By: Jake Renie, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications
CARY, N.C. – The Centre men's baseball team found some national spotlight after USA Baseball revealed their coaching staff on Friday afternoon, Centre head coach Drew Briese being selected as the manager of the 15 National Team.
"We are excited to have Drew at the helm of this year's 15U National Team," said USA Baseball 15U National Team Program Director Charles Lane. "His commitment to USA Baseball over the years has been substantial and he brings a wealth of knowledge that makes him a great leader for these young athletes. We are confident that Drew and the rest of this veteran coaching staff will lead our team to great success this summer."
Although this is Briese's first season in a Team USA managerial role, the Centre 2000 graduate has spent several seasons with the program in various roles since 2013 such as pitching coach, assistant coach and evaluator. His coaching career for the stars and stripes began in 2016, helping lead Team USA to a bronze medal at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-15 Baseball World Cup as an assistant coach for the 15U National Team. Briese also worked with the 14U National Team Development Program (NTDP) as a coach in the 2015 season and a pitching coach in 2019.
"I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to represent the United States as manager," said Briese. "USA Baseball has an incredibly high standard for excellence and that excites me as a coach. I am certain that our staff will assemble a team that is capable and confident. Our team will be incredibly talented, but, more importantly, they will be united in our mission to represent the stars and stripes in a positive manner."
Briese heads into this opportunity after coming off of the conclusion of his sixth season as the head coach for the Colonels' baseball team in 2022. The head coach picked up his 100th victory at the helm on the way to beating pod-host Berry in the opening round of the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Tournament. Briese has accomplishment several other feats during his tenure in Danville, Ky., leading the Colonels to a 2019 season that collected a program-best 24 wins and a fourth-place finish in the SAA tournament in 2021.
The 2022 National Team Championships in Arizona and North Carolina along with the 2022 13U/14U ADP will serve as two of the four primary identification events for the 2022 15U National Team. Fifty-five athletes will be identified from the events, joining 13 players who were previously identified from last year's 14U NTIS Champions Cup and four players from last year's 13U/14U ADP. Those 72 players will then compete at the 2022 15U National Team Trials for a spot on the final 20-man 15U National Team roster.
The final 2022 15U National Team schedule will be announced at a later date.
