Chargers Welcome New Baseball Coach
Former UT Director of Baseball Operations Mike Corn to Coach Baseball at Columbia State
Mike Corn will start his first season at Columbia State as the new interim baseball coach for the Chargers during the fall 2009 semester. Corn comes to Columbia State Community College from the University of Tennessee where he served as director of baseball operations.
"I'm excited to return to the town of Columbia and to Columbia State after 15 years and take over the program," said Corn, who began his collegiate playing career at Columbia State in 1994. "Columbia State has a winning tradition with the program in the 70's, 80's and 90's, and I am looking forward to building on the great job that Coach (Kelly) Bratton has done over the last couple of years and to trying to get Columbia State back on top and in the national spotlight."
Corn joined the baseball program at University of Tennessee in August of 2008. In addition to having played and coached at the collegiate level, the Erwin, Tennessee, native also boasts an extensive familiarity with the college and prep baseball landscape throughout the Southeast.
His primary responsibilities at Tennessee included managing all baseball camps, oversight of student managers, serving as an academic liaison to the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center and assistance with on-campus recruiting.
"Coming from UT, Mike has learned the administrative side of sports," said Louis Conner, athletic director at Columbia State Community College. "That is a plus for us here at Columbia State."
Corn spent the previous nine seasons as an assistant coach at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee prior to his time at UT. He mentored the Pioneers infielders while also assisting with the outfielders and monitoring the team's academic progress.
Corn acted as head coach of Tusculum's junior varsity baseball team during his last seven seasons there, and he also held the title of recruiting coordinator during his final two years with the Pioneers.
His nine year tenure at Tusculum saw the program post eight consecutive winning seasons, four straight 40-win campaigns, three South Atlantic Conference championships, two SAC Tournament titles and four trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
In Corn's last four seasons in Greeneville, the Pioneers went 175-60-1. Tusculum turned in a sterling 50-14 record in 2007. The 50 wins remain a school and conference record and included a record 23-game winning streak. The Pioneers finished the 2007 season ranked 18th nationally and were one of only seven teams in the nation with 50 wins.
Corn's time at Tusculum saw the program produce seven All-Americas, 13 All-Region honorees and 41 All-Conference selections. Included among that list are three South Atlantic Conference Players of the Year, two SAC Pitchers of the Year, two SAC Freshmen of the Year and one SAC Male Athlete of the Year. Additionally, 32 Pioneers garnered SAC All-Tournament distinction, including a pair who garnered MVP honors.
He received his Bachelor's degree in Fitness programming from Coker in 1998. Corn replaces former Chargers coach Kelly Bratton, who accepted the position of head baseball coach at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee. Bratton, a Columbia native, held the position of head baseball coach at Columbia State for three years and was assistant baseball coach from 2001 to 2002.