PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — Maryland Eastern Shore’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced Thursday the appointment of Charlie Goens as the 12th head baseball coach in program history, effective immediately. Goens brings more than a decade of experience to Princess Anne.
“Charlie emerged as the top candidate from a lengthy list of qualified candidates.” Hawks Athletic Director Keith Davidson said. “His experience at many levels and a proven record of finding top talent to play for his teams will help us continue moving this program in the right direction.”
Most recently, Goens served as the head baseball coach at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia. He managed all aspects of the program in his one year guiding the Senators, coaching All-Conference players and overseeing a team that maintained a 3.0 GPA in the classroom.
Prior to that, he spent four seasons with the Richmond Spiders out of the Atlantic 10 Conference as an assistant and recruiting coordinator and as interim head coach. During his tenure with the Spiders, the team finished runners-up in the conference twice and averaged 30 wins a year. Goens helped coach 2012 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Zak Sterling, a graduate of Bennett High School in Salisbury, and 2013 Rookie of the Year Tanner Stanley, currently a prospect in the Kansas City Royals farm system. Washington Nationals prospect Jake Mayers was also under Goens’ tutelage at Richmond.
Goens has also worked as an assistant for Roanoke College in Virginia and Newberry College in South Carolina, where he earned his degree in Sports Management in 2008. He also holds a master’s in Athletic Administration from Western Kentucky University.
Prior to collegiate coaching, Goens spent 13 seasons on the high school circuit in Virginia and Florida, and has worked for various travel ball teams and been an instructor at college summer camps in the past. More than 20 of his former players were drafted or signed professionally, including first round picks Matt Whitney in 2002 and Tyler Lumsden in 2004.
“I want to thank Dr. Juliette B. Bell, the search committee and Mr. Davidson for the opportunity they have given me at Maryland Eastern Shore.” Goens said. “I also wish to thank my wife and family for their support. I can’t wait to get started here, and I look forward to working with these players and winning championships here on The Shore!”
Goens takes the reigns from interim head coach John O’Neil who steered the course over the last two seasons. O’Neil helped improve the program since he took over, becoming the only Hawks head coach to win 30 games in his first two years and leading the Hawks to their best Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference finish with a 14-10 record in 2015. His winning percentage is marked as the fifth best in program history. O’Neil will to remain with the team as an associate head coach.
“We thank John for his leadership over the past two seasons.” Davidson said. “He left this team in a great position for Charlie to take the helm, and we are thrilled that John has elected to stay and continue with us as associate head coach.”
The Hawks will next hit the field for a few tune-up games during the fall season before opening the regular season in February.
The first opportunity to meet the new coach will be during the Maryland Eastern Shore Baseball Prospect camp being held Sept. 17, at Hawk Stadium.
Courtesy: UMES Athletics
