May 26—FAIRMONT — What’s Alderson Broaddus University’s loss is Fairmont State University’s gain.
Former Alderson Broaddus baseball coach Matt Yurish is now the new head baseball coach for the Falcons. Yurish will take over the Fairmont State program after leading the baseball program at Alderson Broaddus for the past five seasons.
Yurish will be officially introduced May 27 during a press conference inside Joe Retton Arena. The press conference will begin at 12 noon, and will be streamed live on MountainEast.tv.
“We are pleased to welcome Matt Yurish to Fairmont State University as the next head coach of our baseball program,” said Greg Bamberger, Fairmont State athletic director. “Matt’s vision and plan for the Fairmont State baseball program aligned with our criteria during our national search. Our administration and the entire search committee are excited for the future of Falcon baseball under his leadership.
“Matt has proven success as both a coach and a Division I student-athlete, and we believe that he will relate well to the players that he coaches and recruits at Fairmont State.”
Fairmont State President Mirta M. Martin echoed Bamberger’s excitement.
“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Yurish home to Fairmont State and into our Falcon Family,” Martin said. “He has an exceptional record as a coach and student-athlete, but most importantly, as a leader. His knowledge and skillsets are invaluable to the University, and I am confident he will lead our Fighting Falcons to soar.”
Prior to coaching, Yurish was also a standout collegiate player at West Virginia University, where he led the Mountaineers in strikeouts in each of his last three seasons with the program. Following his standout career at WVU, Yurish also played professionally with the Washington Wild Things in the Frontier League.
Yurish said he is grateful for the opportunity.
“Fairmont State is a wonderful institution with great support from its community. My family and I are very excited to become a part of it. I’m ready to meet the guys and get to work as we prepare for the 2021-22 season,” Yurish said.
During his tenure leading the Battler program, Yurish had two 20-win campaigns, made three postseason appearances and coached 19 all-conference standouts. He coached four first-team All-GMAC standouts in 2017 and 2019, including pitcher Randy Dobnak, an all-region standout that moved on to play professionally with the Minnesota Twins after graduating in 2017.
This past season at AB, Yurish led the Battlers to a berth in the Mountain East Conference Baseball Tournament. The Battlers went 2-2 during tournament play in Beckley with wins over regionally-ranked West Virginia State and Charleston. Five players earned All-MEC honors following the 2021 season.
Yurish also guided his 2017 and 2019 AB baseball teams to postseason play, totaling 21 wins during each of the two campaigns. Seven players earned All-GMAC honors after the 2017 season, while three garnered postseason accolades in 2018 and four were recognized by the GMAC in 2019. (The 2020 season was cut short due to COVID-19 and postseason honors were not announced.)
Prior to taking the reins as AB’s head coach, Yurish served as Alderson Broaddus’s assistant baseball coach and pitching coach for three seasons from 2014 to 2016. During his tenure as an assistant, Yurish helped the Battlers to a pair of 30-win seasons and a GMAC Baseball Championship following the 2016 season. The 2016 Battlers also qualified for NCAA postseason play at the Midwest Regional Tournament.
While serving as assistant coach at AB, Yurish coached at least one first team all-conference pitcher during three-consecutive seasons from 2014 to 2016. He coached two GMAC Pitchers of the Year in 2014 and 2016.
Prior to moving over to coaching, Yurish was a four-year standout for the West Virginia University baseball team from 2005-2008. During his four years as a member of the Mountaineer pitching staff, Yurish compiled a record of 17-12 with a career ERA of 4.40.
Yurish still ranks in the top-10 in four different categories in WVU baseball history, including career starts (T-4th, 42), career strikeouts (8th, 247), career innings pitched (9th, 247.2) and strikeouts per nine innings (9th, 8.99).
Yurish led WVU in strikeouts in 2016 (71), 2017 (76) and 2018 (74), and also had a team-best 3.84 earned-run average during the 2016 season. He was also named National Pitcher of the Week on April 10, 2006. As a senior, Yurish had a 6-2 record with 74 strikeouts.
Yurish was also a multiple-time Big East Pitcher of the Week while at West Virginia, and also earned Big East Academic All-Star honors for his work in the classroom.
Yurish earned his bachelor’s degree in sport and exercise psychology from West Virginia University in 2008. He also obtained a master’s degree in sport and fitness from the University of Central Florida in 2012.