Southern Arkansas Baseball Camps
Coaching Staff
Steve Browning is director of athletics at Southern Arkansas and enters his third season as head baseball, assuming the position in June 2010 after five years as assistant coach. He has been part of the Mulerider baseball program since 1998, also serving five years as a student and graduate assistant coach and two years as a player. He was named director of athletics effective July 1, 2012. Browning’s short tenure has been a successful one as he has guided his two previous teams to back-to-back conference championships and NCAA regional tournament appearances. He led the 2011 club to its third Gulf South Conference championship in six years, and the 2012 team to the inaugural Great American Conference regular season and tournament championships. This past spring was SAU’s 12th consecutive 30-plus win season and 21st in the past 22 years, and seventh overall NCAA regional appearance, with the team finishing the season ranked 26th in the official Division II poll. Browning was named the GAC coach of the year this past season. He has compiled a 73-33 record in his two years as head coach. After two seasons (1997-1998) at Crowder Community College (now Crowder College) in Neosho, Mo., Browning transferred and played in 1999 and 2000 for Southern Arkansas. He was a two-year starter in the outfield and co-captain of the 2000 team, hitting .314 with 17 doubles, four home runs and 52 RBI in his two seasons for the Muleriders. Browning received his B.S.E. in health, kinesiology and recreation from SAU in 2001, and holds three M.Ed. degrees from the university in kinesiology (2002), education administration and supervision (2005) and special education (2007). A graduate of Sheridan High School, Browning is married to the former Brandy Nicholson of Strong and they have two sons, Cade and Mason.
Justin Pettigrew joined the Mulerider baseball staff in 2005 as pitching coach. He was promoted to associate head coach for the 2011 season. Since Pettigrew’s arrival, the Mulerider pitching staff has consistently ranked in the top of the conference and has had 10 pitchers move on to play professional baseball. Along with his pitching duties, he also assists with the day-to-day operations, recruiting, camp organization, and fundraising. Pettigrew came to the Muleriders from Arkansas Tech University where he was the pitching coach for five years (2001-2005). A graduate of Lake Hamilton High School, Pettigrew played junior college baseball at Bossier Parish Community College in Bossier City, La., and Connors State College in Warner, Okla., before transferring to play for the Wonder Boys, where he finished his career in 2000. Pettigrew received his B.S.E. in health and physical education and his M.Ed. in physical education (2003), both from Arkansas Tech. He is married to the former Corrie O’Dell of Magnolia.
Adam Anderson joined the Mulerider staff as an assistant coach in 2011. Before joining the staff he spent the two previous years as a graduate assistant for the Muleriders. He primarily works with the pitching staff and is also responsible for the Muleriders’ strength and conditioning program and maintaining the baseball facilities. Originally from Ajax, Ontario, Anderson played two years at Hill College (Hillsboro, Texas) before playing his final two years for the Muleriders. Anderson received his B.A. in history in 2009 and his M.S. in Kinesiology in 2011 both from SAU.
Chris Barnett is in his first season as a graduate assistant baseball coach at Southern Arkansas. He primarily works with the pitching staff and will assist with maintaining the baseball facilities. Barnett also coaches in the Valley League located in Virginia during the summer as a pitching coach. The Valley League is one of the premier leagues for summer collegiate baseball. A native of Proctorville, Ohio, Barnett played two years at West Virginia State University before playing his final two seasons at WVU Tech where he was team captain and led his school to a record in wins his senior year. He graduated with honors in the spring of 2012 with a B.S. in Athletic Coaching Education and is currently earning his M.B.A. in Kinesiology and Coaching.
Darron Lattomus enters his second season as a Graduate Assistant Coach with the Mulerider baseball program. Prior to joining the staff, he spent 2010-11 as the Assistant Coach at Philadelphia University (P.A). He primarily works with the catchers, outfielders, and hitters at Southern Arkansas. In addition he is also responsible for assisting with the Muleriders’ strength and conditioning program and maintaining the baseball facilities. During the summer, Lattomus coaches in the Northwoods League for the Green Bay Bullfrogs. Lattomus played his four-year collegiate career at Rider University (N.J), where he helped lead the team to two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championships and two NCAA Division I Regional appearances in 2008 and 2010. Also in 2010 he served as team captain, helping break the school record for wins. A native of Remington, VA., Lattomus received his B.S. in Business Management and Leadership in 2010 from Rider. He is currently working towards an M.S in Kinesiology and Coaching while at Southern Arkansas University.
Cannon Lester Cannon Lester begins his second season as graduate assistant coach with the Southern Arkansas baseball program, following an All-America career with the Muleriders. He works primarily with infielders and hitters. Lester played all four years at SAU from 2007-2010, finishing his career as a two-time first team All-America, All-South region and All-Gulf South Conference selection. He helped lead Southern Arkansas to three consecutive NCAA regional tournament appearances (2008-2010) and the 2009 GSC championship. He signed a free agent contract with Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants in 2010. Playing primarily at third and second base at Southern Arkansas, Lester started in 215 of 220 games and compiled a career batting average of .379, with 75 doubles, five triples, 41 home runs and 219 RBI. He had 290 hits, scored 247 runs, and had a career slugging percentage of .651 and a .490 on-base percentage. In his final season of 2010, Lester was one of 36 semi-finalists for the inaugural Division II Tino Martinez national player of the year award. He finished his career with 12 school records and tying another. He set nine career marks in games played (220), at-bats (765), hits (290), doubles (75), home runs (41), RBI (219), runs scored (247), total bases (498) and hit by pitch (68); two season records in runs scored (89) and total bases (167); and a single-game mark of four doubles, and tied a record with three home runs in a game. His career doubles, runs scored and hit by pitch all set new Gulf South Conference records. A native of El Dorado, Lester received his B.S.E. in physical education, wellness and leisure in 2011 from SAU, and he is currently pursuing a M.Ed. in special education. |
Steve Browning
Justin Pettigrew
Adam Anderson
Chris Barnett
Darron Lattomus