In just five seasons,Randolph-Macon alum Ray Hedrick has resurrected the Yellow Jacketsprogram and returned it to prominence in both the ODAC and theSouth Region.
Over his first five years at thehelm of the Jackets program, Hedrick has amassed 99 wins, includinga school record 25 in ?08, while leading R-MC to four straightberths in the ODAC Postseason Tournament, a feat not achieved byR-MC since 1987-1991.
In 2008, R-MC captured its firstleague championship since 1987 and made its first appearance in theNCAA Tournament since 1977. For his efforts, Hedrick was named ODACCoach of the Year for the first-time in his short career. Thesuccess of the program over the past four seasons has led to 12All-Conference players, including the 2006 & 2008 ODAC Pitcherand the 2006 & 2008 ODAC Rookie-of-the-Year award winners.
In addition, Randolph-MaconBaseball was proud to have their first South Region Pitcher-of-the-Year and All-American awarded in 2007 senior Travis Beazley.Beazley capped off a two year career under Hedrick by beingselected in the 38th round of the 2006 Major League BaseballAmateur Draft by the Boston Red Sox, the first such player to betaken from R-MC.
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The Hedrick Family: Ray, Marisand Sheree
photo by: Jessica Robertson |
No stranger to the baseballcommunity, Hedrick served as top assistant and recruitingcoordinator at three different schools before his return to hisalma mater in Ashland in the fall of 2004. Prior to his hiring asRandolph-Macon's head coach, Hedrick was the top assistant to PaulO'Neil at Division II UNC Pembroke (2001-2004) and at Division IIIShenandoah University (1998-2000). At both institutions, Hedrickhelped O'Neil resurrect programs that had not tasted success inyears into national powers, while quickly establishing himself asone of the top young coaches and recruiters among the collegebaseball coaching ranks.
Hedrick served in a variety ofareas for O'Neil in their six seasons together. A relentlessrecruiter, Hedrick headed up the efforts in that area. On thefield, Hedrick coached the bases while working with the hitters andthe defense. By stressing offensive productivity, both institutionsbroke school records and finished ranked nationally in batting,scoring, home runs and slugging percentage. He brings that samementality to the Randolph-Macon offense.
In seven seasons as an assistant,Hedrick's teams amassed 175 wins, including record-settingcampaigns in 2000 at Shenandoah, and the 2001 and 2003 seasons atUNCP. Hedrick's recruits played a major role in the success of eachprogram. Out of his six various recruiting classes, Hedrick hadseveral all-conference, all-region and all-state players, as wellas three All-Americans, including a player who won the triple crownin the Dixie Conference (now USA South) while leading the countrywith a .506 batting average in 2000.
A Springfield, Virginia native,Hedrick played two years of JUCO baseball at Prince George'sCommunity College for legendary coach William "Bumps" Vaughan. Hewent on to finish his degree and playing career at Randolph-MaconCollege, helping lead the Yellow Jackets to the ODAC championshipsin 1997, which was the last time that R-MC qualified for thetournament before last spring.
After graduating fromRandolph-Macon in 1997 with a B.A. degree in political science,Hedrick served as an assistant for Vaughan at PGCC. Hedrick alsoworked with the Bowie Baysox, the AA Eastern League affiliate ofthe Baltimore Orioles, before joining O'Neil in 1998.
In addition to his duties as anassistant, Hedrick served three summers (2001-2003) as head coachof the New Market Rebels of the prestigious Valley Baseball League.During his tenure, Hedrick amassed 77 wins and led the Rebels totwo championship appearances, winning the league in 2002 andfalling seven outs short of repeating in 2003. Over the course ofthose three summers, Hedrick coached over 30 players that are nowplaying on the professional level, including current major leaguersMike O'Connor (Kansas City), Chris Ray (Texas), Jared Burton(Cincinnati) and Brett Gardner (NY Yankees).
Hedrick, 34, is married to theformer Sheree Rogers of Woodstock, Virginia. They have onedaughter, Maris who turned three in June of 2009.
