GREENVILLE, NC (ECU Athletics) — Heath Blackmon has been named director of player development at East Carolina University, according to an announcement from head baseball coach Cliff Godwin on Thursday.

His appointment to the Pirates staff ends a three-year tenure as baseball coach at Hickory Grove (NC) Christian School where he spent the 2021 season as Lions head coach. In his current role, Blackmon will work with Godwin and his team in a variety of roles, including player video analysis.

“We are thrilled to bring Heath into our baseball family,” Godwin said. “Heath is a great person who has values ​​that match the high standards of our program. He also has a great baseball spirit that will impact our players both on and off the field.

During his time at HGC, which began in 2019 as an assistant coach, his teams posted a three-year record of 46-14-1 that included a pair of NCISAA Metrolina regular season titles (2019, 2021), a conference tournament crown (2021) and a 3A NC State championship that concluded a 28-2 season. Blackmon taught ninth and tenth grades and was named the HGC Fall (Semester) Professor in 2019.

Blackmon, who played collegiately at Brevard during the 2013 season, also successfully completed a four-year run as head coach at Showcase Baseball Academy beginning in 2018. Leading the National Team scout 2022, he supervised the entire class and worked closely with the university coaches. and professional scouts who helped 16 of his 20 players commit to college.

As a player, the Albemarle, NC native helped South Stanly High School win a pair of 1A state titles (2009, 2012) and a state championship appearance in 2011. He has served as a daily catcher as a junior and senior in addition to pitching in the 2012 title-clinching game where the Red Bulls completed a sweeping streak over Voyager Academy.

A 2018 graduate of Liberty University, Blackmon earned his degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Business. He is married to former Brittany Enriquez of Rutherfordton, NC

Additionally, Godwin announced that Colby Bortles will be the new volunteer assistant and camp coordinator, while Blake Hardegree will take over the role of baseball operations manager. Austin Knight, who was named pitching coach last July, has been elevated to full-time assistant coach.

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