News Summary
The University of North Carolina at Asheville has named Alex Raburn the interim head baseball coach for the 2026 season following Scott Friedholm’s resignation. Raburn, who recently served on the coaching staff, has shown significant improvements in player development, including boosting the team’s batting average and reducing strikeouts. His experience includes coaching roles at James Madison University and Rider University, paving the way for his contributions to UNC Asheville. The university plans to search for a permanent coach after the season.
Asheville, NC – The University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNC Asheville) has appointed Alex Raburn as the interim head baseball coach for the upcoming 2026 season, following the resignation of Scott Friedholm. This decision was announced by the Director of Athletics, Janet R. Cone, on May 23, 2025.
Raburn, who recently completed his first season on the UNC Asheville baseball coaching staff, brings a notable track record of player development and team improvement. During his tenure as a hitting coach, he successfully boosted the team’s batting average in conference play from .266 in 2024 to .288 in 2025, marking a significant enhancement in the team’s offensive capabilities.
Under Raburn’s guidance, the Bulldogs also made strides in reducing strikeouts, finishing the season leading the conference with the fewest strikeouts recorded at 152. Noteworthy players include Patrick Gillen and Rylen Stockton, both of whom landed in the top ten for batting average within the conference. Stockton notably earned Second Team All-Conference and All-Freshman honors for his performance.
Prior to joining UNC Asheville, Raburn was an assistant coach at James Madison University (JMU) for two seasons, where he managed infielders and played an instrumental role in the team’s journey to the NCAA Regional Final in 2024. While at JMU, the infield corps excelled, finishing sixth nationally in double plays turned with a total of 52 doubles plays, and maintaining an average of 0.97 double plays per game. His coaching contributions led to significant individual accomplishments; notably, third baseman Wyatt Peifer became the first player in program history to receive an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove selection under Raburn’s mentorship.
Raburn’s coaching career includes previous experience at Rider University, where he assisted the team in winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and advancing to an NCAA regional in 2021. His background also features personal achievements as a player; Raburn was part of the University of North Carolina baseball team from 2013 to 2015, where he contributed to the program’s success by securing an Atlantic Coast Conference championship and setting a record with 59 wins while advancing to the College World Series.
As a player, he participated in 133 games, achieving a .251 batting average with 11 doubles, one triple, and four home runs during his last season. In 2017, he played for the University of Nebraska, contributing to the team becoming the Big Ten championship squad.
Looking ahead, UNC Asheville plans to conduct a national search following the 2026 season to find the next permanent head coach for the baseball program. This transitional period under Raburn’s leadership is anticipated to continue fostering player development and consistent team performance.
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Additional Resources
- UNC Asheville Announces Alex Raburn as Interim Baseball Head Coach
- Wikipedia: UNC Asheville
- Scott Friedholm Announces Resignation as UNC Asheville Baseball Head Coach
- Google Search: UNC Asheville baseball
- UNC Asheville Announces Jeff Maren as Women’s Tennis Head Coach
- Google Scholar: UNC Asheville
- UNC Asheville Announces Danny Frid as Men’s Soccer Head Coach
- Google News: UNC Asheville Athletics
