June 22, 2005
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Widely considered one of the nation's top assistant coaches, Rob Childress has been named the 19th head baseball coach at Texas A&M, Director of Athletics Bill Byrne announced on Wednesday.
"I am pleased to announce that Rob Childress has accepted the head coaching position at Texas A&M University," Byrne said. "I have known Rob and worked with him since 1998 when he was hired at Nebraska. Rob was instrumental in helping to develop the Nebraska program into one of the most competitive in the country."
"Rob fits the profile I prefer here at Texas A&M, having Texas roots," Byrne stated. "His wife, Amanda, is an Aggie, Class of '92, and he has strong recruiting contacts in our state. Rob brings outstanding coaching credentials that are essential to success, as well as the type of character qualities and values that are so important at Texas A&M."
A long-time and well-respected baseball coach with ties to the state of Texas, Childress recently completed his third year as Nebraska's Associate Head Coach with a trip to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
The Gilmer, Texas, native spent eight years at Nebraska, the first five as an assistant under current Arkansas Head Coach Dave Van Horn and the last three as an assistant with Mike Anderson. In those eight seasons, the Huskers made the NCAA Tournament five times, advanced to the Super Regionals four times and made three appearances in the College World Series (2001, 2002 and 2005).
Childress has been a collegiate assistant coach for 14 seasons, including the past 10 years at the Division I level. He has spent the last seven seasons at NU overseeing the pitching staff and the Husker recruiting efforts after serving with Van Horn at Northwestern (La.) State from 1995 to 1997.
As a pitching coach, Childress constructed the Nebraska pitching staff into one of the best in the nation. Husker pitchers have posted sub-4.50 ERAs in each of the past six seasons - including three straight seasons under 4.00. The Nebraska pitching staff also turned in the top five single-season strikeout totals in school history under Childress' watch, including a school-record 538 strikeouts in 2005, while issuing fewer than three walks per game in each of the past five seasons.
Under Childress' tutelage, 23 Husker pitchers were drafted or signed as free agents over the past eight seasons, while only six of those 23 were drafted out of high school or junior college. The list is headlined by Shane Komine, the only two-time All-American in Nebraska baseball history and a two-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Year. In fact, Childress has coached three Big 12 Pitchers of the Year - Komine 2000-01; Aaron Marsden, 2003). Johnny Dorn was named the Big 12 Freshman Pitcher of the Year and Joba Chaimberlin earned the Big 12 Newcomer Pitcher of the year in 2005. Childress has coached six first-team All-Big 12 pitchers and six Freshman All-American hurlers over the past six seasons.
In 2005, Childress' staff at Nebraska finished the season with a team ERA of 2.69, ranking in the top five nationally and at the top of the Big 12. In 2004, Nebraska tied for second in the Big 12 and was 25th nationally with a 3.76 ERA. In 2003, the Husker pitching staff guided Nebraska to 47 wins and the school's second Big 12 regular-season title in three years. The Huskers ranked second in the Big 12 with a 3.79 ERA, while ranking first or second in the league in seven categories, including a league-high five shutouts.
Nebraska's pitching depth carried the Huskers to 47 wins and a second straight College World Series appearance in 2002. The Huskers finished second in the Big 12 and 15th nationally with a 3.66 team ERA, while ranking first or second in the league in four categories, including ERA, complete games (nine, first), shutouts (five, second) and opposing batting average (.250, second).
The Husker pitching staff was instrumental in leading NU to its first regular-season conference title in 51 years in 2001 and in 2000, the Huskers led the nation with a 3.14 ERA. In 1999, the Huskers posted a 5.50 ERA, the lowest NU mark since 1994 at the time, and struck out a then-school-record 438 batters in 526.2 innings of action. Despite joining the staff 34 days before the 1998 season opener, Childress' impact was immediate, as Husker pitchers allowed just 236 earned runs, the fewest in seven years, and lowered the team ERA by nearly a run per game.
In his final season as the pitching coach at Northwestern State in 1997, Childress' staff had a 4.20 ERA and held opponents to a .268 batting average. He coached current San Diego Padre Brian Lawrence, who became the first Demon baseball player to reach the Major Leagues since 1954. In 1996, the Demons' staff owned a 4.66 ERA and held opponents to a .259 batting average. At Northwestern State, Childress handled the pitching coach duties, and was also responsible for recruiting, field maintenance, fund-raising, academic advisement and coordinating camps.
Childress and Van Horn first teamed up at Texarkana College during the 1991 and 1992 seasons. During that span, the Bulldogs were 93-22, winning the league title in 1991. Following the two seasons as an assistant at Texarkana, Childress was an assistant coach at his alma mater Northwood University. In 1994, he returned to Texarkana as the head coach and finished with an impressive 43-10 record in his only season as coach.
Before his coaching career, Childress, who graduated from Harmony High School in Gilmer, Texas, attended Northwood where he was twice named an all-conference pitcher. Northwood won two NAIA conference championships during his career and was runner-up at the regional tournament once. Childress was elected the school's Academic Athlete of the Year as a sophomore and senior. Along with his collegiate coaching experience, Childress coached the Texarkana Mavericks to a 31-10 record in summer league play in 1991.
Childress graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Northwood in 1990 and earned a master's degree of science from East Texas State in 1994. He and his wife Amanda (A&M Class of 1992) have a daughter, Hannah, 8, and a son Maxwell, 2.