Moving from North to South

South Carolina head baseball coach Ray Tanner announced the hiring of new assistant head coach Chad Holbrook in a press conference held in the McGuire Room of the Colonial Center Monday afternoon.

"I am very excited to have Coach Holbrook and his family become part of Gamecock Nation," Tanner said. "He is truly one of the finest coaches and recruiters in all of college baseball. His experience and expertise will be an asset to our baseball program."

Holbrook replaces Monte Lee, who left Carolina to take the head coaching position at the College of Charleston.

"My family and I are so excited to be in Columbia and I am anxious to help Coach Tanner continue the winning tradition that he has created here at the University of South Carolina," Holbrook said. "The energy and excitement in this baseball program is unsurpassed and I'm honored to be part of it."

Holbrook comes to Carolina following a 15-year stint at the University of North Carolina, where he served as both the recruiting coordinator and the hitting coach for the Tar Heels.

Under his tutelage, UNC recently capped off its third straight appearance in the College World Series, in addition to capturing the ACC Championship in 2007.

The previous UNC squad to wear the ACC crown was in 1990, when Holbrook was a freshman on the Tar Heel baseball team.

"Chad has been an instrumental part of our program as both a coach and a player over the last 19 seasons, and we wish him nothing but the best," North Carolina head coach Mike Fox said. "His dedication to (North) Carolina baseball and this University has been unrivaled, and he has worked tirelessly to help build our program to where it is today."

Holbrook had hoped to garner the position with USC last season when former USC assistant Jim Toman accepted the job at Liberty, but serious illnesses to his son wouldn't allow Holbrook to make the move to Columbia.

"It was an opportunity that was just too good to be true. I never thought after last year (that) it would come back," Holbrook said. "But, with my situation with my son, I just felt like at that time it wasn't right. I hoped it would come back. It did. I was lucky. I wasn't going to turn it down this time. Being able to work under him was something I couldn't pass up."

The Shelby, N.C. native will serve as Carolina's third base coach, hitting instructor, recruiting coordinator and outfielder's coach.

Recruiting has been Holbrook's niche over the past several seasons, as the Tar Heels have put together four consecutive top-ten recruiting finishes, including the number one ranked class in 2004.

UNC also collected over 160 victories over the last three seasons, good for an average of 55 per year.

"I'm ecstatic over what Chad will bring to our program," Tanner said. "I've always surrounded myself with great coaches and great people. He certainly fits that mold."

Holbrook's wife, Columbia native Jennifer Holbrook, served as an administrative assistant to UNC basketball coach Roy Williams, and is expected to serve in the same capacity with new USC head coach Darrin Horn.

They have two sons, Reece and Cooper.