BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell University Athletics Director Bob Roller announced Friday that Justin Haire has been named the Camels’ new head baseball coach.
“Naming Justin as our head coach allows a seamless transition for our excellent baseball program,” said Roller. “He has been an integral part of our building process and played a major role in our recent success. Campbell Baseball is now known nationally, and we realize how important it is to maintain this momentum and continuity. Justin has been a tireless recruiter and excellent teacher as our associate head coach. We both have the shared goals of, not only continuing our successful performance on the diamond, but in improving and playing deeper into June.”
“I want to thank University President Dr. Jerry Wallace, Bob Roller and our great administration for the opportunity to be the next head coach at Campbell University,” said Haire. “I am looking forward to the challenge.”
Haire has spent the last seven seasons with the Camels as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, including the last year as the associate head coach under former skipper Greg Goff, who was hired as head coach at Louisiana Tech.
“I cannot begin to thank Greg Goff personally for his friendship and total dedication to Campbell University,” added Roller. “He gave us everything he had and we are forever grateful. The entire CU community wishes his family the very best in their next venture.”
“I’m looking forward to continuing to work with the players in our program and I’m excited about our incoming recruits,” said Haire. “I expect to compete for a championship again next season with our talent level and competiveness. That’s what our program is about, and I’m excited about continuing the tradition that we’ve built over the last seven years in our pursuit of taking Campbell Baseball to Omaha.”
Haire has helped Campbell win more than 40 games in each of the last three seasons, totaling 131 victories over that span, including a school record 49 in 2013 on the way to the Big South’s Regular Season Championship and a national ranking.
“I want to thank my wife Lindsey and son Jackson for their support,” said Haire. “I also want to thank all of the coaches that I’ve played for and coached with. I wouldn’t be here without each of them. I especially want to thank Coach Greg Goff for the opportunity seven years ago to be a 26-year-old recruiting coordinator.”
In 2014, the Camels took the Big South Tournament Championship, advancing to the program’s first NCAA Regional since 1990. In the Columbia Regional, the Camels picked up their first-ever NCAA Tournament win, knocking off Old Dominion 4-1 in 12 innings.
Over the last seven years, Haire has helped to make the Fighting Camels into one of the most explosive and consistent offenses not only in the conference, but also in the entire country. CU has set over 50 new school individual and team offensive records, practically rewriting the offensive record book with Haire at the helm of both the team’s hitting and recruiting efforts.
Haire has coached Campbell’s first All-Americans, starting with Michael Felton in 2012. National stolen bases leader Ben McQuown, national ERA champion Ryan Thompson and Brent Graham followed in 2013, and Thompson repeated his All-America status in 2014.
Under Haire’s guidance, a Camel has been named Academic All-American in each of the past three seasons, including sophomore designated hitter Matt Parrish in 2014. Josh Holskey and David Olson also picked up Academic All-American honors in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Haire has coached 43 all-conference players, 18 all-region players, two conference players of the year, two region players of the year, and 12 All-Americans.
In addition, Haire has seen 20 former players sign professional contracts, including 2013 Atlanta Braves 15th round choice Matt Marksberry, 2008 Cleveland Indians 25th round selection Steve Smith, 2013 Oakland Athletics 30th round pick Ben McQuown and 2009 Chicago White Sox 31st round pick Ryan Hamme.
As an assistant coach, Haire has helped guide four teams that set school records for wins (Sterling College 2004: 37, Ouachita Baptist University 2006: 31, OBU 2007: 50, Campbell 2013: 49).
Before his move to Campbell, Haire spent four years as an assistant under head coach Scott Norwood at Ouachita Baptist University, compiling a 107-61 won-lost record from 2005-2007. Haire led an OBU team that ranked in the nation’s top-20 in team batting average (19th), team earned run average (11th), and team fielding percentage (13th), to a 50-10 record and a Gulf South Conference West Division Championship, in 2007.
Prior to his years at OBU, Haire spent one year as the pitching coach at Sterling College. In 2004 the Warriors boasted a 37-18 record, and won both the KCAC ERA title (3.01) and KCAC tournament championship, and had two All-American pitchers.
As a player, Haire was a member of Coach Danny Schmitz’s 2001 MAC East Division Champions at Bowling Green State University. Haire batted .350 and was pivotal in the Falcon’s success, which led the nation in team batting average (.360). After two seasons at BGSU, Haire went on to play for Coach Gary Vaught at the University of Indianapolis. In 2003 Haire helped the Greyhounds to the North Central Region Finals.
Haire graduated from Henderson State University (Ark.) with a B.A. in history. He married Lindsey Dawson of Benton, Ark. in 2010. The couple has one son, Jackson Patrick, who was born in July 2013.
