like 68 of them.
<div class="newshead"> Coaches with SEC ties among candidates </div>
<div class="newscopy"> BY MATTHEW V. ROBERSON
SUN STAFF WRITER
JONESBORO - A highly touted assistant and a former head coach with three trips to the College World Series under his hat are among the heavy hitters interested in becoming Arkansas State's next baseball coach.
Former Mississippi State assistant Tommy Raffo and former Tennessee head coach Rod Delmonico are among at least 68 applicants for Arkansas State's head baseball coaching vacancy, according to records obtained by The Sun through the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
Arkansas State Athletic Director Dr. Dean Lee said the quality of applicants for the position is very strong.
"I really feel good about the pool of candidates that we have," Lee said. "Obviously, with the timing that we had, I did start out concerned of being late in the search process, but I have been very pleased with the quality of candidates and the number of candidates that have shown interest in our position."
Former Arkansas State coach Keith Kessinger announced he would not return last week following a 20-34-1 season in which the Indians finished last in the Sun Belt Conference. Kessinger was offered a 1-year contract extension, but decided it was in the best interest of his family and the program to decline the offer.
Raffo visited Jonesboro on Thursday and was on campus Thursday afternoon.
But Lee declined to confirm whether Raffo had interviewed for the job or how serious of a candidate Raffo is.
"I will not confirm or deny any of the candidates that I have spoken with, talked to, or asked for nominations," Lee stated. "Those are personnel issues and will be deemed confidential, so I will not confirm or deny that I have spoken with any candidate."
Raffo has been an assistant for the Bulldogs since 1994, helping Mississippi State to the College World Series in 1997, 1998 and 2007. He also assisted MSU to the Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship in 2001 and 2005 and the NCAA baseball tournament in each of the 15 years he has been on staff.
Raffo was a volunteer assistant from 1994 to 1997 before being promoted to a full-time position with Mississippi State, where he was an All-American as a player. He was at the center of a controversy recently when MSU athletic director Greg Byrne hired John Cohen to replace retiring Bulldogs coach Ron Polk in early June.
Polk had shown public support for Raffo to be his successor and was vocal about his disappointment when Raffo was passed over for the job. In reference to Byrne, Polk was quoted as saying, "I'm going to do everything I can to make his life miserable," following Cohen's hiring.
Raffo had served as the hitting and outfield coach for Mississippi State the past 10 years. He was also the first base and infield/outfield positions coach, recruiting coordinator, travel coordinator, camp director and compliance liaison for the MSU baseball team.
Delmonico was the head coach at Tennessee from 1990-2007, compiling a 699-396 record during his tenure.
Delmonico is the school's all-time winningest coach. His teams made trips to the College World Series in 1995, 2001 and 2005, and eight NCAA regional appearances.
The Volunteers won three straight SEC Eastern Division titles under Delmonico from 1993-95. They also posted nine 40-win seasons, two 50-win seasons, and averaged 39.7 wins a year from 1993 through the end of his tenure.
Asked if Delmonico was also a serious candidate for the ASU position, Lee declined to give any specific information about him as a candidate.
"I can't confirm or deny that," Lee said.
Delmonico was a volunteer assistant at Florida State this past season. He was an assistant at FSU before becoming the head coach at Tennessee.
Florida Atlantic interviewed Delmonico last weekend for its head coaching vacancy, and he is also considered a candidate for the College of Charleston job. Former University of Miami and Louisville pitching coach Lazer Callazzo has also expressed an intent to join Delmonico as an assistant for him.
Lee declined to reveal a timeline for announcing Arkansas State's next head coach.
"We're not going to get in a hurry," Lee said. "It has to run its course in an appropriate manner. The sooner the better is great, but if it takes longer then we'll just take longer to get the right candidate."
</div>
<div class="newshead"> Coaches with SEC ties among candidates </div>
<div class="newscopy"> BY MATTHEW V. ROBERSON
SUN STAFF WRITER
JONESBORO - A highly touted assistant and a former head coach with three trips to the College World Series under his hat are among the heavy hitters interested in becoming Arkansas State's next baseball coach.
Former Mississippi State assistant Tommy Raffo and former Tennessee head coach Rod Delmonico are among at least 68 applicants for Arkansas State's head baseball coaching vacancy, according to records obtained by The Sun through the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
Arkansas State Athletic Director Dr. Dean Lee said the quality of applicants for the position is very strong.
"I really feel good about the pool of candidates that we have," Lee said. "Obviously, with the timing that we had, I did start out concerned of being late in the search process, but I have been very pleased with the quality of candidates and the number of candidates that have shown interest in our position."
Former Arkansas State coach Keith Kessinger announced he would not return last week following a 20-34-1 season in which the Indians finished last in the Sun Belt Conference. Kessinger was offered a 1-year contract extension, but decided it was in the best interest of his family and the program to decline the offer.
Raffo visited Jonesboro on Thursday and was on campus Thursday afternoon.
But Lee declined to confirm whether Raffo had interviewed for the job or how serious of a candidate Raffo is.
"I will not confirm or deny any of the candidates that I have spoken with, talked to, or asked for nominations," Lee stated. "Those are personnel issues and will be deemed confidential, so I will not confirm or deny that I have spoken with any candidate."
Raffo has been an assistant for the Bulldogs since 1994, helping Mississippi State to the College World Series in 1997, 1998 and 2007. He also assisted MSU to the Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship in 2001 and 2005 and the NCAA baseball tournament in each of the 15 years he has been on staff.
Raffo was a volunteer assistant from 1994 to 1997 before being promoted to a full-time position with Mississippi State, where he was an All-American as a player. He was at the center of a controversy recently when MSU athletic director Greg Byrne hired John Cohen to replace retiring Bulldogs coach Ron Polk in early June.
Polk had shown public support for Raffo to be his successor and was vocal about his disappointment when Raffo was passed over for the job. In reference to Byrne, Polk was quoted as saying, "I'm going to do everything I can to make his life miserable," following Cohen's hiring.
Raffo had served as the hitting and outfield coach for Mississippi State the past 10 years. He was also the first base and infield/outfield positions coach, recruiting coordinator, travel coordinator, camp director and compliance liaison for the MSU baseball team.
Delmonico was the head coach at Tennessee from 1990-2007, compiling a 699-396 record during his tenure.
Delmonico is the school's all-time winningest coach. His teams made trips to the College World Series in 1995, 2001 and 2005, and eight NCAA regional appearances.
The Volunteers won three straight SEC Eastern Division titles under Delmonico from 1993-95. They also posted nine 40-win seasons, two 50-win seasons, and averaged 39.7 wins a year from 1993 through the end of his tenure.
Asked if Delmonico was also a serious candidate for the ASU position, Lee declined to give any specific information about him as a candidate.
"I can't confirm or deny that," Lee said.
Delmonico was a volunteer assistant at Florida State this past season. He was an assistant at FSU before becoming the head coach at Tennessee.
Florida Atlantic interviewed Delmonico last weekend for its head coaching vacancy, and he is also considered a candidate for the College of Charleston job. Former University of Miami and Louisville pitching coach Lazer Callazzo has also expressed an intent to join Delmonico as an assistant for him.
Lee declined to reveal a timeline for announcing Arkansas State's next head coach.
"We're not going to get in a hurry," Lee said. "It has to run its course in an appropriate manner. The sooner the better is great, but if it takes longer then we'll just take longer to get the right candidate."
</div>