Published: July 25, 2008 11:29 pm      

WVU in search of top baseball aide

MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University is in the process of conducting a national search to replace its top baseball assistant and recruiting coordinator, head coach Greg Van Zant said Wednesday.

Bruce Cameron has resigned after 11 years to accept a similar position at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va. He’s making the move to a Division III school in order to spend more time with his wife, Lisa, and their one-year-old son, Bruce.

Van Zant said, “He has done a great job for us. I could not thank him enough for all the hours and hours and hours that he spent driving, watching games and recruiting. Writing letters, calling recruits and helping with practices took a lot of time.

“I hate to lose Bruce. He spent his first two years as a volunteer assistant coach. Then when Doug Little went to Potomac State as athletic director and baseball coach, I promoted him at that time to the top assistant position.”

Van Zant said he’s anxiously awaiting resumes and applications for the opening. Cameron was being paid slightly more than $32,000 a year at WVU, where he served two years as volunteer coach before being promoted to top assistant status.

“At this point, I’m completely open-minded (in the search for a replacement),” Van Zant said. “I’m sure that there are going to be a lot of good candidates. We’ll look at them all.”

Cameron, who’s 36, will report to Shenandoah University next Monday. He is taking over from Kirk Renegar, who left last month to become a high school head coach in Tennessee.

Kevin Anderson, SU’s head coach, said Cameron was the man he wanted to fill the vacancy.

“He has an excellent baseball mind and has been a tireless recruiter,” Anderson said. “I have every confidence that he is going to help us continue to raise the level of our program.”

The Mountaineers won at least 35 games five times while Cameron was here. They posted 37 victories one year, 36 three times and 35 this past season.

Cameron recruited numerous outstanding prospects and he helped develop 21 players who earned all-Big East Conference honors. Those included All-America performer Joe McNamee.