LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA (October 1, 2008) - Lincoln University of Pennsylvania has named Anthony J. Plá its new Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Sports Information Director. Plá comes to Lincoln after spending the last six years as an assistant baseball coach at the University of Bridgeport (CT).
“My primary goal for selecting (Plá) was his commitment to academic excellence,” said Director of Athletics Dianthia Ford-Kee. “We were looking for someone that would come on board and provide more than the ability to coach the baseball team. He has skill sets that strengthen "the athletic team" in our move to active Division II membership.”
Plá earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications with an emphasis in journalism and graduated on the Dean's list from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. Plá also earned his Master's of science in counseling college student personnel from Bridgeport where he was a member Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society for Counselors.
Plá's experience with the University of Bridgeport baseball team included working with the defense, mainly with the infielders and catchers as well as strength and conditioning. As the Head Junior Varsity Coach, Anthony's record is 11-5 with four of those wins coming against Division I opponents, Sacred Heart University and UMASS-Amherst.
“I am really excited to get started with this program,” said Plá. “It has a lot of potential for growth and with all of the support from the athletic department; we will be rebuilding something that will be great!”
Plá has coached seven years with the AAU Team Connecticut Blue Jays. In his first year, 2002, he coached the 12-U team to a second place finish in the State Championships and a 37-7 record. In 2003, he was the head coach of the 15-U team that finished second in the Triple Crown State Championship series and tied for 7th in the ECTB National Tournament, which was held in Massachusetts.
“Lincoln baseball is ready to make a difference on this campus,” said sophomore centerfielder Melvin Robinson (Wilmington, DE/William Penn). “We have been waiting for this moment all semester. New coach, new season, new team leads to a bright future.”
In addition to his baseball coaching background, Plá brings a lot of versatility of having worked as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance for the last three years. Plá also spent time working in Admissions and Sports Information. With his experience in sports information and compliance, Plá served as the liaison between athletics and the registrar, bursar, financial aid, admissions and residence life.
“I am very happy to have someone who has spent the last three years gaining knowledge of Division II compliance,” said Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Senior Women's Administrator Natasha Wilson. “He will be asset to our staff in educating other coaches and staff on Division II rules.”
Plá assisted in producing media guides, produced live broadcast of all University of Bridgeport men's basketball away games and providing and pitching feature stories about student-athletes on the school's website and to hometown and local media.
Plá assisted in all aspects of a Division II baseball program including scheduling, recruiting, practices, and daily routines. He worked as the assistant coach mainly with infielders, outfielders and catchers. He also taught hitting techniques and base running. Plá said “I believe that being a head coach doesn't stop with the game, but the players look up to you for guidance and support.”
“Lincoln is a sleeping giant,” Plá said. “There are so many great things happening all at once here and everyone seems to be moving in the right directions. We will take it one day at a time and will begin with discipline and hard work to get us on track.”
Founded in 1854, Lincoln University is the first historically black institution of higher education and its graduates include such luminaries as Thurgood Marshall, the first African American justice of the United States Supreme Court, and acclaimed poet and author Langston Hughes. Lincoln University is nationally regarded for producing African Americans with undergraduate degrees in the physical sciences.
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