new duties in WSU’s athletics department.
Wichita State baseball pitching coach Brent Kemnitz, who has been on the Shocker staff since 1979, has stepped down from his coaching position and taken up new assignments within the athletics department.
“I came here at the age of 21 years old,” Kemnitz says. “Gene Stephenson gave me an opportunity to be the pitching coach, and I feel honored to have worked with the best college baseball coach in the history of college baseball. He gave me total freedom, and I can’t thank him enough. I’m excited for the future of Shocker baseball with Todd Butler — and that I was able to bridge the gap between head coaches. I look forward to working with the athletics program in new ways.”
During Kemnitz’s 38-year tenure, Wichita State won the 1989 National Championship, made seven College World Series appearances, won 20 Missouri Valley Conference regular-season titles, 17 MVC tournament titles and produced 20 All-America pitchers.
Under Kemnitz, nine pitchers have been first round draftees: Bryan Oelkers (1982), Erik Sonberg (1983), Tyler Green (1991), Darren Dreifort (1993), Mike Drumright (1995), Braden Looper (1996), Ben Christensen (1999), Mike Pelfrey (2005) and Kris Johnson (2006).
“Brent has been a Shocker for almost four decades and has made an impact not only at Wichita State, but in the state of Kansas and all across college baseball,” Coach Todd Butler says. “We are thankful for everything he has given to the program.”
“We are very appreciative of the 38 years that Brent has been a coach at Wichita State,” says Darron Boatright, interim AD. “He has helped build one of the finest baseball programs in America. We look forward to continuing our working relationship with Brent, who will be taking up new roles in development and as a professional staff mentor.”
Wichita State has begun a national search to name the next Shocker pitching coach.
