June 20, 2006

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Just days after inking a contract extension, University of Memphis head baseball coach Daron Schoenrock announced the addition of Allen Osborne as the Tigers' volunteer assistant coach. Osborne replaces former assistant Corey Kines.

Off the field, Osborne will be in charge of the upkeep and maintenance of Tom DeHart Field, as well as overseeing Tiger baseball summer camps, summer youth tournaments held at Nat Buring Stadium and maintaining contact with area high school coaches. On the field, he will take over as the infielder's and catcher's instructor.

"It is an honor for us at Memphis to have someone with Allen's experience in this position," said Schoenrock. "He will definitely make an impact on our camps, players and program. We are excited to have Allen and (his wife) Janey join our baseball family at Memphis."

A native of Chesapeake, Ohio, Osborne comes to the Memphis baseball program with a strong coaching background. He spent the 2006 baseball season at Wakefield High School in Raleigh, N.C., where he served as the assistant coach. Prior to his one-year stint in the high school ranks, Osborne spent three years as an assistant at Conference USA opponent East Carolina. There, he worked as the hitting instructor and recruiting coordinator.

While at ECU, Osborne's offense set or broke six offensive records, including hitting 103 home runs and 153 doubles in 2004. He helped guide the 2004 Pirates to a nation-best 47-9 mark, including a 25-5 finish in C-USA play. ECU advanced to the Super Regional series after claiming the Kinston Regional championship. The Pirates finished the year ranked as high as fourth nationally by Collegiate Baseball and USA Today.

Osborne broke into the Division I ranks in 1997, at the University of Georgia, when he joined head coach Robert Sapp's staff as a graduate assistant. As the Bulldog assistant, he worked primarily as the catcher's coach and assisted with daily administrative duties. Osborne returned to Georgia for his second stint with the Bulldog baseball program following the 1999 season, joining then fellow assistant Daron Schoenrock on Ron Polk's staff. He served as the hitting and catcher's coach, as well as assuming the role of equipment manager and on-campus recruiting coordinator. He helped the Bulldogs to a 2001 Southeastern Conference championship, NCAA Regional and Super Regional title en route to an appearance in the College World Series.

He spent the 1999 season as an assistant coach at Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Fla. At CJC he coached defense, base running and also served as the recruiting coordinator and hitting instructor.

Osborne got his coaching career started in 1996 as an assistant coach for the Cortland Apples of the Northeastern Collegiate League. He took the reins as the head coach of the club a year later and guided them to the NCBL's Eastern Division title in 1999 and 2000.

A four-year letterwinner at Marshall University from 1992-95, Osborne earned Southern Conference Freshman of the Year honors.

Osborne earned his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Marshall in 1996. He received his master's degree in sport management from the University of Georgia in 1998.

He is married to former Janey Wheeler. The couple has a seven-month old daughter, Ellason Grace.