Mingione to Speak at National Baseball Coaches Convention
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky baseball coach Nick Mingione will speak at the American Baseball Coaches Association’s national convention on Friday, Jan. 5 in Indianapolis. The 74th annual gathering of more than 6,000 coaches from all levels of baseball is considered one of the premier events in the sport.
Mingione will be part of the ABCA Clinic portion of the convention that also features more than 300 industry companies who will have exhibits at the trade show. The four-day event is a critical stop on the sport’s calendar and is viewed as the unofficial kick-off to the 2018 season, which the preseason No. 8 Wildcats open at Wofford on Feb. 16.
“It’s an absolute honor to be asked to speak at the American Baseball Coaches Association convention,” Mingione said. “This is our sport’s most prestigious event, so to be asked to share with colleagues about outfield play is something I’m looking forward to.
“This is an opportunity to not only speak about that topic but to also let the rest of the country know what a special place the University of Kentucky is.”
Mingione will speak on outfield defense and its importance to the recipe for championship teams. He joins the likes of World Series-winning manager A.J. Hinch of the Houston Astros, amongst others, who will present at this year’s convention. Former Kentucky head coach Keith Madison, a member of the ABCA Hall of Fame, also will speak this weekend.
The 2017 SEC Coach of the Year and Perfect Game/Rawlings National Coach of the Year, Mingione completed his first year as UK head coach in June, leading the Wildcats to their first-ever trip to Super Regionals. UK won 43 games overall in 2017 and 19 in SEC play – the second most in school history – and were a unanimous top 10 team in the final polls after being picked in the bottom half of the league in the preseason. Those 43 wins are also the most for a first-year UK head coach.
More information on the ABCA and its annual convention can be found here.
