University of Tennessee Athletics
No Headline
January 14, 2000 | Softball
BOB BROCK
Assistant Coach
Bob Brock enters his second year as an assistant coach for the Lady
Volunteer softball staff. He arrived at the University on an interim basis
last February and was hired full-time over the summer. He will continue to
assist head coach Jim Beitia in all facets of Tennessee's softball program.Last season, Brock's positive influence with the squad was evidenced by the school's first trip to the NCAA Regionals and a share of the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division championship following a slow league start. His extensive work with the Tennessee outfielders resulted in both Kenyail Norris and Lisa Warren achieving second team All-SEC honors in their respective final seasons. Norris also earned UT's first-ever spot on the SEC All-Tournament team and was a second team All-South selection as well.
Prior to his arrival in Knoxville, Brock served as head coach for the Tampa Bay Firestix of the Women's Professional Fastpitch League during the 1997 season. Additionally, he has managed his own hitting and pitching clinics in College Station, Texas, for the past nine years.
While spending 15 years as Texas A&M's head coach, from 1982-1996, Brock took the Aggies to the College World Series on six different occasions, where they captured three national championships (1982, 1983 and 1987), finished second twice (1984 and 1986) and placed fifth once (1988). His record at A&M was an amazing 688-255 for a .730 winning percentage. His career record of 731-301, spanning 17 seasons on the collegiate level, gives him an impressive .708 winning percentage. Brock was listed eighth in the NCAA records for career victories and 11th for career winning percentage entering the '99 campaign.
In addition to producing excellent teams, Brock has developed numerous outstanding individual athletes. Accordingly, both Brock and his players have been well-recognized for their efforts. In all, Brock-coached players have received a total of 21 All-America and 60 All-Region citations. He has guided a pair of players, Julie Smith and Jennfier McFalls to spots on the U.S. Olympic Softball Team. Smith was a second baseman on the American squad that captured the gold medal in Atlanta in 1996, while McFalls is a shortstop and utility player for the 2000 contingent which will compete in Sydney, Australia.
The coach himself was named Diamond Softball Coach of the Year in 1983 and received Regional Coach of the Year accolades in 1986, 1987, 1990 and 1991 from the National Softball Coaches Association. He is also included in the NSCA's "Victory Club," an elite group of coaches who have reached the 700-win plateau during their coaching careers.
Brock also coached Baylor University to two years of regional wins and a pair of Division II World Series appearances in 1980 and 1981. He is a 1969 graduate of Sam Houston State University and pursued a career in criminal justice before entering the coaching profession. He and his wife, Mary, have three children - Darin (31), Steven (29) and Allison (23).
