North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Baseball Hires Josh Holliday To Coaching Staff
9/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Sept. 23, 2003
RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State baseball coach Elliott Avent rounded out his 2003-04 coaching staff today by hiring former Oklahoma State All-American Josh Holliday as an assistant coach. Holliday will work with the Wolfpack's hitters and catchers.
Holliday's addition to the staff completes the Wolfpack coaching staff for the upcoming season. Assistant head coach Billy Jones will serve as the Pack's primary recruiter, work with the defense and baserunners, and will be the third-base coach. Chris Roberts, hired on July 23, is NC State's pitching coach and also will be involved as a recruiter.
Holliday brings a wide array of coaching and playing experience to the Wolfpack staff. The son of Tom Holliday, the former Oklahoma State head coach and current University of Texas pitching coach, Josh served as a student assistant with the Cowboys in 2000 and was named a full-time coach in the fall of 2001. He finished his outstanding collegiate playing career after helping lead the Cowboys to the 1999 College World Series. He was drafted in the ninth round by the Toronto Blue Jays in June 1999 and played professionally for two seasons before retiring in the summer of 2000.
Holliday finished a four-year playing career at Oklahoma State in 1999, earning All-America and Academic All-America honors after batting .290 with 15 homers and 65 RBIs. Holliday ranks among Oklahoma State's career leaders in numerous categories, including homers, runs, walks and hit by pitches. He fared well off the field as well, receiving academic and athletic conference honors after each of his four seasons in Stillwater. He was named the OSU Male Student-Athlete of the Year in 1999 for his achievements on and off the baseball diamond.
In 1998 Holliday was named first-team All-Big 12 after hitting .309 with a team-leading 18 homers and 60 RBIs. He was named to the NCAA Midwest Regional All-Tournament team after leading the Cowboys to wins over Georgia Tech and NCAA finalist Arizona State, and earned second-team National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Super Team plaudits. He was an Academic All-Big 12 honoree with a sparkling 3.69 GPA in the classroom. In 1997 he was a second-team All-Big 12 selection after batting .323 with 14 homers and 60 RBIs.
In his first season at Oklahoma State in 1996, Holliday was the Big Eight Freshman of the Year and also earned Mizuno Freshman All-America and Academic All-Big Eight plaudits. For the season, he batted .320 with six home runs and 52 RBIs, and was third on the team with 15 doubles and fourth with 73 hits, 62 runs and 291 plate appearances.
Following his career with the Cowboys, The Daily Oklahoman named Holliday to the Oklahoma State University All-Century team. In 2003 he was elected to the Oklahoma State University Baseball Hall of Fame.
Holliday was the USA Today Gatorade Player of the Year for Oklahoma and a Mizuno/Collegiate Baseball High School All-American as a senior at Stillwater High School in 1995. He was a four-time all-district and all-conference selection, and was drafted in the 14th round by the Minnesota Twins in the 1995 June draft. He excelled in the classroom in high school as well, serving as co-valedictorian of his graduating class.
Twice, Holiday participated with USA Baseball. In 1994, following his junior year in high school, he played for the U.S. Junior National team. In 1997, following his sophomore season at Oklahoma State, he played for the senior U.S. National team in the Intercontinental Cup competition.
Holliday was born Sept. 14, 1976, and married the former Jenny Moore on Dec. 21, 2002. They are expecting their first child in January.
