third). While at Nebraska, Newman coached a total of 11 pitchers that were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.

Prior to his time with Nebraska, Newman spent five years at Dallas Baptist University; his final three as the program's head coach. As the pitching coach from 2002-05, his staff lowered its ERA from a collective 5.80 to 3.28. As the head coach, he guided the team to a 95-72 record while leading the program through its transition to Division I status.

"I saw first-hand his ability to recruit and develop outstanding pitching staffs at both Dallas Baptist and Nebraska," Curtis said. "I've known Eric for almost 20 years as a teammate and opponent and I know he will invest in the student-athletes at Northridge and help develop competitors, leaders, and young men of character."

Newman has spent time in the professional ranks, as well. In 2002, he served as player-coach for the Vero Beach Dodgers of the Single-A Florida State League.

Newman began his collegiate playing career at Fresno State in 1992 before transferring to Texas Tech University after two seasons. He played for the Red Raiders for one year before being chosen in the fifth round of the MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres in 1994. He spent a total of eight seasons playing professionally in the minor leagues, including stints in the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations.

Newman graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor's degree in family studies in 1997, and completed his master's degree in higher education at Dallas Baptist in 2005. Eric and his wife Melissa have a 4-year-old son, EJ.

Matadors Hire Eric Newman as Pitching Coach

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