Derrick Dunbar, an Austin Peay State University baseball alumnus, will rejoin the program as an assistant coach, head coach Gary McClure announced, Wednesday.
Dunbar joins the Governors after two seasons as assistant coach at Memphis where he instructed the infielders and assisted with hitting instruction. He also was instrumental in overseeing the program’s summer and winter camps, summer high school tournaments and fall instructional league.
Prior to joining Memphis, Dunbar was an assistant coach at Jackson State Community College under head coach Steve Corneilson, also an APSU baseball alumnus. While there he was the Generals recruiting coordinator, hitting coach and infield coach.
“I am very excited to have Derrick back as an assistant coach here at Austin Peay,” said McClure. “Derrick will be a great fit for our program. First and foremost he wants to be here and he loves to coach. Derrick played for me and started his college coaching career as an assistant here. Since then he has coached the last five or six years at Jackson State and then Memphis where he has prepared himself for this opportunity.”
A former Governor, Dunbar played four seasons (1999-02) at first base and as a pitcher. He appeared in 124 career games, including 31 starts in a senior campaign in which he played only first base and saw him hit .289 with 14 RBI. On the mound, Dunbar made 25 appearances in his first three seasons at Austin Peay, compiling a 2-1 record and 5.67 ERA.
Dunbar has extensive ties in the Clarksville community, graduating from Northwest High School in 1999 as a four-year letterwinner at first base and pitcher. After his Austin Peay playing career, he began his coaching career as an assistant at his prep alma mater in 2003. He then was hired by his former high school coach – and APSU baseball alumnus – Jason Rice at Rossview High School for the 2004 campaign. Dunbar returned to Austin Peay as a volunteer assistant in 2005 before being hired as Jackson State.
“Derrick obviously knows Clarksville, Austin Peay, and our program very well, which will make the transition much smoother,” McClure said. “He has jumped right in and hit the recruiting trail running. Derrick has returned very high recommendations from all those he has coached under.”
In addition, Dunbar was a coach for the Clarksville Orioles summer baseball program, coaching the 13-year-old squad and assisting with the 18-year-old team from 2002-05. He also was an assistant for the Vermont Mountaineers of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, a summer college baseball league, in both 2007 and 2008.
Dunbar replaces Jake Peterson who resigned in June to pursue other professional opportunities.
The Dunbar File:
College Education
- Austin Peay (B.S. Business Administration), 2002
Coaching Experience
- Austin Peay, assistant coach (2010-)
- Memphis, assistant coach (2008-10)
- Jackson State CC, assistant coach (2006-08)
- Austin Peay, volunteer assistant coach (2005)
- Rossview High School, assistant coach (2004)
- Northwest High School, assistant coach (2003)
