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Courtesy Union University
Sports Information Office
JACKSON, Tenn. - May 19, 2005 - Long time Union
University baseball coach, Andy Rushing, has resigned from his
baseball coaching duties. His announcement to Dr. David Blackstock
came early this week. Rushing will remain at Union as he will
continue his teaching duties and also will serve as the assistant
golf coach.
Union athletic director, Dr. David
Blackstock say’s of Rushing’s resignation, “We lose
an excellent baseball coach and great leader of young people.
However, we are also very fortunate that Andy will continue his
teaching duties and will also be our assistant golf coach next
season.”
Rushing has just completed his 17th season as
head coach of the Union University Bulldogs. In 2004, Rushing led
his Bulldogs to their 11th straight season with at least 30 wins.
Overall, in Rushing's 17 years as head coach for the Bulldogs, he
had tallied 30-plus wins 14 times and has posted at least 40 wins
three times. While at Union, Rushing's win total has dropped below
30 just three times (29 in 1993 and 2005, 27 in 1989).
Rushing, a 1976 graduate of Union University,
won the TranSouth Conference regular season and tournament titles
in 2002, and he also lead his Bulldogs to a TranSouth regular
season title in 2000. In the past seven years, Rushing and the
Union Bulldogs have participated in four NAIA Region Tournaments.
Dr. David S. Dockery, the president of
Union University states, “We are grateful for the wonderful
years that Coach Andy Rushing has invested in the Union baseball
program. We appreciate his commitment to this university and
believe that the new opportunity that is his will serve the entire
athletic department well in days ahead.”
Rushing has compiled a 21-year coaching record
of 664 wins and 460 losses (60%), and a 17-year Union record of
582-362 (62%). Rushing was named TCAC Coach of the Year twice
(1987, 1995), NCCAA MidEast Region Coach of the Year (1998),
TranSouth Coach of the Year twice (2000, 2002), NAIA Region Coach
of the Year (2000), ABCA Region Coach of the Year (2000), and has
led the Bulldogs to two conference championship and one conference
co-championship, participated in five district tournaments, and
six regional tournaments.
He served as Chairman of the Conference
Baseball Committee for 10 years (1994-2002, 2004). He has also
served as the region chair since 2000.
Rushing began his coaching career at South Side
High School in Jackson. There he won a pair of district
championships and compiled a 59-34 record. Rushing then turned his
attention to the collegiate level by serving as head coach for
four years at Lambuth College (now University). While at Lambuth,
Rushing was named the 1987 TCAC Coach of the Year as he led the
Eagles to a school record 27 victories and a first ever playoff
appearance.
As a player at Union, Rushing was named the
Most Valuable Player in 1976 while batting .378 and earned his
third Outstanding Defensive Player award. During his playing
career at Union, Rushing played all nine positions, but found his
talents best suited the catching spot. Rushing served as Union's
team captain for two seasons before heading to Memphis State
University where he received a master’s degree in 1980.
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