Biography: John McCormack, FAU’s Head Baseball Coach

After 11 years as associate head coach and a total of 18 years as an assistant, John McCormack was elevated to head coach of Florida Atlantic University's baseball program at a press conference in FAU's Tom Oxley Athletic Center July 1, 2008.

McCormack has played an essential role in developing the Owls into a nationally recognized program, acting as FAU's recruiting coordinator for the past 16 seasons. His efforts have brought in 73 players that have continued their baseball careers as professionals, seven have earned All-America honors, six have been named Freshmen All-American and three were conference Player of the Year selections.

McCormack was promoted to associate head coach in 1998, working with long-time FAU coach Kevin Cooney. Together, Cooney and McCormack won 658 games, appeared in seven regional tournaments, captured a Regional Tournament Title in 2002 and advanced to the Super Regional.

A big part of FAU's success was McCormack's passion for the Boca Raton area and the University, allowing the program to reach some of the best players in the state. Having lived in Boca Raton for more than 30 years, McCormack realizes what a great area South Florida is and what it can provide student-athletes.

McCormack joined the staff in 1991. He approached Cooney about assuming the duties of recruiter and the current program was launched. McCormack has focused his attention on the pool of talent in the South Florida area. His first FAU recruiting class (1993) finished the season 41-17 and made a trip to the South Regional, where they fell to the eventual national champion.

In the 16 years that McCormack has recruited, FAU has won 607 games, tied a national record for consecutive games won (34), participated in seven NCAA Regionals (playing in the championship game four times) and won the Tuscaloosa Regional over the nation's No. 3 team, Alabama, in 2002. McCormack was recognized with the AFLAC National Assistant Coach of the Year Award in 2003.

During his tenure in Boca Raton, he has developed relationships with local baseball scouts and 73 FAU players have been drafted by or signed with professional teams; four of them have moved on to the major leagues. Twelve players were drafted in the first 10 rounds, including three third-rounders and two fifth-rounders.

In many cases, the talent was evident only to McCormack. FAU's baseball program has been built around the premise that McCormack would find athletes with the desire to win. The coaching staff would develop talent and the players would become better.

Before joining FAU, McCormack played ball for nearby Lynn University , where he received his bachelor's degree in business administration in 1990. At Lynn , McCormack earned All-Conference honors his junior (catcher) and senior (third baseman) seasons and All-Area Team MVP honors during his junior season. Prior to Lynn , he attended Indian River Community College and Pope John Paul II High School .

Born in New York , McCormack has lived in South Florida for more than 30 years. He and his wife, Katrina, reside in Boca Raton with their sons Conor (10) and Shane (7).

Biography: Jason Jackson, FAU’s Assistant Baseball Coach

Florida Atlantic University named Jason Jackson as its baseball team's pitching coach and recruiting coordinator in July of 2008.

"With his experience in college baseball and within the Sun Belt Conference, we expect Jason to pay immediate dividends to our program," said John McCormack, FAU head baseball coach. "Not only has he proven to be an excellent coach, but he is a good person who will represent the university with class and dignity."

Jackson spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons in a similar role at the University of South Alabama . Two of Jackson 's pitchers at USA were selected in the 2008 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft in June. Under his direction, pitchers from USA struckout 188 more batters than they walked last season.

Jackson 's collegiate coaching career spans seven seasons, six at the Division I level. A brief stint as pitching coach at North Florida Community College was followed by a move to Macon , Georgia in 2003 to take an assistant coaching position at Mercer University . Jackson was essential in establishing a number of new university pitching records during his three-year tenure at Mercer and was elevated to the program's recruiting coordinator in 2006.

"I am extremely excited to work with Coach McCormack, he is one of the most well respected people in college baseball," said Jackson . "The program here at Florida Atlantic has so much tradition, to be part of what has been established here and then to take on the challenge of raising the bar even higher is a special opportunity."

A native of Tallahassee, Jackson holds a master's degree in sports administration from Florida State University, where he also completed his undergraduate course work in physical education.

Biography: Ben Sanderson, FAU’s Assistant Baseball Coach

Florida Atlantic University named Ben Sanderson to its baseball coaching staff in October of 2008. A three-year coaching assistant at his alma mater, East Carolina University, Sanderson works with the FAU hitters, outfielders and is an integral part of the Owls' recruiting efforts.

A winner of six conference championships at the collegiate level as both a player and coach, Frick will focus on the development of FAU’s infielders and outfielders as the program’s defensive coordinator.

Frick comes to FAU from Bethune-Cookman University where, as an assistant coach, he helped the perennial Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference (MEAC) champion Wildcats to the program’s second-best record in school history and 11th league title in 13 years.

Bethune-Cookman’s berth into NCAA Regional Tournament play in 2008 was Frick’s third with the program. Frick was honored as a First Team All-MEAC infielder at B-CU as a player from 2003-04, helping the Wildcats win back-to-back MEAC Championships.

A native of Vancouver, British Columbia, Frick remained in Florida to join the coaching staff at Daytona Beach Community College in 2005 - a school he attended and earned all-conference recognition as a player prior to attending Bethune-Cookman.

Frick’s accomplishments were exceptional as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Daytona Beach CC from 2005-07. Not only did the Falcons win three consecutive Mid-Florida Conference championships, but the team held a collective G.P.A of 3.0 or higher in each of his three seasons as assistant coach. In 2007 Frick assisted in helping Daytona’s student-athletes post a 3.49 team G.P.A., drawing national praise from the NJCAA as its ‘Academic Team of The Year.’

His coaching experience also includes working with the nationally recognized Florida Collegiate Summer League (FCSL) in 2004 and 2005, serving as an assistant coach with the Daytona Beach Barracudas in 2004 and the team’s pitching coach in 2005.

Frick earned his Bachelors degree in Physical Education and Recreation from Bethune-Cookman in December of 2006. He is nearing completion of a Masters Degree from BCU in Transformative Leadership.