By David Knox
Sports Editor
Clay-Chalkville graduate Cory Barton was named the pitching coach at Louisiana Tech recently.
Barton, who was a standout catcher for the Cougars under Jeff Mauldin, earning Honorable Mention All-State honors in 2002, had been the associate head coach and pitching coach at McNeese.
Bulldogs head coach Lane Burroughs said in a media release, “This was a very important search and hire and we did our due diligence,” Burroughs noted. “We essentially had a short list and Cory was at the very top. He checked all the boxes that we were looking for. We needed an outstanding man that has integrity and character. We want to surround ourselves with men above reproach. This is important when you are building a program and establishing a culture.”
During his three years at McNeese, Barton served as the program’s recruiting coordinator while also working with the Cowboy pitching staff. Barton earned a reputation as one of the top recruiters in all of college baseball as his 2015-16 recruiting class was recognized among the best in the nation according to College Baseball Magazine. Baseball America tabbed his 2011 recruiting class as one of country’s best alongside LSU, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Baylor.
Barton was instrumental to the Cowboys’ success over the past three years, securing four consecutive 30-win seasons from 2014-17. He also made school history in 2015, as the team posted a sub-4.00 ERA for the first time since the 1993 season, marking just the fifth time since 1990 that a McNeese baseball squad registered an ERA lower than 4.00.
“I would like to thank Coach Burroughs for giving me this opportunity,” Barton said. “I have known him since I was a player at the University of Memphis and have always admired not only the caliber of baseball coach that he is, but the type of man he is as well.”
This past season, Barton guided the McNeese pitching staff to the third-lowest ERA (4.19) and the second most wins (37) and saves (17) in the Southland.
Prior to his time at McNeese, Barton spent five seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Louisiana Monroe, helping lead the Warhawks to a Sun Belt Championship in 2012. Barton joined the ULM staff after two seasons as an assistant coach at Memphis and a two-year playing career with the Tigers. Before that, he played at Shelton State for Bobby Sprowl.
At Memphis, Barton played in 94 games, making 86 starts. The 2006 Tiger co-captain hit six home runs and drove in 49 runs. He graduated from Memphis with a sport management degree in May 2007. He and his wife, Robin, have a 1-year-old son, Cooper.