ECU Athletics adds new Coaches for Multiple Teams
ECU Athletics added nine new coaches this offseason. These changes come to the basketball team, baseball team, football team, golf and lacrosse, and with the most coming to the football team.
Aaron Auer has been named the inside receivers/tight end coach. Auer has been with ECU for almost three years now. During his first year, Auer served as the Offensive Graduate Assistant Coach and later became the Senior Offensive Analyst.
Dyrell Roberts was named the outside receiver coach on April 1, 2023. This is Roberts's first year at ECU, but he has eight years of collegiate coaching. Roberts attended Virginia Tech, where he played football for five years and earned his bachelor's degree in human development. Eastern Michigan University, Western Illinois University and Norfolk State University are some of the schools Roberts has coached at previously.
Khyle Jackson is the new defensive graduate assistant coach and has recently been added to the staff. Jackson's collegiate coaching career started at the University of South Alabama. He would later return to his university alma mater, where he served as the assistant coach before coming to Greenville.
Jackson graduated from the University of North Alabama, earning his bachelor of science in sports and exercise. Jackson also spent four years on the team.
Cameron Nichols is the new offensive graduate assistant coach and has recently been added to the staff. Nichols’ previous experience was with Clemson University. Here he served as the offensive student assistant coach for about three years.
Nichols earned his bachelor of science in general management at Clemson University. He would later come to ECU and is working to earn a master of science in sports management.
Mark Adams was named the men’s basketball assistant coach on July 14. Adams was the head coach at Texas Tech University. Adams' successes led to him being awarded the 2022 Associated Press Big 12 Coach of the Year.
“We feel very fortunate about the addition of Mark Adams to our program and coaching staff,” said Head Coach Michael Schwartz. “He will bring so much experience and knowledge to both our coaching staff and student athletes.”
Reggie Williams enters his second season with the Pirates. Last year during Williams first season, he was appointed Director of Player Personnel. On July 12, Williams was given a new position as an assistant coach.
Baseball
Colby Bortles has been part of Pirate baseball since 2021. When Bortles first arrived, he served as the Director of Operations and then as Volunteer Assistant Coach the following seasons. Earlier this month, Bortles was promoted to hitting coach.
Borltes has previously served as a volunteer assistant coach at Charleston Southern University and assistant hitting coach at Rollins College.
Golf
2018 men's golf team
The 2018 men's golf team look onto the greenway at the Wolfpack Invitational on Oct. 7, 2018.
Chris Seward | Courtesy of ECU Pirates
Kathryn Carson has been made the assistant coach for the women’s and men’s golf. Carson was a four-time letter winner and a successful golfer while playing for the Pirates.
Carson graduated from ECU in 2021 to receive her bachelor's in arts in psychology and a minor in exercise sports science. Carson has recently earned her master's degree earlier this year in May.
Brittany Dipper has been made the head coach of the lacrosse team as of July 21. Dipper's experience in coaching is extensive, as her career has taken her across the east coast.
Dipper played four years at the University of Maryland, helping her team to four Atlantic Coast Titles and Final Four appearances. Dippers has experience coaching at schools like the University of Maryland, the University of Virginia, Boston University and Elon University.
Aaron Auer has been named the inside receivers/tight end coach. Auer has been with ECU for almost three years now. During his first year, Auer served as the Offensive Graduate Assistant Coach and later became the Senior Offensive Analyst.
Dyrell Roberts was named the outside receiver coach on April 1, 2023. This is Roberts's first year at ECU, but he has eight years of collegiate coaching. Roberts attended Virginia Tech, where he played football for five years and earned his bachelor's degree in human development. Eastern Michigan University, Western Illinois University and Norfolk State University are some of the schools Roberts has coached at previously.
Khyle Jackson is the new defensive graduate assistant coach and has recently been added to the staff. Jackson's collegiate coaching career started at the University of South Alabama. He would later return to his university alma mater, where he served as the assistant coach before coming to Greenville.
Jackson graduated from the University of North Alabama, earning his bachelor of science in sports and exercise. Jackson also spent four years on the team.
Cameron Nichols is the new offensive graduate assistant coach and has recently been added to the staff. Nichols’ previous experience was with Clemson University. Here he served as the offensive student assistant coach for about three years.
Nichols earned his bachelor of science in general management at Clemson University. He would later come to ECU and is working to earn a master of science in sports management.
Mark Adams was named the men’s basketball assistant coach on July 14. Adams was the head coach at Texas Tech University. Adams' successes led to him being awarded the 2022 Associated Press Big 12 Coach of the Year.
“We feel very fortunate about the addition of Mark Adams to our program and coaching staff,” said Head Coach Michael Schwartz. “He will bring so much experience and knowledge to both our coaching staff and student athletes.”
Reggie Williams enters his second season with the Pirates. Last year during Williams first season, he was appointed Director of Player Personnel. On July 12, Williams was given a new position as an assistant coach.
Baseball
Colby Bortles has been part of Pirate baseball since 2021. When Bortles first arrived, he served as the Director of Operations and then as Volunteer Assistant Coach the following seasons. Earlier this month, Bortles was promoted to hitting coach.
Borltes has previously served as a volunteer assistant coach at Charleston Southern University and assistant hitting coach at Rollins College.
Golf
2018 men's golf team
The 2018 men's golf team look onto the greenway at the Wolfpack Invitational on Oct. 7, 2018.
Chris Seward | Courtesy of ECU Pirates
Kathryn Carson has been made the assistant coach for the women’s and men’s golf. Carson was a four-time letter winner and a successful golfer while playing for the Pirates.
Carson graduated from ECU in 2021 to receive her bachelor's in arts in psychology and a minor in exercise sports science. Carson has recently earned her master's degree earlier this year in May.
Brittany Dipper has been made the head coach of the lacrosse team as of July 21. Dipper's experience in coaching is extensive, as her career has taken her across the east coast.
Dipper played four years at the University of Maryland, helping her team to four Atlantic Coast Titles and Final Four appearances. Dippers has experience coaching at schools like the University of Maryland, the University of Virginia, Boston University and Elon University.
Players mentioned in this article
AJ Roberts
A.J. Jackson
A.J. Nicholson
A.J. Williams
Blake Bortles
Akeythio Carson
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