EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics on Monday the promotion of Russell Raley, who was an assistant coach for the baseball team during the 2018 season, to associate head coach.
 
"Coach Raley did an outstanding job of working with the position players this past year, particularly when I was working with the pitchers," UTRGV head coach Derek Matlock said. "He was in charge of recruiting and running the defense, which is a lot of responsibility. It's great for our program to have such an organized and hard-working individual. I'm fired up to be able to promote him to associate head coach. He deserves it."
 
In 2018, Raley coached one of the best defensive infields in the nation, as UTRGV posted a .980 infield fielding percentage and turned 56 double plays, the 14^th-highest total in the NCAA, for an average of 1.04 per game, the sixth-highest total.
 
Overall, UTRGV posted a .972 fielding percentage, the second-best mark in program history.
 
Raley, who also serves as the recruiting coordinator and the third base coach, is set to take over hitting coach responsibilities during the upcoming season as well.
 
"I want to thank Coach Matlock, Chris King, Vince Volpe and everyone in the administration for believing in me and helping me to elevate to the point of earning such an incredible opportunity," Raley said. "I also want to thank our student-athletes for their time and effort. They have bought into our coaching philosophy and played hard every day. Without them, this wouldn't be possible."
 
Prior to coming to UTRGV, Raley helped Little Rock to the best Sun Belt Conference (SBC) performance in program history as the team finished third after notching a program record 17 conference wins in 2016. Raley coached the team's hitters to an SBC-best .302 average, including .315 in SBC play, an SBC-best .386 on-base percentage, and an SBC-best .428 slugging percentage. Raley developed Ryan Scott into the nation's leading hitter with a .435 batting average.
 
Raley also ran the defense, which posted a program record .975 fielding percentage in 2016 as well as .973 marks in 2017 and 2015.
 
Prior to joining Little Rock, Raley was an assistant coach at Incarnate Word, working primarily with infielders while assisting with outfielders and hitters. Incarnate Word set a new program record for fielding percentage (.974) in 2014.
 
Raley spent the 2013 season at Texas Tech, where he was the hitting and first base coach while also working with the team's infielders and outfielders. That season, Texas Tech turned a program record 68 double plays, the sixth best mark in the NCAA, while posting a program record .974 fielding percentage. Raley worked with two Freshmen All-Americans, including Sharyland alum Eric Gutierrez.
 
A standout second baseman at Oklahoma from 2003-06, Raley spent four years on Oklahoma's baseball staff from 2008-11, a time that included a College World Series berth in 2010 as part of four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Raley assisted with all of the team's hitting instruction.
 
Raley helped guide Oklahoma to 170 wins (an average of 42.5 per season), ranking in the top three in the Big 12 three times. Oklahoma batted at least .307 in all four seasons and led the Big 12 in 14 offensive statistical categories, including batting average (2011), doubles (2008-09) and both hits and home runs in back-to-back years (2009-10). Oklahoma led the Big 12 in runs scored during Raley's final three seasons.
 
Raley also had a successful coaching stint in the Alaska Baseball League, spending 2009 and 2010 as the head coach of the Mat-Su Miners. He led the Miners to back-to-back league titles while earning Coach of the Year honors each season.
 
Raley had a two-year professional playing career in the New York Yankees farm system, playing second base, shortstop and third base. After being selected in the 21^stround of the 2006 MLB Draft, Raley played 43 games in Single-A and Double-A, hitting .264 with nine doubles and 17 RBI.
 
Raley was one of the top players in the Big 12 during his collegiate playing career. He was a three-time All-Big 12 selection, earning first team accolades in 2004 and second team honors in 2005 and 2006. In 208 games (191 starts), Raley hit .314 with 27 doubles, 103 RBI and 143 runs scored. Raley ranks seventh in Oklahoma history in at-bats (754), eighth in games played (208), and 10^th in hits (237).
 
Raley graduated from Oklahoma in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations.

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