FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Monday, June 17, 2002)

MARK WOODWORTH NAMED HEAD BASEBALL COACH AT WESLEYAN

Mark Woodworth, a 1994 graduate of Wesleyan University and eight-year veteran baseball coach at four New England colleges, has been named adjunct assistant professor of physical education and head baseball coach at Wesleyan University, athletics director John Biddiscombe announced. Woodworth had served as interim head baseball coach during the 2002 season, guiding the Cardinals to a 21-16 final record and a spot in the NESCAC post-season tournament. For his efforts, Woodworth was honored by the NESCAC as its Coach of the Year. Woodworth will have additional assignments within Wesleyan's athletics department to be named later.

After serving as an assistant baseball coach at Amherst College and as a sports information assistant there during 2001, Woodworth also is the New England coordinator for the Division III national coaches poll. Before Amherst, Woodworth was head baseball coach at Wentworth Institute for three seasons (1998-2000), and an assistant baseball coach at Wesleyan for the 1995, 1996 and 1997 seasons while earning his Master of Arts in Liberal Studies at the University and assisting in the sports information office. He was the sports information director at Albertus Magnus College during 1994-95.

In addition to his coaching and sports information experience, Woodworth edited and published College Baseball New England, a periodic newsletter covering regional baseball from 1998-2001 ; was sports editor/writer with the Community Newspaper Company, covering several towns in the greater Boston area ; and wrote a book, The Rhythm of Baseball, dealing with the technique and mental approach of playing baseball.

As a player at Wesleyan, Woodworth was a four-year starting shortstop, is the all-time Wesleyan leader in games played with 126, ranks 16th on the all-time hits list at the college with 117, and was part of the Wesleyan team in 1994 that attended the NCAA Division III World Series as the Cardinals finished runner-up to Wisconsin-Oshkosh and posted a best-ever 30-8 record.

-30-