DBU Baseball announced the hiring today of Josh Hopper as the team's new Pitching Coach.  Hopper spent the past 10 seasons as the Pitching Coach at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he was named the Conference USA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2014 after his pitching staff posted a 2.87 ERA and ranked No. 24 in the nation with nine shutouts.
 
During his 10-year stint at UAB, Hopper guided the Blazers' pitching staff to set school records in ERA, shutouts, and opponents' batting average.  In 2012, he guided the UAB staff to its first-ever Conference USA Tournament title and a spot in the NCAA Tournament, the school's first since 1991.  Hopper also helped produce nine All-Conference selections and saw nine of his pitchers selected in the Major League Draft.
 
"We are extremely excited to welcome Josh and his family to the DBU baseball program," DBU Head Coach Dan Heefner said.  "Josh came highly recommended from numerous respected people in the college baseball community.  His faith, character and passion for development make him a great fit for our program."
 
Prior to arriving at UAB in 2010, Hopper was the Pitching Coach at his alma mater, Berry College, where he helped lead the Vikings to the program's first NAIA World Series appearance in 2009 and a No. 4 ranking in the final NAIA Baseball Coaches Poll.  Berry finished the year with a 46-16 record and Hopper's pitching staff ranked in the top-25 nationally in ERA (4.22) and opponent batting average (.263).
 
As a player at Berry in the late 1990s, Hopper was a three-time All-Conference selection and finished his career ranked in the top-five on the school's all-time wins and strikeouts list. He also guided the Vikings to three NAIA regional tournament appearances.
 
Following his collegiate career, Hopper spent two years in the New York Mets' minor league organization.  In 1999, he was a key part of the Mets' Gulf Coast League Championship team and then split the 2000 season between the Capital City Bombers of the South Atlantic League and the Pittsfield Mets of the New York-Penn League.
 
"His past experiences are really unique in that he pitched professionally, got his master's degree in biomechanics, and became a certified Athletic Trainer and Strength and Conditioning coach," Heefner said.  "He has proven that he can take all he knows about the body and simplify it in a way that helps his pitchers stay healthy and make jumps.  He's also developed a reputation as a great in game pitch caller and his staffs are known for their presence and intensity.  We can't wait to see the impact he's going to have on our pitchers on and off the field."

Hopper graduated from Berry in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in health and physical education.  He earned a master's degree in exercise science from Georgia State in 2004.  Hopper married the former Kylie Bivens, who played on the U.S. Women's National Soccer team and played in the 2003 World Cup.  The couple has two sons, Kase and Baylor and one daughter, Kameron.