LAS VEGAS, N.M. – New Mexico Highlands Director of Athletics,
Jeff Falkner, is pleased to announce on Tuesday (Nov. 4) that
Shannon Hunt will be the new Head Baseball coach for the Cowboys.
Hunt was currently in his second stint and third season with Highlands, and was serving as the Associate Head Baseball coach in both the 2005 and 2014 seasons.
"I am pleased that Shannon has agreed to be our next baseball coach," Falkner said. "It is never easy following such a successful coach in
Steve Jones, but I believe that Hunt has the experience at multiple levels of baseball to continue the proud tradition of Highlands' baseball.
"Shannon was an excellent choice not just for the program but for the university and the Las Vegas community as a whole."
Hunt will take over for Coach Jones, who leaves Highlands after 17 seasons, six NCAA Tournament appearances and a 550-395 record. He was previously the associate head coach with the Cowboys baseball program in 2005 and 2014, both NCAA Regional Tournament seasons.
"I am very humbled and gracious of the opportunity for this position, and extremely thankful of
Jeff Falkner to give me this chance." Hunt said. "I am proud to be Steve Jones' successor. I came here because of him and we are longtime friends of nearly 30 years, sharing a love of baseball, hunting and fishing."
Jones resigned his position last Wednesday (Oct. 29) to start the program at Texas A&M-Texarkana.
"I am happy for Steve as it was a great opportunity for him. I know that he will excel with his new program; they are blessed to have him. I believe it is a great opportunity for both of us. Again, I am excited and yet humbled to be able to take over for Coach Jones," Hunt added.
The 2015 edition of the Highlands baseball team returns three All-Conference performers in seniors
Matthew Chavez,
Morgan McCasland and
Andrew Ratterman. Chavez and McCasland were also named Daktronics Second Team All-District while Chavez and Ratterman were named to the South-Central District American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Team.
With Chavez and McCasland being possible draft picks next summer in the MLB Baseball Draft, Coach Hunt brings a unique perspective of having a plethora of experience at the professional baseball levels.
When asked about the possibility of preparing Chavez and McCasland for professional baseball, Hunt said,
"Baseball has not changed since its beginnings; you hit the ball, you catch the ball, you throw the ball, pretty simple really. I have been very fortunate to experience the game at many levels, both collegiately and professionally as a player and a coach. I have learned much in regard to game management and working with ballplayers of all backgrounds and diversity. Professionally, you typically have more mature players. Players who are more refined in their skills and manage their emotions better, players who understand that in order to get 200 hits in a season you'll have to go 0 for 400 to do it. So baseball not so unlike life is how you handle the failure, the ups and downs, and adversities that are thrown your way. Players like Matt (Chavez) and Morgan (McCasland) hopefully can benefit from my experiences, and with a little luck I can help them understand how to survive in the pro environment, given they get that chance." - Hunt added.
Hunt also served as the associate head coach and served as the team's hitting coach for Highlands during the 2005 season. That year, the Cowboys finished 38-18 had a team batting average of .368, with .558 slugging percentage and .449 on base percentage; .960 fielding percentage in first 54 games. The Cowboys were the 2005 RMAC Tournament Champions, and received a bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament.
Hunt, who is in his 24th year of coaching, began his time as a player/coach for the Reno Silver Sox Baseball Club in the California League in 1991. Besides associate head coaching positions at Edmonds CC (1993), Butte College (1994-96) and Shasta College (2001-04), he served as an associate scout/coach for the San Francisco Giants from 1992-2004.
After his year stint with the Cowboys, he was the head coach at El Paso CC from 2005-2009 and had a record of 112-110-2. During his time in Texas, his teams posted strong offensive numbers, in 2008 Hunt's club put up some impressive totals: Conference/Overall: .384/.358, Slugging: .673/.589, On Base Pct: .460/.437. His El Paso club earned a NJCAA Division 1 Region V playoff berth that year. He also served as both the pitching/hitting coach and assistant field manager for the Yuma Scorpions of the Golden Baseball League in the summers of 2007 and 2008, in which his 2007 club finished second in the GBL in Batting and third in ERA.
Before rejoining Highlands coaching staff, he served as the hitting coach for the Traverse City Beach Bums from 2010-2013. As the hitting coach, he oversaw one of the most productive offenses in the Frontier League. In his first three years in Traverse City, the Beach Bums have had 12 Offensive All-Stars, posted 9 franchise records and had 31 appearances in the Top-3 of the league leaderboards at the end of the respective seasons. In 2010 Hunt helped lead Traverse City (59-45) to its first Frontier League Championship series against the River City Rascals, during his 4 seasons in Traverse City the club made the playoffs in three of four seasons. 2012 saw Hunt's biggest offensive year with the Beachbums in which his hitters helped propel the team to a (64-32) league best record in the regular season. Overall during Hunt's time with Traverse City he helped manager Gregg Langbehn guide the team to a 183-134 record.
His collegiate playing career began in 1985 as a utility player at DeAnza CC in Cupertino Ca. He also played collegiately at Butte College (1986-87) and NAIA power house Lewis Clark State College (1987-89). While at Butte, he helped the Roadrunners to a California JUCO state championship appearance. While playing at Lewis Clark State, under Hall of Fame Coach Ed Cheff the warriors were NAIA National Champions Hunt's seasons of 1988 and 1989. In 1990, he played in minor league baseball as a catcher and utility player for the Bend Bucks of the San Francisco Giants organization.
Hunt received his Bachelor's degree in 1994 in physical education, exercise physiology and kinematics from Cal State University-Chico. He also received his Master's degree from the same institution in physical education with an emphasis in biomechanical analysis in 2001.
Shannon is married to Dawn of 13 years and has one son, Willem (12).
