DURHAM, N.C. – Edwin Thompson, formerly the head coach of Bates College, has joined the Duke baseball program as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, Duke head coach Sean McNally announced on Monday.

Thompson, a 2003 graduate of Webber with a B.S. degree in Business, will coach Duke's outfielders directly and serve as the team's recruiting coordinator. Thompson joins a Duke program that has posted four consecutive winning seasons under McNally.

“We are excited to have Edwin Thompson join our coaching staff here at Duke,” said McNally, who owns a 145-134-1 record at Duke. “He will bring a tremendous energy and passion for the game and is a great fit for Duke University and our baseball program.  He is a tireless worker and has carved out a great reputation with the quick turnaround he engineered at Bates College. His head coaching experience and organized, value-driven approach will benefit our players immediately.”

Thompson spent the past two seasons as head coach at Bates and led the Bobcats to a school-record 25 wins in 2010 in only his second season. Bates' 25 wins under Thompson marked the first 20-win season in the program's 138-year history and the first winning season since 1992. Five Bates players earned All-NESCAC honors in Thompson's second year while the team led the conference in home runs, stolen bases and fielding percentage and ranked second in batting average and slugging percentage.

Prior to his two-year stint at Bates, Thompson served as an associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Maine at Farmington. At UMF, Thompson oversaw the pitching staff and recruited and coached eight players who went on to earn all-conference honors.

Thompson began his collegiate career at Howard University where he was named the team's offensive rookie of the year. He then spent one season at Maryland where he appeared in 34 games for the Terrapins and hit .250 with eight doubles and one home run. Thompson then played his last two seasons at Webber University where he led the team to an NAIA top-25 ranking and played in the Florida Sun Conference All-Star Game.

Thompson also spent one year in professional baseball, playing for the independent-league Bangor Lumberjacks in 2003 where he led all Lumberjack rookies in extra-base hits.

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