July 23, 2008

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Texas Wesleyan University head baseball coach Mike Jeffcoat announced today the hiring of Texas Rangers Hall of Famer Rusty Greer as an assistant coach.

Jeffcoat, a former Ranger and ten-year major league veteran, was excited about what Greer will bring to the program.

“This is not only a tremendous boost to our coaching staff, but to our recruiting process as well,” Jeffcoat commented.  “I look forward to seeing Rusty display his work ethic and competitive nature to the kids in our program, and the coaching staff looks forward to learning from him as well.”

With a coaching staff and facility (LaGrave Field) that are second to none in college baseball, Texas Wesleyan has developed into one of the top programs in the NAIA.  After reaching the NAIA Region VI final in 2007, the Rams finished third in the 2008 Regional which featured two of the nation’s top-five teams.

Jeffcoat and Greer first met during spring training.  Greer was called up from the minor league camp for an intersquad game with the big league team.  In Greer’s first at bat against major league competition, he faced Jeffcoat who promptly hit the future star.  Both Jeffcoat and Greer have remained active with the Rangers after their playing careers.  They have become friends while working with the Rangers Legacy program.

When asked why he wanted to coach at the collegiate level, Greer said, “To be honest, I like the amateur level.  These kids have somewhere they want to go, and I would like to help them get there.  At this time in my life I want to be involved in baseball and still be around the house.  Coaching at Texas Wesleyan gives me an opportunity to do that.”

Greer managed the Colleyville Lone Stars of the Texas Collegiate League in 2007.  This summer he is coaching the Dallas Baseball Academy of Texas (D-Bat) 17-year old team.

One of the best and most popular players in Rangers history, Greer, was elected to the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame on August 11, 2007.  He ranks seventh in Rangers history with a career .305 batting average.  He also ranks in the franchise’s top-10 with 1,166 hits (6th), 543 runs scored (5th), 119 home runs (10th), 614 RBI (5th), and 258 doubles (tied for 5th) in nine seasons.  Greer helped lead the team to American League West Division Championships in 1996, 1998, and 1999, batting a career-high .332 in the 1996 campaign.  He set career highs with 112 runs scored, 193 hits, 42 doubles, and 26 home runs in the following season and drove in a career-best 108 runs in 1998.  He finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting in 1994 and 22nd in the 1997 AL MVP vote.

Under Jeffcoat’s guidance the Rams have compiled a record of 216-158 (.578) in the last seven seasons including a mark of 83-27 (.755) in the last two years.