NCCU’s Koerner Named to USA Baseball Coaching Staff

Jim Koerner
Photo courtesy of Red Rocket Photography

By JONATHAN DUREN


CARY, N.C. – North Carolina Central University baseball head coach Jim Koerner has been named technical advisor for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team during the 18th USA vs. Chinese Taipei International Friendship Series from June 28 to July 1, USA Baseball has announced.

“I want to thank Eric Campbell of USA Baseball for this opportunity,” Koerner said. “It’s an honor to be a part of the premier amateur baseball organization in the country. I’m excited to be able to represent NC Central and to be involved with some of college baseball’s best athletes and coaches.”

Koerner has spent six seasons coaching at NCCU and has amassed 131 wins during his time, including a school record 28 victories during the 2018 season. The Eagles got off to its best start in program history in 2018 by going 9-3, and also captured votes in the NCBWA Top-30 Poll for the first time.

Koerner will work with the Collegiate National Team during the International Friendship Series with Chinese Taipei, which will be a four-day, four-game series. The first two games will be played at Coleman Field in Cary, North Carolina, on June 28 and 29, before heading to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on June 30. The series will then return to Coleman Field for the finale on July 1.

Koerner will be responsible for coordinating with the umpires and making sure that they are aware of all rules and ground rules for the series. He will also insure the quality of game baseballs and settle any game disputes immediately.

The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team (CNT) is comprised of the top collegiate baseball players in the country. The team competes each summer in a schedule of exhibition games across the U.S. and overseas against the world's top baseball talent. As part of this schedule, the U.S. takes on the Japan Collegiate All-Stars nearly every summer, and squares off in international friendship series against the likes of Canada, Chinese Taipei, Cuba and the Netherlands.