| Brian Billings moves to
Pacific after leading Puget Sound for twelve
years. Pacific athletics photo |
FOREST GROVE – Brian Billings, the longtime head coach at the University of Puget Sound, has been hired to succeed Greg Bradley as head coach of the Pacific baseball program.
Billings' hiring was announced on Thursday. He arrives in
Forest Grove after 12 seasons as the head coach of the rival Puget
Sound program in Tacoma, Wash. Billings was selected after a
national search that drew finalists from across the nation.
"I am pleased that Brian has accepted our offer to succeed Coach
Bradley as baseball coach," said Director of Athletics Ken
Schumann. "I am confident that Brian's knowledge of
the conference and his track record at Puget Sound will set himself
up for great success as a Boxer."
Billings will begin his Pacific duties on July 1. "It's an
honor to be selected as the next head coach of the Boxers and to
follow in the footsteps of Coach Bradley," Billings said.
"This is a terrific opportunity for my family and I can't wait to
get to work."
Billings amassed 201 wins in his 12 seasons leading the Puget
Sound program, gaining his 200th victory against Willamette on Apr.
27. During 2014, Billings led the Loggers to a fourth place
NWC finish and saw 11 players named to the All-NWC Team, including
first team outfielder Connor Savage.
During his tenure, Puget Sound finished in the top half of the NWC
standings six times and amassed 15 or more wins 10 times, topped by
a 20-18 mark in 2004. Billings' high water mark came in 2011
when the Loggers finished second in the NWC with a 15-9
record. He has coached 75 Puget Sound All-NWC selections,
four All-West Region selections and a Third Team All-American in
Mark Rockey (2009).
For five seasons, Billings combined his head coaching duties with
summer work as an assistant coach for the Seattle Studs of the
Pacific International League. While on the team's staff, the
Studs amassed 197 wins, won five league titles and advanced four
times to the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series,
finishing second in 2008. Billings helped to coach a number
of Division I players and future professional players, including
two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum.
In addition to his head coaching duties, Billings served the last
six years as Puget Sound's athletic facilities manager.
Prior to taking over at his alma mater, Billings spent the 2000
and 2001 seasons as head coach at Pierce Community College in
Lakewood, Wash., as well as serving two seasons on the staff of the
Tacoma Stags U18 squad under former Puget Sound skipper Ken
Garland. He also spent two years as an instructor with the
Wilkinson Baseball Academy.
A 1999 graduate of Puget Sound with a degree in physical
education, Billings transferred to Puget Sound from Redlands in
1996. A three-year starter at catcher or first base, Billings
was a three-time letterwinner, two-time captain and led the NWC in
RBIs in 1998. He was named the Loggers' most valuable player
in 1998 earned All-NWC honors in 1999.
A native of the Tacoma area, Billings and his wife, Feather, are
proud parents of a son, Benson (3).