Charles "Buddy"
Bolding
Longwood University
Lancers |
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For a baseball coach to compile 800 career
wins it take much more than simply hanging around in a dugout
spitting sunflower seeds and sipping Gatordate; one has to
be a successful motivator and teacher, able to tirelessly
build a connection with players and identity and develop talent
year after year. For thirty years Longwood head Coach Charles
“Buddy” Bolding has been able to capitalize on
his skills as an educator and coach and has built the spirited
Lancer program from practically nothing into one of the most
consistently competitive and successful programs in the nation.
 After
leading the Lancers to a 34-19 record last season, Longwood’s
27th winning season in 30 years and just the school’s
third year at the Division I level, Bolding entered 2008 just
five wins shy of 800. On March 8th, Bolding earned the milestone
victory in a thrilling late inning come-from-behind 6-5 victory
over the Binghamton Bearcats. The win further established
Bolding as one of the country’s successful coaches and
padded his win total which was already greater than any other
active college baseball coach in Virginia in any division
(I, II, III, and NAIA).
Longwood interim Director of Athletics Troy
Austin has nothing but praise after Coach Bolding earned his
800th victory. “I would like to congratulate Coach Bolding
on his 800th victory, a truly well-earned achievement,”
Austin proclaimed. “It should be noted that while accumulating
these many wins, Buddy has enriched many lives, molded hundreds
of young men, and has represented Longwood to the highest
of standards.”
Bolding took over the fledgling Longwood
program back in 1978 and success quickly followed as the Lancers
went 16-10 their first year. In just year four of Bolding’s
tenure in Farmville, the Lancers reached the thirty win plateau
for the first time, going 31-9-1. A half dozen times between
1982-93 the Lancers advanced to the NCAA Division II post-season,
including a pair of World Series appearances (1982, 1991).
The team never had a sub .500 season until 2005 when the team
made the transition from DII to the DI competition level.
Since its inception, the Bolding led Longwood Lancer baseball
team has averaged over 27 wins per season.
A trademark of a Bolding coached team has
been a club proficient with the bat. In 1992 and 1995 Longwood
won the NCAA Division II team batting crowns with jaw dropping
marks of .378 and .363 respectively. Longwood also scored
double digit runs per game (10.46) in ’92 to lead Division
II as the Lancers launched a school record 86 home runs. Additionally
as a team, Longwood hit .353 in both 1988 and 1986, .352 in
1984, and .342 in 2000.
Sweet swinging Olympian Michael Tucker, who
played in the major leagues for 12 years (1995-2006), was
Bolding’s most accomplished student-athlete. Tucker
led Longwood to a 41-8 record and the DII College World Series
Final Four in 1991 before being the 10th overall selection
in the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft.
So far this season, Longwood is 21-19 and
look to be on their way to earn their second consecutive season
on the sunny side of .500 at the DI level with seven regular
season games left to play; however the victories won’t
come easy. Bolding has prepared a schedule stiff with competition.
Longwood, which is a non conference affiliated team, has upcoming
contests with William and Mary, Duke, High Point, Liberty,
Radford and VMI left on their schedule.
The players tasked with the challenge are
mainly Virginia based as Bolding has been able to successfully
farm the region around Farmville for talent. Leading the team
this season offensively are infielder Phil Cerreto (.403,
29 RBI) and outfielder Robbie Bailey (.343, 2 HR, 14 SBs).
A host of wonderful arms pace the pitchers, including John
Walker II (5-3, 4.07 ERA, 4 CG), Lance Harting (5-4, 3.40
ERA, 4 SVs) and freshman Jonathan Watson (2-1, 2.40 ERA, 32
Ks and only 22 hits in 30 innings pitched). Supporting Bolding
are first year assistant coaches Shawn Abell and Billy Daniels.
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