Softball Announces Noah Sanders as New Assistant Coach – UCF Athletics

He also provided key insights into the team’s base-running strategies, as the 2022 Trojans stole 68 sacks, the most for the program since 2014. Williams led the Trojans with 21, tied for third of the Sun Belt.

A trio of Trojans who reached double figures paced the team’s offense in 2021, highlighted by Williams’ .288/.316/.512 line that featured a team lead of 105 goals in total.

Before the 2020 season was suspended due to COVID-19, Little Rock’s offense was off to a hot start to the season. Catcher Kale Emshoff led the Sun Belt in batting average, home runs and slugging percentage to start the season, and was among the national leaders in many statistical categories, leading to his signing with the Royals of Kansas City after the season.

Sanders helped take Little Rock’s offense to new heights throughout the Trojans’ prolific 2019 season at the plate. The team’s 54 home runs represented its highest total in a single season since 2013 and drew 89 hits per pitch, which was the most for the program since 2010.

“I loved his ability to connect with players and fellow coaches, as well as his enthusiasm for what our sport is doing and where we are going,” Ball-Malone said. “He’s excited about what we have here and what we can do at UCF and our ability to make the World Series.”

Sanders mentored Riley Pittman during his illustrious four-year career as a Trojan, who would become Little Rock’s all-time home run leader (27) and earn first-team All-Sun honors Belt during his senior season. Pittman and outfielder Troy Alexander both signed professional contracts following their collegiate campaigns under Sanders, with Pittman signing with the Milwaukee Milkmen and Alexander signing with the St. Paul Saints.

In total, Sanders recruited and/or coached 21 players selected in the MLB Draft and a total of 24 players who went on to play professional baseball. Two notable rookies include Tyler Zuber, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals, and Peyton Culbertson, who was selected in the eighth round of the 2018 Draft by the Miami Marlins.

Sanders mentored eight players on track to receive first-team All-Sun Belt honors, including Pittman, who earned first-team NABC/Rawlings All-Region and second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American recognition. Sanders also coached 2018 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year Kyle MacDonald, 2015 Third Team All-American Louisville Slugger Zach George and 2015 First Team College Sports Madness Matt Burgess.

Sanders came to Little Rock from rival Arkansas State, where he served as an assistant coach during the 2016 and 2017 seasons after serving as a volunteer assistant coach with the Red Wolves for three seasons from 2013-2015.

“Having previously worked with our administration was also a big sell for me because he understands the vision we have here with our athletic department,” Ball-Malone noted. “He was at Arkansas State when Terry Mohajir, Rich Zvosec and Abby Wilson were all there, so he knows them well and understands their vision.”

In 2017, Sanders took over as first base coach and assisted head coach Tommy Raffo in the offense. The team’s offense is tied for the most home runs during the Raffo era with 34, and the team also recorded the highest runs per game (6.02) and RBIs per game (5.40) in the BBCOR bat era, which began in 2011.

The team also stole 62 bases, a tied record during the Raffo era. Sanders saw three of his hitters earn Sun Belt Player of the Week honors – the most in a single season at Arkansas State since 2006.

Prior to Arkansas State, Sanders served as an assistant coach at Crowder College in the fall of 2012, where he was the team’s hitting instructor, worked with the receivers and assisted with recruiting.

“I look forward to creating new relationships. I’ve been building relationships and networking in the baseball community for almost 15 years, so being able to do that on the softball side is something really exciting for me,” Sanders added. “Being able to coach these high-level athletes who are playing at such a high level and have the opportunity to win and compete for a national championship is something very exciting.”

Sanders spent two years at his alma mater Arkansas-Monticello during the 2011 and 2012 seasons and helped six players earn all-conference honors. He was the team’s recruiting coordinator and worked with hitters, catchers and outfielders.

As a player, Sanders spent two years at Itawamba Community College in 2006 and 2007 before transferring to the University of West Alabama for two seasons (2008-09). He spent the final year of his playing career at Arkansas-Monticello in 2010.

Sanders earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies from Arkansas-Monticello. He and his wife, Bailie, have two children, Kannon and Kendall.

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