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Post by LCACAT on Feb 28, 2018 13:50:03 GMT -5
I agree. I’m a relative newbie, but a lot of people have interesting (and often humorous) insight. I would appreciate the opportunity to follow their comments! During his first nine years at the helm in Cullowhee, Moranda guided Western Carolina to a pair of Southern Conference regular season championships in back-to-back years in 2013 and 2014. He also led the Catamounts to the SoCon Championship game twice including the program's league-record 10th SoCon Tournament crown in 2016, advancing to the NCAA Clemson Regional -- a first for the program since 2007. Over his first decade at the helm, the Catamounts have recorded 30-or-more victories seven times moving Moranda into second on WCU's all-time career wins chart with 284 through 2016. His 2013 squad secured 39 victories including 16-straight Southern Conference wins, while the 2014 team posted 37 wins with 12-consecutive mid-season. Moranda eclipsed the 200-win mark in 2014 with a victory over La Salle becoming WCU's fifth head coach to surpass 200-wins all-time. Moranda -- the 2010 Western Carolina Men's Coach of the Year and the 2013 Southern Conference Coach of the Year -- became WCU's all-time winningest head coach in SoCon play, finishing 2016 with 146 league victories. Under Moranda's guidance, 23 different Catamounts have garnered All-Southern Conference plaudits since 2008 with seven players collecting multiple accolades. In 2013, Tyler White -- who was recruited and coached by Moranda -- became the 15th different Catamount named the SoCon Player of the Year. Seven first-year players have earned SoCon All-Freshman team plaudits, while 10 players have earned all-tournament team honors under his watch. During his first season in 2008, Moranda recruited and coached Ross Heffley, who was the both the consensus SoCon Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-America selection in 2009, and went on to be a first team All-America selection in 2011 and an 18th round draft pick in 2012. Slugger Jacob Hoyle and left-handed pitcher Bryan Sammons also garnered Freshman All-America honors after being recruited by Moranda. Additionally, four of Moranda's players have garnered Academic All-District 3 honors including Tyler Sexton (2008), Tyler Kirkpatrick (2010), Jacob Hoyle (2014) and Kramer Ferrell (2016). All told, Moranda-led Western Carolina squads have posted numerous signature victories including 10 against nationally-ranked foes. WCU scored a win over Moranda's former squad, fourth-ranked Georgia Tech in the Yellow Jackets first-ever trip to Cullowhee in 2009. His teams also scored a win over 24th-ranked Southern California (USC) on the program's first-ever trip to California that same year. After weather altered the opening-weekend schedule in 2014, the Moranda-led Catamounts took down No. 2 Mississippi State at famed Dudy Noble Field. WCU has also secured road wins over nationally-ranked Clemson -- sweeping the Tigers in the 2012 regular season marking the first single-season sweep in Catamount history -- and twice at Tennessee. The Catamounts also played the longest game in SoCon history with a 20-inning victory over top-seeded Elon in the 2011 SoCon Tournament in Charleston, S.C. Since Moranda came in Cullowhee in 2008, 19 Western Carolina players have been drafted by Major League squads including Nick Liles, a former Cape Cod League All-Star and a seventh-round pick in 2009 to represent the highest selection under Moranda's watch. Former Catamount, Tyler White -- a 33rd round pick in 2013 -- was recruited and coached by Moranda, and was the first Catamount under Moranda's watch to advance to the MLB, doing so with the Houston Astros in 2016. Overall, a combined 23 players that Moranda either recruited or coached have gone on to careers in the Major Leagues. Twelve pitchers have been selected through the top five rounds alone of the Major League Baseball Draft under the tutelage of Moranda. He also helped recruit and coach Matt Wieters, the fifth pick of the 2007 MLB Draft out of Georgia Tech. In all, Moranda has coached over 70 players who have been selected in the baseball draft, 20 of which were undrafted out of high school. |
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Post by bigbaseball on Feb 28, 2018 18:22:33 GMT -5
My son is a redshirt freshman. He saved Western Carolina for his last school to visit and fell in love with it. He also loved the fact that so many players had been drafted out of the program. He had better offers at other places, but chose Cullowhee.
Sometimes when you are looking at everyone, it takes a while to figure out what you have. I think Coach Mo is still doing that. This is a young team and when Coach Mo figures it out, the team will do well. There are, as said above, many bright spots.
Maybe Louisville is where it all comes together!
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Post by Bob on Feb 28, 2018 18:27:16 GMT -5
Enjoy the long season and the ones to come if you keep Bobby. His reputation is catching up with him and good coaches won't stay with him. This program was the only winning one through out history at WCU. Now they are in a week conference and still can't win. 1 Tournament bid in his career. Come on who are you fooling? Kids came to WCU for its tradition. He has ended that.
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Post by wcatradio75 on Feb 28, 2018 23:32:53 GMT -5
Enjoy the long season and the ones to come if you keep Bobby. His reputation is catching up with him and good coaches won't stay with him. This program was the only winning one through out history at WCU. Now they are in a week conference and still can't win. 1 Tournament bid in his career. Come on who are you fooling? Kids came to WCU for its tradition. He has ended that. A "week" conference? Wrong on both counts. |
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Post by bigbaseball on Mar 1, 2018 0:12:45 GMT -5
Too funny! Not two  |
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Post by Bob on Mar 1, 2018 18:43:57 GMT -5
Enjoy the long season and the ones to come if you keep Bobby. His reputation is catching up with him and good coaches won't stay with him. This program was the only winning one through out history at WCU. Now they are in a week conference and still can't win. 1 Tournament bid in his career. Come on who are you fooling? Kids came to WCU for its tradition. He has ended that. A "week" conference? Wrong on both counts. The old SoCon would send at least two teams a year to regionals. Watched WCU baseball for 35 years. Your job is to be a fan. I am an Alumni who sees trouble. |
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Post by wcu32 on Mar 6, 2018 13:44:25 GMT -5
Enjoy the long season and the ones to come if you keep Bobby. His reputation is catching up with him and good coaches won't stay with him. This program was the only winning one through out history at WCU. Now they are in a week conference and still can't win. 1 Tournament bid in his career. Come on who are you fooling? Kids came to WCU for its tradition. He has ended that. A "week" conference? Wrong on both counts. The SoCon is vey weak sorry. It’s nothing like what used to be since CofC, GSU and Elon left. Sure Mercer and UNCG are OK with Samford being decent but it’s one bid league without doubt. To weak top to bottom to get 2nd unless someone has ridiculous good year and even then be hard. We saw that with seasons we left out back in early 2010s. No debate about this one With finally being fully funded starting next year we should see change very quickly |
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