2008 SEASON RELEASES

THUNDERBIRDS ANNOUNCE ASSISTANT COACHING CHANGES

CEDAR CITY, Utah – Oct. 3 – Southern Utah University baseball underwent a facelift in the off-season with the addition of two new assistant coaches going into the 2008 campaign.  Set to join the staff will be Ryan Fecteau who will take over pitching coach duties for the departed Roberts Stephens and former SUU standout Jeff Oliverson replacing Jason Ruiz.

Mike Martin, an assistant coach with the team over the past two years, will return for a third season.

“I'm very excited to have this trio of young coaches,” head coach David Eldredge said of the assistants.  “They bring additional enthusiasm and energy to our squad.”

Fecteau joins the Thunderbirds after serving as an assistant coach at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.  During his two seasons he served as the pitching coach with his charges ranking tenth in the nation among Division III schools with a 2.96 ERA.  The Saints also captured a conference tournament championship and made an NCAA regional appearance in 2006.

As a player, Fecteau graduated from Saint Anselm College after a four-year baseball career.  Fecteau led the Hawks to a regular season conference championship and an NCAA regional appearance in 2004 while serving as team captain.  He was named first-team all-conference that same year and finished his career as the school career record holder in wins (20), innings pitched (312), strikeouts (254) and complete games (16).

“Ryan has already done well in the college ranks as his pitching staff last year was nationally ranked at the D-III level,” Eldredge said of the newest addition.  “He's an intelligent coach with a well structured plan and a very good understanding of the game.”

Oliverson, a Cedar City native, returns to SUU where he played during the 2005 and 2006 seasons.  With the Thunderbirds, Oliverson played both first base and pitcher, earning second-team all-Mid-Con honors in 2005.

Martin was also a second-team all-Mid-Con player as a senior catcher in 2005.

“Mike and Jeff are two ex-Thunderbirds who had outstanding careers here at SUU,” Eldredge said.  “They both have a good feel for our program and for what needs to get done for us to move forward. 

“Mike has become a strong technician at the aspects of the game that he is responsible for,” he continued, “and Jeff has natural leadership abilities that will definitely help our players progress."

The baseball season will begin this spring when the Thunderbirds play Central Michigan in Moapa Valley, Nev. on Friday, February 22.