USA – Elon University graduate and coaching veteran Tim Murray will be returning to the dugout in 2009 to direct the Asheboro Copperheads. Murray, who is also the head baseball coach at Asheboro High School, brings nearly two decades of coaching experience to the Copperheads and becomes the first multi-year head coach in the team’s 10-year history in the Coastal Plain League.

The Copperheads got off to their best start in franchise history under Murray a year ago, winning seven of their first 10 games and nine of their first 13. However, they weren’t able to sustain their hot start and finished 21-34 on the season. The Copperheads were 14-13 in front of the home fans at McCrary Park.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to be doing it again and certainly want to improve over the 21 wins we had last season,” says Murray. “We just weren’t able to be consistent last summer and in a league as competitive as the CPL there’s not much difference in the talent level from top to bottom. We had a couple of bad stretches and just couldn’t recover.”

“But we had a great group of young men on last year’s team and I enjoyed being around them and being associated with everyone in the CPL. It was a great experience for me and I know we’re going to have another great bunch of guys in 2009.”

Although the roster is still being formulated, Murray thinks there will be several members of the 2008 team that will be returning, along with a few others with ties to the community that should help strengthen the fan base.

Murray is a graduate of North Moore High School in Robbins and has been head varsity coach at AHS for the past four seasons. He was a pitcher at Elon and earned his undergraduate degree there in 1991. He also holds a masters degree from North Carolina A&T State University.

The Asheboro Copperheads are a member of the Coastal Plain League, the nation’s hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Heading into its 13th season with 14 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, the CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with wooden bats during the summer months. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts.

For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league Web site at www.coastalplain.com.

Media Release: Coastal Plain League

Tags: USA