VETERAN COACH ASSUMES CONTROL OF HIGH POINT-THOMASVILLE'S MOST HISTORIC SPORTS FRANCHISE

FINCH FIELD – The High Point-Thomasville HiToms have announced the hiring of Sean Stevens as their 2023 head coach. A native of Jacksonville, FL, Stevens becomes the 87-year old franchise’s 36^th field manager.

Serving as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Division III power Keystone College in Laplume, PA, Stevens possesses over 10 years of collegiate and professional coaching experience and five years as a strength and performance coordinator. A former collegiate and professional player, Stevens helped lead the Giants to their 17^th conference baseball championship in 2021 and an NCAA regional runner-up finish and 26 wins. Stevens success with Keystone Head Coach Jamie Shevchik in 2022 was preceded by a similar result in the summer of 2021 as the dynamic coaching duo spearheaded a Cape Cod League championship run for the legendary Brewster Whitecaps. Stevens championship summer on the Cape netted the head coach’s position in the summer of 2021 with the Lake Norman Copperheads in the Southern Collegiate Baseball League. Producing 10 All - SCBL Showcase selections and the SCBL Home Run Derby champion, Ivan Zambrano, Stevens also skippered the Guilford Blueticks in 2019 finishing second in the Old North State League and developing seven All-Star selections and the ONSL Western Division Hitter of the Year, Tyler Dellerman.

“Dedication and hard work runs at the core of Sean’s coaching pedigree and we are excited to combine his baseball knowledge and vast player strength and development background to serve as our franchise’s field manager,” HiTom president Greg Suire said. “The HiToms championship track record has been accentuated over the last five years by our organization’s ability to produce high-level draft picks (three second round selections in the last three MLB amateur drafts) so combining Stevens’ coaching and training background with the HiTom’s launch of the premier player training facility in the Triad - HiTom City – is a tactical step towards our championship pursuit and our commitment to player development.

An outfielder at Division III Aurora University, Stevens recorded a career .304 batting average for the Spartans and continued his player career for three seasons in independent professional baseball and one year in Argentina with the Buenos Aires Shankees.

“I’m excited to return to North Carolina and build on the HiToms winning tradition,” new HPT HiToms Head Coach Sean Stevens said. “ I plan on utilizing this opportunity to work towards a common goal of player development and championship baseball.”

Coaching Career:

Lake Norman Copperheads – Head Coach

• 2022

Keystone College – Pitching Coach/Recruiting Coordinator

• 2021 Colonial State Athletic Conference Champions
• 2021 NCAA Division 3 Regional Runner-up

Brewster Whitecaps - Assistant Coach

• 2021 Cape Cod League Champions

Edward Waters College – Pitching Coach / Recruiting Coordinator

• Developed 11 A.I.I. All-Conference players

Guilford BlueTicks – Head Coach

• 2019 Old North State League Runner-Up
• Coached ONSL Western Division Player of the Year

Lake Norman Copperheads - Pitching Coach

• 2018

Trinity Baptist College – Assistant Coach

• 2018

Education & Playing Career:

• Aurora University
  • Bachelor of Science-Exercise Science, 2018
• USATF Level 1 Certification
• USAW Level 1 Certification
• Aurora Varsity Baseball Letter-winner
  • 2013, ’14, ‘15
• Professional Baseball Player
  • Watertown Bucks, Empire League of Professional Baseball
  • Imperial County Ghost Riders, Desert League of Professional Baseball
  • Thoroughbred Pacers, Thoroughbred League of Professional Baseball
  • Buenos Aires Shankees, International Professional Baseball