Gaston College First Pitch Dinner
January 13, 2024 • 6:00pm
Low Meadows Estate

Highlights of the evening include:

Meet & greet cocktail hour (cash bar)

Dinner and silent auction

Guest speaker – Justin Haire, Campbell University Head Baseball Coach

Presentation of the 2023 World Series Rings

Preview of the 2024 Rhino seasons!

Proceeds from this event will support the Gaston College Athletic Fund
Attire: Business Casual

MEET OUR GUEST SPEAKER
Justin Haire, Campbell University Head Baseball Coach

Justin Haire is in his 10th season as head coach of the Campbell University Fighting Camels and in his 17th as a member of the Campbell baseball coaching staff.

After spending seven seasons as recruiting coordinator, assistant coach, and eventually associate head coach under former skipper Greg Goff, Haire was named the 10th head coach of Campbell baseball (senior college era) on June 6, 2014.

In the 2023 season, Haire led the Camels to their fifth-consecutive Big South regular season title and the conference championship for the second year in a row. The team boasted a 46-15 record, advancing to their second regional final. On April 18th, the Camels defeated UNCW to give Haire his 268th career win and the all-time wins record at Campbell. He was also named Big South Coach of the Year for the third straight season.

Campbell ranked in the top-10 nationally in 13 different categories, including No. 1 in hit-by-pitches and on base percentage. They ranked No. 2 in scoring and slugging percentage, third in runs, ninth in batting average and 10th in walks earned. A program record 14 Camels were named all-Big South, including Player of the Year Lawson Harrill and Freshman of the Year Jackson Roberts.

The team eliminated both Central Connecticut State and NC State in the Columbia Regional before falling to host South Carolina in the regional final. Four Camels were named all-region, and three received all-America nods. The Camels tied the program record with four players being drafted in the 2023 MLB Draft: Cade Kuehler (round 2, Atlanta Braves), Ty Cummings (round 7, Seattle Mariners), Ernie Day (round 14, Seattle Mariners), and Daniel Brown (round 16, Chicago Cubs). Three other Camels signed as free agents: Hunter Loyd (Philadelphia Phillies), Jarrod Belbin (Seattle Mariners), and Bryce Arnold (Toronto Blue Jays).

The 2022 campaign was one of Campbell’s most decorated seasons in program history, and was the first 40-win season of the Haire era. The Camels claimed their fourth-consecutive Big South regular season title with a 41-19 record, while going 20-3 in conference play, the best conference mark in program history.  Campbell went on to win the Big South Tournament title for the first time since 2019, dropping the first game before reeling off four straight wins to punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season.

Campbell was the only team in the nation to tally 100+ HR, 100+ SB, 100+ doubles and 100+ HBP, showcasing the best qualities of Coach Haire’s “hard to kill” mantra at the plate. Campbell set a record for HR in a season with 118, topping the program’s previous best mark of 106 that had stood since 1985.

While earning his third Big South Coach of the Year award, he guided the team to the most all-conference players ever, with 11 being tabbed all-Big South. Eight Camels landed on the first team with three more on second team. The selections were led by Player of the Year Zach Neto, and Pitcher of the Year Thomas Harrington.

Since Justin Haire took over in 2015:
·       Campbell has won 286 games and averages over 30 wins per year.
·       Haire has four times been named Big South Coach of the Year (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023).
·       Three Camels have been named Big South Player of the Year (Cole Hallum, Zach Neto, Lawson Harrill).
·       Three Camels have been named Big South Pitcher of the Year (Allan Winnans, Michael Horrell, Thomas Harrington).
·       Four Camels have been named Big South Rookie of the Year (Logan Bender, Ryan Chasse, Thomas Harrington, Jackson Roberts).
·       Campbell has received 56 all-conference selections, including 31 first-team selections.
·       Nine different Camels have been named All-Americans.
·       Campbell has reached five NCAA Regionals and won seven NCAA tournament games.
·       Has won the Big South regular season five times (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023) and the Big South Tournament four times (2018,
2019, 2022, 2023).
·       13 Camels have been selected in the MLB Draft, and 18 have signed professional contracts with MLB organizations.

Questions?

Contact Holly Steuerwald
Development Director – Athletics
704-922-2372
[email protected]

Interested in sponsoring this event?

Contact Jerome Connor
Coordinator – Sponsorships and Special Projects
704-922-6513
[email protected]