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Rick Hitt is entering his tenth year as the athletics director and his 13th year as head baseball coach at South Florida Community College. Hitt was hired in August 1998 as the head baseball coach of the brand new South Florida baseball program. His first year consisted of re-building a facility, solidifying budgets/schedules and recruiting a team. In the fall of 1999, South Florida resumed play. Since then, he has overseen the re-birth of the program along with facilities improvements that include expanding the stadium seating, adding professional lighting and scoreboard installation. In the spring of 2001, Hitt assumed the role of athletics director along with his duties as head baseball coach. He has overseen the addition of Lady Panther softball and the addition of the Panther Softball Field, which features professional lighting and scoreboard, new concession and restroom facilities and dual-usage four-cage professional hitting facility. Other facility improvements since his appointment include the building of the Panther Sand Volleyball Court, renovation of the Panther Gymnasium, remodeling of the current Panther Athletics Building, and renovation and upgrade of equipment in the Panther Fitness Center, which is now a 3,000-square-foot facility accessible to all students and staff on campus. Hitt currently serves on several committees, including the Suncoast Conference Baseball Chair, FCCAA State Baseball Committee, FCCAA Council for Athletics Affairs, NJCAA Coaches Association Vice President, NJCAA International Baseball Chair and as a NATYCAA Executive Committee Member. His prior college experience includes two years at Santé Fe CC from 1984-85 (including the 1984 JUCO World Series) and two years at St. Thomas University from 1986-87. He played for current LSU head coach Paul Maineri and NJCAA hall of famer Harry Tholen during his collegiate days. Hitt and his wife Jayma of 20 years are parents to two daughters, Sydney (15) and Cassady (13). |
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