SHERMAN, Texas - After serving as the head coach of the Austin College baseball team in an interim capacity during the 2022 season, Shawn Counts has been tabbed to continue leading the program into the future as the full-time head coach, Director of Athletics David Norman has announced.

"We are excited to have Shawn continue directing the program," said Norman. "He's been a part of the Austin College family as an assistant coach, and we're thrilled to have him joining the staff full-time as our new head baseball coach. His passion for and knowledge of the game, as well as his strong ties to the area and his student-athletes make him an ideal fit to continue to lead the team."

Counts, a native of Tom Bean, has been working as an assistant with the 'Roos since the 2019 season and previously served as an assistant coach at Grayson College from 2008-2018. During his time at Grayson, he helped develop 25 players who have gone on to play within Major League Baseball organizations and assisted in guiding the Vikings to the Junior College World Series in 2011. Grayson won four conference titles while Counts worked as assistant, and made nine consecutive NJCAA Region V tournament appearances.

"I'd like to thanks President Steven O'Day and David Norman for this opportunity," said Counts. "I appreciate their trust in me to lead this program and the young men who make it special. I'm excited to see what we can build together moving forward."

Counts helped lead Austin College to upticks in both overall wins and Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference victories this season, as well as coaching three players to All-SCAC accolades. Along with his experience at both Grayson and Austin College, Counts also previously coached the Melville Millionaires of the Western Canadian Baseball League to the WCBL championship in 2013, a year in which he was also named the WCBL Coach of the Year.