ANDERSON, S.C. – Former Erskine College assistant coach Tristan Toorie has joined the Anderson University baseball coaching staff, as announced by head coach PJ Zocchi on Wednesday.

"I am extremely excited to have Tristan join our baseball program," said Zocchi. "I can't wait for our alumni, campus family and players see him work. Toorie is a very experienced coach with a proven track record of success."

In Toorie's lone season in Due West, he served as the Flying Fleet's recruiting coordinator and third base coach, as well as the hitting and catching coach, while helping lead the Fleet to the finals of the NCCAA (National Cristian College Athletic Association) South Region Tournament and a 29-25 overall record last year.

Two seasons ago, Toorie served as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at NCAA Division I Alcorn State. During his year-long tenure at Alcorn State, the Braves improved in every offensive statistical category and made it to the third round of the 2018 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Baseball Championship Tournament. Toorie worked with hitters, infielders, and the defense. With Toorie on the coaching staff, the Braves had one All-Conference nod and a pair of Player of the Week recipients.

Prior to Alcorn State, Toorie served as the defensive coordinator and coached the outfielders and hitters at Eastern Kentucky University. He also assisted with the team's recruiting efforts.

Through his seven-year coaching career, Toorie has coached 34 student-athletes that have gone on to continue their career in professional baseball, including one major-leaguer.

Under his tutelage, a pair of players have earned national player of the week honors and Toorie has helped guide 11 players to all-conference honors. Two players have notched All-America accolades and off the field, 10 players have garnered academic all-conference and all-district recognition, including one academic All-America honoree.

In his first season at EKU, Toorie's efforts helped the program sweep a three-game series against non-conference opponents on back-to-back weekends for the first time in program history and the Colonels also won three non-conference, three-game weekend series for the first time in school history.

The Colonel defense helped the team allow the fewest stolen bases in the Ohio Valley Conference. His work with the outfielders was highlighted by then-freshman Nick Howie starting all 56 games, batting .290, hitting eight home runs, driving in 41 runs and scoring 46 times, while being named to the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) All-Freshman Team.

As a team, EKU ranked among the top-50 in the nation in 2017 in home runs per game (17th), home runs (23rd), slugging percentage (29th), scoring (32nd), batting average (38th), doubles per game (44th), runs (47th) and hits (48th), and recorded 82 home runs as a team.

As an assistant academic liaison and community service coordinator, EKU was one of just 36 Division I institutions to earn the 2016-2017 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Team Academic Excellence Award after posting a 3.17 team GPA. As strong members in the community, the Colonels were recipients of the national Presidential Community Service Award after amassing over 600 hours of community service.

Prior to EKU, Toorie worked at Presbyterian College where he coached the hitters and catchers, oversaw the Blue Hose base-running efforts and coached first base. During his time at PC, Toorie helped turn a team that batted .246 with 11 home runs in 2014 into a team that hit .290 with 25 home runs the next season. He also helped the team set a new program record with 27 wins. Toorie tutored PC's first First-Team All-Big South Conference catcher in school history.

Under Toorie's guidance, Weston Jackson earned All-America honors and finished second in the nation in doubles, while becoming one of three All-Americans that Toorie has developed in his career. He's also coached a Dick Howser Trophy Award semifinalist, one USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List candidate and National Academic Player of the Year, Ben Fisher while at Eastern Kentucky.

Before PC, Toorie worked two seasons with the Augusta Green Jackets, the Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants organization. He assisted with pre-game activities, including batting practice, and also worked daily with the athletic training staff in addition to the strength and conditioning staff.

Toorie is a graduate of Augusta State where he played first base. His coaching career began with the St. Cloud Rox in the Northwoods League. With the Rox he worked as a first base coach, strength and conditioning coach, third base coach and hitting instructor.