Mark Scalf

With four 40-win seasons over the past five seasons, veteran skipper Mark Scalf has built the Seahawk baseball program into one of the country’s upper-echelon teams. In 2007, the Seahawks rallied to win eight of their last nine Colonial Athletic Association games to earn a share of the regular season title with an 18-11 mark.

Scalf, who concluded his 16th season with the Seahawks in 2006-07, earned his 500th career win, all at UNCW, with an 8-7 win over Elon on April 17. The Seahawks also fashioned wins over nationally ranked Texas Christian and NC State as the program played a total of nine games against nationally-ranked opponents.

In 2006, the Seahawks became the first team in the CAA to post four-straight seasons of 40 or more wins while winning a school record 42 games.

Scalf, 48, was recognized by his peers as the CAA’s Coach-of-the-Year in 2005 after the Seahawks blazed through the conference schedule with a 21-3 mark, winning the regular season title by six games. It marked the third CAA Coach-of-the-Year award for Scalf, who also collected the honor in 1995 and 2000.

In his 22-year association with the program as an assistant coach and head coach, Scalf has recruited 47 All-Conference players, including 1989 CAA Player-of-the-Year Trent Mongero, 1994 CAA Co-Player-of-the-Year Battle Holley and 1996 CAA Player-of-the-Year Bryan Britt.

Many of Scalf’s players have moved on to the professional ranks. A total of 35 players have signed pro contracts, including 2005 draft picks Ronald Hill (17th round, Philadelphia) and Jeff Moore (17th round, Baltimore). John Raynor was selected in the 12th round by the Orioles, but chose to return for his senior season.

Scalf lettered four years at second base for UNCW in the late 1970’s and returned to his alma mater in 1984 as an assistant coach, serving under Bobby Guthrie for eight seasons. In that span, Scalf was an integral part of regular season conference championships in 1987 and 1989.

By concentrating on recruiting and conditioning as an assistant, Scalf showed he was ready to head up the program and when Guthrie stepped down on May 28, 1991, Scalf was tabbed to be the new skipper.

In Scalf’s debut season in 1992, the Seahawks established 17 school records, went 3-2 in the conference tourney and came close to reaching the championship game for the first time.

By the assessment of his peers, Scalf worked magic in 1995, guiding the Seahawks to a second-place finish in the league and a 30-25 overall scorecard. He was honored as CAA Coach-of-the-Year for his efforts.

In 1996, Scalf coached the Seahawks to the CAA championship game and featured CAA Player-of-the-Year selection Bryan Britt.

In 2000, the Seahawks set a then-school record for wins as a member of the NCAA with 36 while going 13-8 in the CAA during the regular season. Scalf was named CAA Coach-of-the-Year for the second time in six seasons.

Scalf led the Seahawks to their first-ever 40-win season and the program’s first NCAA bid at the 2003 Baton Rouge Regional. UNCW reached the championship game against host LSU, taking the five-time NCAA champions to extra innings before falling 9-8 in 11 innings.

In 2004, the Seahawks recorded their second straight 40-win season at 40-23, advanced to the NCAA Kinston Regional finals and placed six players on the All-CAA team. A 1980 graduate of UNCW’s Physical Education department, Scalf broke into the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant at UNC Chapel Hill in 1981. He was a full-time assistant in 1982 when the Tar Heels captured the Atlantic Coast Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA post-season playoffs.

Scalf has also been involved in summer leagues, coaching the New Market, Va., “Rebels” of the Valley League in 1984, and directing the Wareham, Mass., “Gatemen” of the Cape Cod League in 1985.

In 2003, Scalf was selected by Coach Ray Tanner to serve on the staff for USA Baseball during the team’s summer tour. The team captured the Silver Medal at the Pan American Games that summer.

Scalf and his wife, Allyson, have two daughters, Madison, 19, and Jordan, 16.