Clint McAuley is entering his fifth season as the Head Coach of the Bryan College Baseball program, since being promoted from Associate Head Coach in August 2018. He holds a record of 87-41 overall and 39-22 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC). McAuley has totaled 10 seasons as a member of the Bryan baseball coaching staff, with five of them spent as the associate head coach.
Since joining the staff in 2011-12, McAuley has been a part of one AAC regular-season title and one AAC tournament title. McAuley has helped the Lions to eight 35-win seasons, and the Lions have qualified for the NAIA Opening Round six times. While at Bryan, he has coached 10 NAIA All-Americans, 43 AAC All-Conference selections, 14 AAC Gold Glove winners, five AAC Freshman of the Year winners, as well as one AAC Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year.Â
Last season, the Lions ended the year with a 37-18 overall record with a 16-12 record in the AAC. The team battled through the AAC Tournament, defeating three teams in three days, before falling to the No. 1 ranked Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs in the championship game. They qualified for the NAIA National Championship Opening Round for the fourth consecutive time and advanced to the final three before falling to Middle Georgia St. Wade Weinburger was named to the AAC All-Conference First Team, Tyler Scott and Jacob Justice earned AAC All-Conference Second Team honors, and Parker Cosby received a spot on the AAC Golden Glove Team at catcher.
During the 2020 season, a multitude of sports sponsored by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, much like all other governing bodies of athletics in the country, were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning that many winter sports saw unfinished postseason play and spring sports witness an unexpected end to their year. The Lions were off to a great start, had battled for a 14-6 overall record and were ranked 16th in the NAIA Coaches Top 25 poll. Wade Weinburger was named the male Bryan College Lion of Valor recipient.
Coach McAuley led the Lions to a tremendous amount of success his first full season as head coach finishing with a 36-17 overall record, 19-8 conference record, and climbing as high as 14th in the NAIA Coaches Top-25 Poll. The Lions finished as the AAC Regular-Season Runner-Up in a highly competitive conference where the Regular-Season Champion went on to win the NAIA National Championship. Bryan concluded the season with a ranking of 23rd in the Coaches' Postseason Top-25 Poll. For the 5th time in the past 6 years, the program made an appearance at the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round. The team was explosive at the plate, ranking nationally in numerous offensive categories, which included 2nd in home runs per game, 7th in slugging percentage, and top-25 in RBIs per game, runs scored per game, total RBI, total runs scored, and doubles per game. Bryan College standout Lake Burris became the program's single-season and career home run record holder, hitting a conference-best 29 homers to rank 2nd in the country this year in total home runs while compiling 62 over the course of his four years at Bryan. He was also awarded with Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Week, All-Conference First Team, and NAIA All-American Honorable Mention. Among Coach McAuley’s athletes, this season six were named Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes, three finished All-Conference Second Team, eleven were All-Academic Team, one athlete was AAC Player of the Week, one athlete was AAC Pitcher of the Week twice, and one lion was honored with Champions of Character Team.
As associate head coach with the Lions, McAuley's primary responsibilities have included overseeing the pitching staff and coordinating recruitment. McAuley came to the Lions from Northeast Mississippi Community College where he was instrumental in coaching a program that won 74 games over three years, including 33 in his first year there. Prior to joining the Tigers in Mississippi, McAuley served as pitching coach and lead recruiter for NCAA Division I Siena College in Loudonville, NY. While with the Saints, McAuley helped the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference School to a 30-26 record, including a berth in the MAAC championship game. The Saints won their last 10 regular-season games and 17 of their last 19 prior to entering the MAAC tournament.
Before heading north to join the coaching staff at Siena, McAuley was the pitching coach at Louisiana State University at Eunice. During his time at Eunice, the pitching corps posted a school-record 2.07 ERA and 465 strikeouts on their way to the 2006 NJCAA Division II National Championship. McAuley coached four pitchers at Eunice who were selected in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.
McAuley began his career by coaching at East Texas Baptist University, where he also played and was a conference starter on the mound, giving way to recognition as an All-ASC East Division honoree and an honorable mention to the NCCAA All-America Team at first base. He has also been an assistant for the Bluff City Bombers in the Central Illinois Collegiate League and the Harrisonburg Turks of the Valley League. In McAuley's 15-year career, he has coached 30 Major League Draft picks.
"I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to lead the baseball program here at Bryan," said Coach McAuley. "I'd like to thank Mike Keen and the Bryan administration for giving me their confidence by appointing me the head baseball coach. This is a place that is close to my heart, and I am excited to continue the tremendous culture put in place by Coach Hasty. I look forward to further developing the quality reputation of the Bryan baseball program within the institution and throughout both the league and NAIA. I am also grateful to continue guiding our team to compete at a high level while walking alongside and shepherding these young men in their pursuit of Christ."
McAuley graduated from Texas Tech with a degree in history while also holding a Master's degree in sports management from the United States Sports Academy. He and his wife, Carly, currently reside in Dayton, Tenn., with their daughter Sarah and son Dean.
