Statesville Owls 2012 Coaching Staff

Statesville Owls President Jeff Young today announced the 2012 Statesville Owls Coaching staff, Matt Payne and Aaron Bray. When asked about the staff changes, Young stated that last year’s Coach Frank Paitt had made the decision at the end of the 2011 season to devote this summer to his 10 year old son’s baseball career wanting to spend this summer, “just being a baseball Dad”, something he was very excited to do. Paitt did however play a role in the section of his replacement with his recommendation of his assistant coach at CVCC, Matt Payne.
Matt Payne - Payne is a 2008 graduate of NC State University with a B.S. in sports management. A four-year letterman in baseball at NC State, Payne pitched and played both outfield and third base prior to being drafted by the Pittsburg Pirates in the 2008 MLB draft.
During his career at NC State, Payne earned second team All-ACC honors, hitting .412 in ACC play, 3rd best in the conference, and finishing overall 3rd in hits and 5th in total bases. After leading the team in homeruns and RBI’s his senior year, he was voted NC State Baseball Team MVP. Following an outstanding season, the Wolfpack earned the right to host a NCAA regional in which they defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks, winning the regional with Payne being named to the NCAA Raleigh Regional All-Tournament Team.
Payne played professional baseball two years in the Pirates organization and currently serves as an associate MLB scout. He resides in Hiddenite, NC.
Aaron Bray - Bray spent the 2011 season as the hitting coach for the West Virginia Miners of the Prospect League, prior to that Aaron was the Student Assistant Coach for UNC Charlotte. Bray was a 2009 draft selection of the Houston Astros where he played for 2 years.
As a player at UNC Charlotte Bray was the Niners All-Time Career Hits Leader.
· 2009 season he finished with 64 hits, ending his career with 293 hits, eclipsing Bo Robinson's 289 for the most in career history.
· 2008: All-Raleigh, N.C. Regional; Second Team All-Atlantic 10. Became the first 49er to hit a home run in consecutive NCAA Regional games, hitting a round tripper against South Carolina and James Madison. Finished 5-for-10 in the postseason, with Charlotte's first postseason four-hit game.
· 2007: First-Team All-Atlantic 10... Logged six hits with four runs scored and four RBI in regional appearance.2006: Second Niner in history to be named to Louisville Slugger Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America Team, named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, named 2nd Team All-Atlantic 10 and All-Rookie Team.
Bray played his high school ball at Independence High School and currently resides in Charlotte.
Young stated, “We are very excited to have two young and aggressive coaches both having MLB experience that they can pass along to our college players. We believe that we have come up with the perfect coaching combination that will help us win a championship”

For more information about the Statesville Owls or the SCBL please visit our website at: www.statesvilleowls.com