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FAMU to announce Jamey Shouppe as new Head Baseball Coach

FAMU Florida A&M Rattlers Logo
Posted at 8:16 PM, Jul 16, 2013
and last updated 2013-07-16 20:16:00-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla -- The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Department of Athletics is set to announce the hiring of Jamey Shouppe as the new head baseball coach.

Shouppe is no stranger to success at the collegiate level, spending over two decades assisting with the nationally recognized Florida State University Seminole baseball team. He emerged during a national search as one of three finalists who was ultimately chosen to lead the team.

Shouppe has a concentration in pitching, in which he has produced 10 ACC team ERA pitching titles, recruited and coached 63 professional drafted pitchers including six first round draftees, recruited and coached 26 first team All-Americans and coached in nine College World Series.

Shouppe will be the first permanent coach for the Rattler baseball

team since the departure of Willie Brown early this year. Kevin

Clethen coached the Rattler baseball squad on an interim basis this

past season.

FAMU interim Director of Athletics, Michael Smith, is eager to

get Shouppe in place and assist with rebuilding the program back

to MEAC championship-caliber status. “Baseball at FAMU has

experienced some challenging times, but the heritage of the

program is strong. From the days of coaching legend Costa Kittles

and his dominance in the SIAC, with players like Andre Dawson,

Vince Coleman and Hal McRae to those of MEAC dominance

with coaches Robert Lucas and Joe Durant and players like

Marquis Grissom and Sean Gilliam.

Pitching has been an Achilles heel of the team over the last couple of years and Coach Shouppe will give us the absolute best opportunity to address that issue. We look forward to supporting him in the rebuilding of the Rattler baseball brand,” Smith said.

Interim President Larry Robinson also welcomes the new coach.

“We look forward to Coach Shouppe establishing a winning

baseball program,” said Robinson. “We want to celebrate the

success of our students athletes on the field and in the classroom

for many seasons to come.”

The Rattlers a coming of back-to-back 40-loss seasons with single

digit wins. Both seasons, the Rattlers had solid hitting, but was

unable to contain opponents, especially when it came to the

bullpen. Shouppe’s varied experience could provide just the fix

needed to once again make baseball a contender.

Shouppe is currently a coach with USA baseball. In 2012 and

2013, he was the pitching coordinator for 18-up Summer league

baseball. Professionally, he played with the Houston Astros from

1982-1985, where he was drafted in the eighth round of the 1982

draft.

Shouppe is confident that he can build the program through mental

toughness. “I believe that I am the man to lead FAMU baseball to

a level of success that no one believes possible,” Shouppe said. He

added, “anything can happen with a plan for success. I have a plan