Assistant Coach
Patrick.Sherald@mail.wvu.edu
(304) 293-9881

Pat Sherald enters his sixth season with the Mountaineer baseball program and serves as the hitting coach, while also working with the catchers and assisting with recruiting for WVU. Sherald also serves as the bench coach on game days.

Sherald has had great success at West Virginia where his hitters have dominated BIG EAST statistics and have been among the best in Division I.

Over the last four seasons, the Mountaineer offense has gained national recognition for finishing among the country’s best in team batting average. WVU finished with a .339 mark in 2006, good enough for second place. In 2007, the Mountaineers continued their offensive prowess with a .317 average, and finished the 2008 season with the nation’s fifth-best mark of .341. The 2009 squad was arguably the greatest offensive unit in school history, compiling a school-record .360 average to finish third nationally.

Sherald and his knowledgeable hitting tactics left an indelible mark on the 2009 team. Since the inception of Mountaineer baseball 117 years ago, never have three hitters garnered a .400 batting average (minimum of 100 at-bats) or better in the same season. Under the guidance of Sherald, WVU shattered several lofty offensive records while gaining notoriety as not just the best hitting team in the BIG EAST, but one of the most powerful units across the country. WVU’s .564 team slugging percentage ranked eighth in the nation last season, indicative of the team’s ability to hit for both average and power under the sixth-year assistant.

Sherald was also largely responsible for the development of former catcher Tobias Streich, who became WVU’s highest draft pick in 12 seasons when he was selected in the fifth round of the 2009 Major League Baseball first year draft by the Minnesota Twins.

In 2008, Sherald helped pave the way for WVU to become one of the top offenses in the country. With six hitters batting .300 or above, Sherald guided the Mountaineers to one of its best offensive seasons ever.

The 2008 season saw two players bat over .400, as Tyler Kuhn (.424) and Jedd Gyorko (.409) powered their way to nationally-acclaimed seasons while leading one of the greatest batting lineups in school history.

The Mountaineers were 24th nationally in hitting during their 2007 campaign. WVU finished with a 29-22 mark while Sherald played a key role in paving the way for power-hitter Justin Jenkins to become a Collegiate Baseball Third Team All-American as well as an all-BIG EAST second team performer.

Sherald worked with former volunteer assistant Casey Bowling in 2006 as he became the seventh WVU hitter since 1990 to finish a season batting over .400 and oversaw Jenkins, who had a then-school record for single season hits with 94. He also worked daily with catcher David Carpenter, who was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 12th round following the ’06 season.

Sherald came from Lamar University where he served as an assistant coach for three seasons. At Lamar, Sherald worked primarily with the catchers and pitchers. He guided the Lamar pitching staff to three consecutive Top 25 rankings in ERA, including sixth-best in the nation in 2004.

He also coordinated the in-season and off-season strength and conditioning programs for Lamar baseball. The Cardinals made three consecutive trips to the NCAA Regionals under Sherald’s watch. During that time, 14 Cardinals signed professional baseball contracts, 18 players earned all-conference recognition, and Sherald coached one major leaguer.

During his three-year tenure, Lamar won two Southland Conference championships and two tournament titles. The Cardinals posted 36, 40 and 41 win seasons while being nationally ranked in each of Sherald’s three seasons. The 2003 Lamar team finished the season ranked No. 22 in the nation.

Sherald began his playing career at Frederick Community College (Md.), where he lettered from 1998-99. As a catcher he earned all-Conference and all-Tournament honors, helped FCC advance to the Division II World Series and finish the season ranked fourth nationally.

A two-year letterman for Lamar from 2000-01, Sherald earned academic all-Southland Conference honors at catcher while earning two degrees, a bachelor's and master’s degree in kinesiology. He completed his thesis and was named graduate student of the year.

The Emmitsburg, Md., native received his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification in 2002. He was a USA Today honorable mention All-American and MVP of the Crown All-Star game coming out of Catoctin High. Sherald is also a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Besides excelling as a player and coach, Sherald has also published various articles concerning sport and exercise. In 2006, he helped authorize a scholarly article entitled Anaerobic Overtraining: Physiological and Psychological Symptoms and Training Considerations. The Applied Research in Coaching and Athletics Annual.

Carrying a baseball pedigree that stems throughout his family, Sherald’s father, Tom, was also a Division I coach and eventually was enshrined into the Maryland Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2000. He enjoyed a successful coaching career at Mount Saint Mary’s University, and also coached at Catoctin/Thomas Johnson High Schools.

Sherald resides in Morgantown.

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