Maybe this time, he will actually get to coach a game. The Hoptown Hoppers announced Monday morning that Gary Vaught will be the head coach for the 2022 baseball season.
The announcement came two years and one day after the Hoppers initially announced Vaught as the head man ahead of the 2020 season. That season would end up being canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Vaught would not get a chance to lead the Hoppers on the field.
Vaught ended up serving as the interim head coach for Lake Erie College during a shortened 2020 season, and then officially take over for Lake Erie during the 2021 season. Vaught stepped down at Lake Erie following the season, allowing the door to open for his “return” to the Hoppers.
Prior to his tenure at Lake Erie, Vaught won over 800 games in 24 seasons as head coach of NCAA Division II University of Indianapolis. He also coached at Oral Roberts from 1986-89, including a trip to the 1987 NCAA West Region finals where ORU lost to eventual national champions Stanford.
Vaught also coached at Kansas State University for three seasons and was named the Big 8 Coach of the Year in 1985.
During his comments at the announcement Monday morning, Vaught noted that he already had commitments from 19 players for the 2022 season. He added that he hoped to have 13-14 pitchers, with two of those being relief pitchers, and that speed was a priority for the 2022 Hoppers.
As of now, the Hoppers are set to open the 2022 season on June 2.
Gary Vaught Announced as Hoppers Head Coach
