EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Wes Carroll, a Newburgh, Indiana native and one of the most recognizable players in University of Evansville baseball history, has been chosen as the Purple Aces’ head baseball coach. University of Evansville Director of Athletics John Stanley made the announcement this afternoon at a news conference at Braun Stadium on the UE campus.
“Wes has a strong history in our community, has been successful as a player, and knows the University of Evansville as a graduate and as a coach,” Stanley remarked. “We have a very strong baseball tradition and I am confident Wes will put out teams that our fans will enjoy watching play. Wes’s passion for the baseball program, the game of baseball, the University, and the community make him an ideal choice to lead our program in the future.”
Added Carroll, “This is a dream job scenario for me. When I stepped foot on this campus for the first time in 1997 under the leadership of Jim Brownlee, I knew I wanted to be here for a long, long time. Now it’s time to start working, and getting this program to match up to the vision I have for it.
“The next six months will be about getting my staff in place, hitting the road to talk with recruits about the University of Evansville, and making sure we have strong team chemistry. That means developing a mentality and a focus on winning. We need to create an atmosphere of success, and give our kids the resources they need on and off the field to be successful. A lot of that comes from a leader, and as their leader, that’s my responsibility.
“Other than wins on the field, it’s a priority to reach out to our alumni, and to baseball fans in our community. This is a great baseball community, by the way. It’s about getting people of all ages excited about Evansville baseball.”
Carroll, 29, shined at UE as an infielder from 1998 through 2001. He was UE’s first Freshman All-America selection in 1998, thanks to a rookie campaign in which he hit .355 with 18 doubles, two home runs and 39 runs batted in. Carroll went on to hit .299 or better in each of his four years at UE, and finished his career by setting the school’s all-time career record for doubles (74), while also ranking in the school’s career top 10 in six different categories. He still holds the record for career doubles, has the second most basehits in school history with 308, and has the ninth highest career batting average in school history at .339. Carroll earned all-conference and all-region honors at shortstop during his four-year career, and was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Centennial Team in 2007 as one of the top players in league history. The only other Aces on the MVC All-Centennial Team are shortstop Jamey Carroll, first baseman Erik Lis and pitcher Willie Glen. UE’s first season in the MVC was 1995.
Following his college career at Evansville, Carroll was drafted in the 37th round of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. Carroll spent the next five years playing Minor League Baseball for the Phillies and later for the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals organizations. As a part of the now-Nationals organization, Carroll played parts of two seasons at the AAA level. He retired from the professional ranks in the spring of 2006, but not before he was able to play alongside his older brother, Jamey, in two spring training games for the Washington Nationals. Jamey is now with the Cleveland Indians.
Carroll returned to his alma mater in the summer of 2006 as an assistant coach with the Purple Aces’ program. Carroll’s main responsibilities the past two years have included serving as the team’s hitting coach and infield coach. Carroll helped the 2007 Purple Aces attain their second-highest team batting average (.292) since the NCAA implemented reforms on bats in 2000.
An alumnus of Castle High School, Carroll graduated from UE in 2001 with a degree in Human Kinetics and Sport Studies. Wes and his wife, Ashley, a former soccer standout at the University of Evansville, reside in Newburgh with their son, Brooks, who will turn one in August.