Oct 16, 2007

Calciano Leaves GCSU to Join Boston Red Sox as Scout

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia College & State University department of athletics and athletics director Stan Aldridge announced that head baseball coach Chris Calciano will leave GCSU to become a scout for the Boston Red Sox. Calciano will be in charge of the Mid-Atlantic Region, covering Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia and parts of Pennsylvania.

Calciano was head coach of the Bobcats for three seasons, leading the squad to its first two Peach Belt Conference Championships in 2006 and 2007. The GCSU baseball team also went to the NCAA Regional Tournament in each of the past two seasons.

“Chris has done an excellent job with our baseball program and has provided the leadership to keep our team prominent at the national level,” said Aldridge. “We would like for Coach Calciano to remain at Georgia College, but we also understand that the Red Sox have given him an opportunity to make a move that he believes will allow him to attain his career goals.”

Calciano compiled a 132-48 mark as head coach at GCSU, including a 53-win season in 2006, the best total for a GCSU baseball team in the NCAA era (since 1992). During that season, the team was ranked No. 1 in the nation for nine weeks during the season and he was named Peach Belt Coach of the Year and Georgia Dugout Club Coach of the Year. The team also hosted the NCAA South Atlantic Regional Tournament for the first time in school history. The squad didn’t lose consecutive games over the 65-contest stretch that season, and also won 15 in a row at one point.

In the 2007 season, the Bobcats needed to win five of the last six conference games to take the PBC title, sweeping USC Aiken on the road and taking two of three from Augusta State at home.

He has guided six Bobcats to All-America honors in his three seasons, including the 2005 and 2007 PBC Players of the Year in Mike Deveaux and Justin Mills and the 2005 Pitcher of the Year Matt Goyen. During Calciano’s tenure, nine players had signed to play professionally.

“I would like to thank Dr. Aldridge for the opportunity he gave me to lead this tradition-rich program for the past three years,” said Calciano. “The two Peach Belt conference championships and national prominence our program has enjoyed is directly attributable to the quality young men I have had the honor to coach as well as the hard working assistant coaches that we have in our program.”

“I'm excited about the transition from coaching college baseball to professional scouting and looking forward to identifying and signing the top amateur talent in the Mid-Atlantic region for the Boston Red Sox.”

Prior to GCSU, Calciano was the head coach at Division II West Chester University in Pennsylvania for four seasons, where he was the 2003 PSAC East Coach of the Year. He is 252-125-3 overall as a head coach.

Calciano will remain with GCSU through the month of October, before beginning duties with the Red Sox.

“We are very excited and look forward to the opportunity of working with Chris on a daily basis,” said Amiel Sawdaye, Red Sox Assistant Scouting Director. “His knowledge of the game, experience in baseball, and the diligence that he exhibits at GCSU are some of the key factors on why we believe he will be a valued member of the Red Sox scouting staff.”