UNC Greensboro

    Jamie Athas enters his third year as assistant baseball coach at UNC Greensboro for the 2010 season.  He works primarily with the hitters and infielders and is also in charge of recruiting.
    In 2008 under Athas, the Spartans enjoyed success on the diamond, especially offensively.  Two players in particular, Matt Gaski and Ricky Orton, were drafted in the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft.  Both Gaski and Orton had career years for the Spartans and were a huge part of their success.   Gaski raised his batting average from .291 in 2007 to .327 in 2008.  Orton also raised his batting average from .330 in 2007 to .359 with 15 home runs in 2008.
    UNCG enjoyed success as a team offensively, as well.  The Spartans broke their own school records in doubles (131) and home runs (66).  The team also finished second in batting average (.304), hits (642) and RBI (412).
    Prior to coming to UNCG, Athas was as an assistant coach at Kent State for one season.  He worked primarily with the infielders and helped with hitting.  Kent State turned 64 double plays that year, which was 12th best in the nation.  While at Kent State, Athas helped the Golden Flashes to a 33-24 mark overall and a 19-8 record in MAC play.   In 2007, Kent State won the MAC Championship and went to Columbia, Mo., for the NCAA Regional.    
    Athas spent five seasons as a middle infielder in the San Francisco organization, including two years with the Fresno Grizzlies, before spending the 2006 campaign with the Carolina Mudcats, the Class-AA affiliate of the Florida Marlins. He was on the Giants' 40-man roster during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
    A seventh-round pick of the Giants in 2001, Athas played two seasons for Wake Forest. He transferred from Providence after the 1999 season when the university folded the program. He was a Freshman All-American for the Friars, hitting .325 with 42 RBI and 56 runs scored. In 2000, his first season at Wake Forest, Athas was named to the NCAA Regional All-Tournament team and finished the season with a .312 batting average and 30 RBI. His best season in the minors came in 2003 when he hit .275 for Class-AA Norwich.
    Athas earned a bachelor's degree from Arizona State in 2006.  He and his wife, Jamie, reside in Whitsett.  They have one daughter, Callie.