Zach Bishop has been named the new baseball coach at Westminster College, athletic director Matt Mitchell announced Tuesday.
Bishop replaces Denny Hughes, who retired at the end of this past season. The Blue Jays qualified for the SLIAC Tournament seven times during Hughes' eight years at Westminster, including one championship.
"I am pleased to bring Zach to our staff," Mitchell said. "He brings with him experience in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as both a player and a coach, and knows what it takes to succeed at this level.
"We're also thrilled he knows the mid-Missouri area and will be a successful recruiter for Westminster."
Bishop - a Marshall native - comes to the Blue Jays after two years as an assistant at Webster University in St. Louis. He worked with the Gorloks' hitters and catchers, and handled most of the team's recruiting.
Webster advanced to the NCAA Division III College World Series this past season after winning the SLIAC Tournament.
"Westminster has a strong tradition and does things the right way," Bishop said. "The facilities on campus are beautiful and it's a great place to get an education. The baseball program has consistently been successful and returns many impactful players from last season.
"This is a place where special things can happen."
Bishop was the captain of the Webster baseball team after playing his first two seasons as a catcher and first baseman at John Wood Community College in Quincy, Illinois. He graduated from Webster with an associate's degree in 2015 and a bachelor's degree in criminology in 2017.
Bishop takes over a Blue Jays team that finished 17-15 overall this past season, including 13-8 in the SLIAC. Westminster dropped both of its games in the conference tournament.
"My goals are to build on what this program already has going," Bishop said. "Winning is always going to be a priority and an expectation, but I want to develop our guys into the best athletes and people they can be. I want them to succeed on the field, in the classroom, and in their lives.
"I plan to continue the streak of making the conference tournament and finding a way to win it. My ultimate goal is to improve every day and create a culture of accountability. I want the guys to leave the program a better man."
Ryan Boland can be reached at (573) 826-2422, or on Twitter @FultonSunSports.