OBU names Moddelmog head baseball coach

O uachita Baptist Director of Athletics David Sharp announced Friday the hiring of new Tiger baseball coach Chris Moddelmog from Fort Scott Community College.
Moddelmog succeeds Scott Norwood, who took the head coaching position at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.

“I am very excited to announce that we have hired Chris to be our head baseball coach,” Sharp said. “He brings a very strong background in recruiting to our position. He will also bring a very aggressive style in the way he coaches the game. Also he has a good record of recruiting quality young men with the aspiration to attain a college degree.

“Our expectations have not changed for the baseball program. We feel with the leadership of coach Moddelmog  and the nucleus of players we have returning, the Tigers will remain a team that everyone will talk about. I feel like coach Moddelmog will come in here and pick up right where we left off.”

Moddelmog, who has coached 16 players who have reached the professional level, comes to Ouachita Baptist with a very impressive coaching career as he won 106 games over a three-year span at Fort Scott and has compiled a 203-178 overall record. Fort Scott reached the region tournament the past two seasons, including just being three wins shy from the World Series.

While at Fort Scott, Moddelmog, who was also the assistant athletic director, had six players tabbed All-Region, 18 All-Conference and 22 Division I players in the past seven seasons. His teams had a G.P.A. over 3.0 in the past four years, while also having the best G.P.A. in the country in 2004.

Prior to taking the job at Fort Scott, Moddelmog was the head coach at Rend Lake College in Ina, Ill. He helped Rend Lake place second and third in the region, while making a trip to the Region 24 Final Four in 2002.

In two years at Rend Lake, Moddelmog’s teams won 54 games and received votes in the NJCAA top 20 in 2002. While at Rend Lake, he produced three draft picks, 16 All-Conference, seven All-Region and one All-American.

Before taking the position at Rend Lake, Moddelmog was the assistant baseball coach at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. He assisted in all areas related to the program, including recruiting, hitting, defense during games, base running, infield and outfield coach, third base coach, direct summer and fall camps, academic and study hall advisor, coordinating all travel, budget all scholarship funds and fund raising.

During that time, he was very instrumental in the development of the Belmont University’s success at the Division I level. Belmont was 108-93 during the first four seasons at the Division I level after being in NAIA.

Prior to the opportunity at Belmont, Moddelmog was an assistant coach at Murray State in Murray, Ky.

“My family is excited about going to a good place and a good university,” Moddelmog said. “We want to keep things going and it is a great opportunity. We’re excited about getting back to the south.”

A native of Fort Collins, Colo., Moddelmog received his Associate of Arts Degree from Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kan., in 1992. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Relations/Marketing at Murray State in 1994. He completed his education by receiving a Masters of Science Degree in 1996 at Murray State.

Moddelmog, 36, is married to wife Mallory and has two daughters, Mia, 7, and Emma Grace, 3.