Billy Godwin Named To ECU Baseball Staff
June 09, 2005 | Baseball
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Former Louisburg College head coach Billy Godwin has been named the new pitching coach at East Carolina University according to an announcement from head baseball coach Randy Mazey Thursday.
Prior to his appointment at ECU, Godwin served as the head coach at Louisburg College for six seasons where he collected an impressive 262-85 (.755) overall record. During the 2005 season, Godwin guided the Hurricanes to the Region X regular season and tournament titles on his way to earning Region X Coach of the Year honors. His team advanced to the Eastern District Tournament finals, eventually falling to Potomac State. The 2005 Hurricanes finished the regular season with a 49-13 record and was ranked sixth nationally by the Division I NJCAA final regular season poll.
"Billy Godwin is a tremendous addition to the ECU baseball team," said Mazey. "We are very fortunate to be able to attract someone of his caliber to join our program as he brings with him a great knowledge of the game and a tremendous amount of success in his coaching career. I really believe that hiring coach Godwin brings our program one step closer to Omaha."
In 2004, the Hurricanes went 40-18 and claimed the first seed at the Region X Tournament, where they lost in the championship finals.
After taking the helm at Louisburg College in the fall of 1999, Godwin kept the Hurricanes in the national spotlight, where they averaged 43 wins a season. During the 2002 season, the Hurricanes finished 51-11 (a school record for wins) and made their tenth trip to the College World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado, finishing sixth in the country. Godwin has received Region X and Eastern District coach of the year awards. In December of 2002, he was selected North Carolina College Coach of the Year.
After starring in baseball at Northern Nash High School in Rocky Mount, NC, Godwin signed an athletic scholarship to pitch at Atlantic Christian College in 1982. During his career he won 19 games for the Bulldogs, while helping lead them to two District 26 regular season crowns. At the time the 19 wins placed him second on the all-time win list at Atlantic Christian. He pitched over 100 innings each during his junior and senior campaigns. He was named captain of the team in his senior year and won the Kiwanis Award for the Most Outstanding Male Student Athlete in 1986. While at Atlantic Christian, he played for Dave Jauss who has served as a big league coach and is now the advance scout for the Boston Red Sox.
Godwin spent two seasons as an assistant coach at North Carolina Wesleyan College from 1988-90. While working under Mike Fox (now head baseball coach at UNC-Chapel Hill), his efforts helped guide the Bishops to the 1989 Division III National Championship and a third-place finish in 1990.
In 1991, Godwin was named athletic director and head baseball coach at Enfield Academy. In seven seasons as head coach with the Patriots, he amassed a 131-57 (.697) overall record, which included five consecutive conference championships, four consecutive Final Four appearances and a state title in 1994, while leading the Patriots to a 24-1 record. Godwin also served as an American Legion Head Coach from 1990-1997 for Rocky Mount Post 58.
Prior to joining the Louisburg College athletic staff, Godwin served as athletic director and head baseball coach at Cary Academy in Cary, NC. When Cary Academy opened its doors in 1997, he was responsible for setting up all athletic programs (over 36 teams and 17 varsity sports) and starting the varsity baseball program.
The 41 year-old Rocky Mount native replaces former pitching coach Tommy Eason, who resigned from his position Tuesday, June 7.
Godwin, who earned his master's degree from East Carolina University in education in 1995, is married to the former Sharon Smith of Rocky Mount, N.C.. The couple has one daughter (Mallory).
