CWS Schedule

June 20, 2002

GREENVILLE, N.C.--East Carolina head baseball coach Keith LeClair announced Wednesday that he will relinquish his coaching duties, effective immediately.

LeClair, who cited health concerns for his decision, will remain with the ECU athletics department as a special assistant to director of athletics Mike Hamrick.

"I feel at this time it is in the best interest of the program for me to make this move," said LeClair, who is battling Lou Gehrig's Disease. "I have been blessed for the past five years to serve as head coach at ECU. I am proud of the young men I have coached and the strides we have made."

With LeClair's health deteriorating, assistant coaches Kevin McMullen and Tommy Eason operated the team during the 2002 season, with Eason handling the pitching and McMullen the offense and defense as well as dealing with the media as de facto head coach. This past season's team went 43-20-1, swept through the conference tournament and won two games at the Clemson Regional.

After five seasons at ECU, LeClair, 36, leaves as the second-winningest baseball coach in school history with a 212-96-1 record. He led the Pirates to four consecutive NCAA regional appearances, three Colonial Athletic Association championships, and one Conference USA Tournament Championship. His 2001 Pirates advanced to the super-regionals.

In addition, LeClair has been integral in the push for the building of a new, state-of-the-art baseball stadium on the ECU campus. Fundraising efforts for that project have been ongoing for nearly one year.

"I thank the administration for their support and, most of all, the best fans in the country," LeClair said. "I hope the quest for Omaha will go on and the stadium will be built soon. I also want to thank my coaches for the efforts they have made."

Hamrick stated that the search for a new head baseball coach will begin immediately.

"Keith LeClair has done a magnificent job with our program and has taken us to levels we have never seen before," Hamrick said. "We are extremely appreciative of Keith, and he and his family have our full support during this difficult time. I am looking forward to working with him in an administrative role."