Rick Carver to Step Down as Baseball Head Coach

BETHANY, WV. (BethanyBison.com) - Rick Carver, Bethany's all time winningest baseball coach has announced that he is stepping down from his position as Bethany College head baseball coach to pursue other opportunities.

"It's difficult to put into words what Coach Carver has done for Bethany College Baseball," Athletic Director Steve Thompson said about Carver. "Being new to Bethany, it quickly became clear the impact he has had on countless students during his time at Dear Old Bethany. It is unfortunate I won't have the chance to see this titan of Bethany Baseball roam the dugout this spring, but I do wish him the very best on his next challenge."

Carver came to Bethany 29 years ago and was handed the task of rebuilding a baseball program that had seen six coaches come and go over five seasons. The team he inherited went 10-26 in the previous year. Now, the 51-year old coach Carver sits atop the Bethany College Baseball coaches' wins list, having surpassed the legendary Bob Goin in 1994 to become the college's all-time winningest baseball coach.

Carver, a graduate of Maryville College, joined the Bison from the highly-successful Claremont-Mudd Scripps Colleges program in California. The energetic coach made an immediate impact, as his 1991 Bison captured the Presidents' Athletic Conference title.

Since his tenure began, Bethany has claimed four outright PAC titles and eight first place regular season championships. Carver has won a trio of Dapper Dan awards for coaching achievement, been named the PAC Coach of the Year four times and has been recognized seven times by Louisville Slugger for his championship-level coaching.

In 25 seasons, 60 Bison have received national recognition by Collegiate Baseball Magazine, with 105 players being named to the All-PAC team, including seven MVP selections. In addition, nine of his former players have gone on to be inducted into Bethany's Athletic Hall of Fame, including the most recent additions, Matt King ('00) in 2015 and Steve Opfermann ('00) in 2018.

A search for Coach Carver's replacement will begin immediately.