Former Pirate baseball standout Ben Sanderson enters his second season as a volunteer assistant coach for East Carolina. Sanderson will work primarily with the outfielders as well as coaching first base. The Seven Springs, N.C. native was instrumental in helping the 2007 Pirates lead Conference USA with 85 stolen bases and ranked among the league leaders in outfield assists. Sanderson had a pair of Pirates rank among the league leaders in stolen bases with center fielder Harrison Eldridge (first-team All C-USA) ranking seventh and Ryan Wood finishing eighth. Sanderson's primary role off the diamond is heading up the Pirates summer and winter baseball camps. The camps have continually grown under Sanderson's supervision and are known for their high level of structure and organization. A four-year letter winner, Sanderson helped the Pirates to four NCAA Regional appearances (2000-03), one Super Regional (2001) and a combined 170-78-2 record. As a senior he earned his second of two NCAA Regional all-tournament team selections in the Atlanta Regional and became the first recipient of the honorary No. 23 jersey which was the number worn by ECU head coach Keith LeClair throughout his coaching and playing career. The number is awarded annually to a deserving player who best displays the hustle, determination and desire that made LeClair a great coach and player. Jamie Paige wore No. 23 in 2004, Brian Cavanaugh in 2005, Adam Witter in 2006 and Chris Powell in 2007. During his junior campaign he was a member of the 2002 Conference USA Tournament Championship team that posted a 4-0 record and earned a NCAA Regional bid to the Clemson Regional. For his outstanding play, he was named to the regional all-tournament team. Sanderson closed out the season with a .405 batting average, which ranked second on the team and is tied for ninth on the single-season charts. In 2001 the Pirates earned their first-ever NCAA National Seed, a top-10 national ranking, and NCAA Regional (Wilson) title while winning a school record-tying 47 games. As a freshman he helped ECU to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament title and a NCAA Regional (Lafayette) appearance. Before coming back to ECU, Sanderson spent two years as the operations manager/ strength and conditioning coordinator at the Triple Crown Baseball Center in Greenville, N.C., where he organized and coordinated strength and conditioning programs for youth members ages 7-19. He also managed daily facility activities including one-on-one and group instruction, camps and special events, as well as general facility maintenance. From December of 2005 until August of 2006, he worked with the Durham Bulls Baseball Club as a group sales assistant, creating and implementing admissions marketing campaigns for season ticket holders, mini plans, group tickets and picnic and suite areas. Sanderson earned his undergraduate degree in exercise and sports science from ECU in 2003 and in May of 2006 completed his master's degree in exercise and sports science (sport management). |
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