Holmes and McElreath to Serve on 2021 Coaching Staff

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Baseball head coach John Pawlowski has announced that Tim Holmes and former Hilltopper baseball player Sam McElreath will be serving on the coaching staff for the 2021 season.

"We are very fortunate to add Tim Holmes and Sam McElreath to the WKU Baseball coaching staff," said Pawlowski. "Both of these young men will help serve as leaders and role models for Western Kentucky University and help us continue to build our program here on The Hill."

Holmes, who has accrued playing experience at both the collegiate and professional levels, will join the staff as a volunteer assistant coach.

"I'm very excited for this upcoming season, and thrilled to have been given the opportunity to help the pitching staff mature and continue to improve," said Holmes. "We have an incredibly talented team and I look forward to competing throughout the season and watching our guys win ball games."

Holmes started his collegiate career at Chipola College in 2013 before transferring to San Jacinto College, where he posted a 2-2 record and 3.72 ERA while accumulating 39 strikeouts in 38.2 innings on the mound.

His professional playing career has spanned multiple teams and countries, making stops in the U.S. with the Vallejo Admirals, Lake Erie Crushers and the New York Yankees' affiliate GCL Yankees, where he posted a 0.59 ERA in 14 relief appearances while striking out 15 batters in 15.1 innings of action.

Holmes has also played with the Trois Rivieres Aigles in Quebec, the Carine Cats in Western Australia and the Trebic Nuclears in the Czech Republic, where he led the Czech ExtraLiga in strikeouts during the second half of the season.

"Tim, having played at both the collegiate and professional level over the last four years, will have a positive impact with plenty of experience to pass along," said Pawlowski. "Pitching in the Yankees' organization, Australia and the Czech Republic has provided him with information and understanding from many different cultures and organizations."

McElreath will be a familiar face for many WKU Baseball fans, joining the staff as a student assistant coach after having spent the past three seasons as a player for the Hilltoppers.

"The chance to come back to WKU and be on staff was one that I couldn't pass up," said McElreath. "This place means a lot to me and I'm grateful that Coach Pawlowski, along with the rest of the coaching staff, has given me this great opportunity. I'm eager to get started and looking forward to a special 2021 season."

McElreath began his collegiate career at Blinn College, playing in 100 games during his two seasons with the team. As a sophomore, he slashed .354/.455/.532 while earning First Team All-Region 14 honors.

The Brenham, Texas, native transferred to WKU for the 2018 season, and has played in 64 games over the past three years while making 53 starts. McElreath was off to a hot start in his first Hilltopper campaign, posting a .360/.485/.520 slash line through nine games, before an injury forced him to sit out the remainder of the 2018 season. In the past two years, including the shortened 2020 season, he has started 44 of 53 games played.

"Sam has been a major part of our success over the last three years and will now transition over to coaching while completing his master's degree," said Pawlowski. "Our players will certainly benefit from his knowledge and understanding of what it takes to compete and win in Conference USA."

The addition of Holmes and McElreath will complete the 2021 coaching staff, with the pair rounding out a staff that already consists of Pawlowski and assistant coaches Ben Wolgamot and Adam Pavkovich.

"We have an outstanding group of student-athletes and coaches that we all can feel proud of," said Pawlowski. "This is an exciting time for all of us as we begin preparations for the start of fall practice here on The Hill."

Players Mentioned

Sam McElreath

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