Moranda retires

Cullowhee, N.C. – Bobby Moranda, who has spent the last 15 seasons as the head coach of the Western Carolina University baseball program, today announced his retirement from college baseball. Moranda has been in the NCAA Division I coaching ranks for the past 35 seasons, holding either assistant or associate head coaching positions at his alma mater, Eastern Kentucky, and ACC programs at Virginia, Wake Forest, and Georgia Tech, in addition to his head coaching stint at WCU.

Moranda, 58, concludes his time at WCU as the longest-tenured and winningest head coach in Catamount baseball's storied history, securing his 303rd career victory against VMI in 2017 to by-pass Hall of Fame coach, Jack Leggett (302, 1983-91). Moranda posted a career record of 406-392-3, eclipsing the 400-win plateau earlier this season with a midweek victory over USC Upstate in Cullowhee. With 197 career SoCon wins, he also ranks as WCU's winningest head coach in league play.

All told, Moranda ranks 10th in the SoCon's ledgers for career victories at a SoCon school. He is among just 17 head coaches all-time in conference history to win 300-or-more games at a conference school.

"I've been blessed these past 15 years to serve as the head coach of the Western Carolina Catamount baseball program. My 35-year coaching career has been an awesome ride in college baseball," said Moranda in a statement on Saturday. "I truly love the relationships that were created with all of our student-athletes, coaches, managers, and program alum that I've had the privilege to work with during my coaching career. I'll always cherish my time at Western Carolina where my wife Pamela and I were able to raise our family, and I look forward to many great years for Catamount baseball."

"Thank you, Catamount Nation; I will never forget my time in the 'Whee," Moranda said.

Moranda, who was formally introduced as the Catamount head coach on July 19, 2007, won two Southern Conference regular-season championships in back-to-back seasons in 2013 and 2014 as his squads posted a combined league record of 43-13 over those two years. He was honored by his peers as the 2013 SoCon Coach of the Year.

He guided the Catamounts to the program's SoCon-record 10th conference tournament crown in 2016 as his team bookended the tournament run with walk-off victories, advancing to the program's 12th NCAA Regional. Combined, his squads played in three SoCon Tournament title games including the 2016 championship run, also doing so in 2010 as a sixth seed and in 2021 as the fourth seed.

Under Moranda's guidance, 33 different Catamounts garnered All-Southern Conference plaudits since 2008 with nine players collecting multiple accolades. He also recruited and coached three Southern Conference Players of the Year in Tyler White (2013), Bryson Bowman (2017), and Justice Bigbie (2019). A combined 13 first-year players recruited by Moranda and his staff earned SoCon All-Freshman team plaudits, while 16 players have earned SoCon all-tournament team honors under his watch including the 2016 Most Valuable Player, Matt Smith.

As a collegiate coach, Moranda was on staff with teams that went to five NCAA Super Regionals and made two trips to Omaha for the College World Series. Overall, Moranda was a part of 16 conference championships and 14 NCAA Tournament appearances as either a player or a coach.

Twenty-four Catamounts were drafted by Major League baseball teams during Moranda's time at the helm with five former players signing undrafted free agent contracts. Six players who mentored under Moranda's tutelage remain active in professional baseball including INF Tyler White, LHP Bryan Sammons, LHP Brendan Nail, RHP Chase Walter, INF Justice Bigbie, and RHP Jack Snyder. Overall, during the varying stops in his coaching career, Moranda worked with 32 different players who advanced to the Major Leagues including six first-round draft picks.

Moranda, who also coached with Team USA twice during his career in Cullowhee, also spearheaded many of the facility improvements at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium in recent years.

"Bobby has been an amazing colleague, mentor, and coach for Western Carolina over the past 15 years," said Director of Athletics Alex Gary. "He will always be a special part of our program and we will miss him here in Cullowhee."

Western Carolina will conduct a national search for its 11th head baseball coach immediately.

The man retired, what more do you want? A pound of flesh?

VERY well said.

I liked Moranda and I thank him for his time and effort with WCU. He will always be a Catamount to me.  Now, with Alex Gary being the AD, I do feel like we will be in good hands as he at least knows the baseball side and its importance at WCU. I do wonder one thing, what is Todd Raleigh doing now and would he consider returning? However, I think there a ton of great coaches and great assistants just chomping to get the chance to prove themselves.