Godwin Named to Collegiate National Team Coaching Staff
GREENVILLE, N.C. – ECU Head Coach Cliff Godwin has been named to the 2018 Collegiate National Team coaching staff according to a release by USA Baseball Wednesday afternoon.
Godwin, who will serve as third base and hitting coach under National Team Manager and current LSU Head Coach Paul Mainieri, will be joined by Jim Hendry (New York Yankees Special Assignment Scout), Brian O’Connor (Virginia Head Coach) and Jorge Perez (St. Thomas Head Coach). All four assistant coaches will make their USA Baseball National Team coaching debuts with this year’s team, while 2018 will be Mainieri's second coaching appearance for Team USA after serving as a Collegiate National Team assistant coach in 2015.
“I’m extremely honored to be chosen to represent our country this summer and wear the USA uniform,” Godwin said. “I appreciate Coach Mainieri and USA Baseball for this amazing opportunity. I look forward to working with a great coaching staff and the best collegiate players in the country!”
Godwin, who has been a part of nine NCAA Regional and two College World Series appearances coaching at the Division I level, is in his fourth year at ECU. During his three seasons at the helm of the program, Godwin has guided the Pirates to a pair of NCAA Regional berths (2015-16), a Super Regional appearance (2016), an American Athletic Conference Tournament title (2015) and a 110-73-1 (.601) overall record. Three players have earned All-America honors, five were named to the Charlottesville All-Regional Team, six took home all-conference honors (five first-teamers), seven were selected as American Player-of-the-Week, while three have been drafted by Major League Baseball teams.
This will be Godwin’s second stint working with USA Baseball after spending the summer of 2017 on the 14U National Team Program (NTDP) staff, where he led the Stars to a 3-0 series win over the Stripes at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
The 2018 Collegiate National Team will train at the USA Baseball National Training Complex and compete against teams in the Coastal Plain League from June 26-27, before hosting the 18th USA vs. Chinese Taipei International Friendship Series from June 28-July 2. All seven games will be streamed live on USABaseball.com and Facebook Live.
The team will then host the 42nd USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series from July 3-9. Finally, Team USA will travel to Cuba for the 7th Annual USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series that will take place July 13-18
