McFerrin will enter his fourth season as the pitching coach for the Panthers in 2010. He also serves as the teams’ pitching coach, weight and conditioning coordinator, while also handling team travel and equipment issues.
The pitching staff has seen a great deal of success under McFerrin’s tutelage. This past season, State set a school-record for wins with 39, while earning its first-ever CAA Championship and appearance in an NCAA Regional. The team shattered both the school strikeout and saves record. The Panthers eclipsed the strikeout record by over 100, setting a new standard of 474. The bullpen record 19 saves, breaking the record of 12 set in 2005.
A pair of pitchers, Ryan Moore and Aidan Francis, earned All-CAA honors, while Francis was also named to the CAA All-Rookie Team. Justin Malone earned Freshman All-American honors by both Louisville Slugger and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, while both he and Moore were named to the CAA All-Tournament Team.
During the season, Moore and Francis both earned CAA Pitcher of the Week honors, while Francis also scored rookie of the week honors after his first career start.
In 2008, Robinson Polanco earned All-CAA Third Team honors after compiling an 8-4 record, as the team set the previous school record for wins in a season with 33.
In his first season, both Adam Bowling and Will Palmer earned CAA Pitcher-of-the-Week honors. Bowling signed with the Chicago White Sox organization as an undrafted free agent after the season and spent the 2007 season with the Great Falls White Sox, before moving up to the Class A Kannapolis Intimidators in 2008, compiling a 4-1 record with 55 strikeouts.
McFerrin came to State after spending the 2006 season at Michigan where he worked with the pitchers and outfielders. At Michigan, he worked with one MLB free-agent signee, two MLB draftees, three Freshman All-Americans and a Johnny Bench Award Finalist. McFerrin was part of a Big Ten regular-season championship and a Big Ten Tournament title that earned the Wolverines a trip to the Atlanta Regional.
McFerrin moved to Michigan after spending the 2005 season as the pitching coach at his alma mater, IPFW, under head coach Billy Gernon.
After a career-ending arm injury, McFerrin started his coaching career as an assistant at IPFW from 2001-03. He spent the 2004 season at Division III Earlham College in Richmond, Ind., before returning to IPFW in 2005.
McFerrin played two seasons at IPFW (1999-2000) after transferring from Kentucky Wesleyan. He capped his senior season with a 2-0 record and a team-leading 3.29 ERA as the Mastodons set a school record for conference wins in 2000.
A native of Connersville, Ind., McFerrin earned his bachelor’s in secondary education (2000) and his master’s in school administration (2002) at IPFW.
McFerrin married Carrie Ann Sullivan in August 2006. The couple resides in Atlanta.
