Upstate Mavericks
Staff
Chris Nall - Owner / Director / Coach
- A native of Asheboro NC, Coach Nall was a four year conference starting pitcher for Coach Chris Pollard (now the Head Coach at App State) at Pfeiffer University. Nall helped lead the Falcons to the NCAA tournament in 2004 and was named All Conference and All Region by Rawlings. After graduation, Nall started his coaching career where he had played the previous three summers, the Coastal Plains League. He served as the Pitching Coach for the Fayetteville Swampdogs, which had 8 players drafted the following season. In the fall of 2004, Coach Nall was named Pitching Coach, Head JV Coach, and Recruiting Coordinator at Anderson University under Coach Joe Miller. After a year and a half there, Nall left to become General Manager of Potential Sports Academy in Greenville SC. While at Potential, Nall began working with Greg Cassidy, founder of the Upstate Mavericks. In the fall of 2006, Coach Nall took over the Upstate Mavericks and turned it into an organization with teams in several age groups. Nall is currently the Head Baseball Coach at Christ Church Episcopal School and an Associate Scout for the NY Mets. Nall and his wife Karen, currently reside in Lyman.
Jeff Whitfield - Coach
- Coach Whitfield grew up in Anderson SC and graduated from TL Hanna High School. He attended Lander University in Greenwood, where he started in 190 games for the Senators over four seasons and served as team captain in 2004. A four-time Peach Belt Conference Academic Team selection, he was hit by pitch an NCAA Division II record 45 times during his career. After Lander, Coach Whitfield played one season of professional baseball in Yuma Arizona. Returning to SC in 2006, Whitfield served as a hitting and catching instructor at the Ball Park of Anderson. Later that fall, he was hired by Coach Miller at Anderson College. After serving as an Assistant at Anderson for a year, he turned to high school coaching under Coach Ben Waddle at Dorman. In 2006, Whitfield teamed up with Nall to run the Mavericks Organization. After a year at Dorman and with the Mavericks, Whitfield was hired by Coach Ron Smith at Furman as an Assistant Coach. NCAA rules allow Coach Whitfield to continue with the Mavericks provided all players are within a 50 mile radius of Furman University. Coach Whitfield is in his second year as an Assistant at Furman and lives with his wife, Kristen, in Lyman SC.
Bradley Miller - Coach
- Coach Miller is a native of Spartanburg SC and graduate of Dorman High School. During his four years playing for Coach Waddle at Dorman, Miller was named to the IP Classic All Tourament Team in 2002, HSSR All State Team in 2003, and Region II 4A All Region in 2003. After leading Dorman to a Region II-4A Championship in 2003, Coach Miller played for SMC Head Coach Tim Wallace on the 2003 American Legion Post 28 State Championship team. Miller received a baseball scholarship to play at Anderson University. At Anderson, he played for both Coach Nall and Coach Whitfield. Since graduating college, Miller has become an Internationally Certified baseball instructor and worked at an indoor training facility for a year. Coach Miller is entering his third year coaching with the Mavericks and is currently an Assistant Coach at Christ Church.
Zach Brown - Coach
- Coach Brown is a graduate of Berea High School, where he was a four time All-State selection. In 2003, he was named Conference and State Player of the Year. Before heading to The Citadel, Brown was a member of the 2003 Big League World Series Champions. While at The Citadel, Coach Brown played in the Coastal Plains League, where he was a two time All Star and named to the Coastal Plains League All-Decade Team. In 2007, Brown was named 1st Team All Sothern Conference and named to the SoCon All Tournament team. That June he was drafted in the 27th round by the San Diego Padres. An injury cut his professional career short and we are lucky to have him with us. Coach Brown is currently an Assistant Coach at The Citadel.
David Smith - Coach
- David Smith, better know as Smitty, grew up playing high school ball against and travel ball with Coach Nall. A graduate of Asheboro High School, Coach Smith accepted a baseball scholarship to UNC-A. After playing there for two years, Smith transfered to Pfeiffer where he and Nall were reunited. In the summer of 2003, Coach Smith was drafted by the NY Mets in the 16th. He spent two years playing for the Mets in Kingsport and Brooklyn before a shoulder injury shorten his playing career. Smith, a year away from graduating college, moved to SC to attend Clemson University. While in school, he joined back up with Nall giving lessons for Potential and coaching the Mavericks. Since, Smitty has graduated Clemson with both a BA and Masters in Teaching. Coach Smith is currently an Assistant Coach at Christ Church Episcopal School and is entering his third year coaching with the Mavericks.
Matt Smith - Coach
- Coach Smith is a graduate of Easley High where he played three years of varsity ball as a LHP and OF. Smith continued his playing career at USC Upstate before starting his coaching career at Byrnes High School. He coached at Byrnes for 3 years before recently moving on to be the Head JV and Assistant Varsity Coach at TL Hanna. Coach Smith is now the Head Coach at Picken High School and is entering his third year coaching with the Mavericks.
John Magni - Coach
- Coach Magni is a graduate of Southern Wesleyan, where in 2007 they won the NCCAA National Championship. He was a three year letter winner and lead the SSAC in Saves in 2007. In the summer of 2007, Magni played for the Columbia Blowfish in the Coastal Plains League. Since graduating, he has worked several college camps including Clemson, USC, and Vanderbilt. Coach Magni currently works at Welcome to the Big Leagues Baseball Academy, giving lessons and running clinics.
Daniel Crenshaw - Coach
Matt Middleton - Coach
Corey Welch - Coach
Jeff Austin - Coach
Corey Watkins - Coach
JD Goodwin - Coach
Anthony Dillinger - Coach
