Northwestern University Athletics
Josh Reynolds Named Associate Head Baseball Coach
7/2/2015 12:01:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern head baseball coach Spencer Allen announced Thursday, July 2 that Josh Reynolds will join the Wildcats as the program's associate head coach and pitching coach.
"The addition of Josh Reynolds to the Northwestern coaching staff is a major step for our baseball program," said Allen. Throughout his career, Josh has proven to be a diligent recruiter, and someone who is outstanding at developing young pitching staffs. His background in professional baseball, mixed with a tireless work ethic, will allow our program to flourish.
"I am thrilled to have Josh, his wife Ashleigh, daughter Azlynn and son Jax as the newest members of our Northwestern baseball family," added Allen.
"When Coach Allen showed interest in me to join his staff, I began checking off all the boxes and it is an exciting opportunity," said Reynolds. "He sold me on his vision and plan and I believe we can carry that over to the student-athletes.
"So many exciting things are happening around the program with the continuation of the Rocky Miller Park project and so much more," said Reynolds. "Now it will be our responsibility to get the job done; Recruit the right young men for the program, have them enjoy their student-athlete experience and earn a degree from Northwestern University."
Reynolds comes to Northwestern after serving as an assistant coach at Kansas State since 2011. He helped those Wildcats reach the NCAA Tournament twice in that span, while also securing the 2013 Big XII championship.
The 2013 pitching staff netted the school's lowest earned-run average (3.92) since 1977. The Wildcats also broke program records for the fewest hits allowed per nine innings, the lowest batting average against, saves and innings pitched. Kansas State led the Big XII in both saves (19) and innings (569.0) two seasons ago.
Under Reynolds' tutelage in 2015, the Kansas State pitching staff continued to deliver some impressive numbers. The staff ERA (4.27) this spring was the program's fifth-best mark since 1977, while the group averaged only 3.1 walks per nine innings, the sixth-best total in program history. K-State tossed five shutouts in 2015, the eighth-most in one season for the program.
"I am thankful for the opportunity and trust that Brad Hill and Kansas State put in me for the last five years," said Reynolds. "I had the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of great people and that athletic department is first class. But sometimes change is good."
Prior to joining the coaching staff in Manhattan, Reynolds worked as an assistant coach at Evansville for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. He has also had successful stints as a graduate manager and a volunteer at KSU, and as an assistant at Northeast Texas Community College.
Reynolds pitched for a Division II power, Central Missouri, from 1998-2000. He set the UCM record for career wins with 34 in three seasons, while helping Mules to Division II College World Series appearances in 1998 and 2000. Reynolds was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) freshman of the year in 1998, and in 2000 he was the conference's most valuable player and an All-America first-team honoree. In 2007, he was inducted into the UCM Athletic Hall of Fame.
In 2000, following his junior season at UCM, Reynolds was selected in the third round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Mets. He also spent time in the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres organizations before transitioning to become a coach in 2004.
Reynolds earned a bachelor's degree in social sciences from Kansas State in 2006 while serving as a volunteer baseball coach. Along with his wife, Ashleigh, he has one daughter, Azlynn, and a son, Jax.
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"The addition of Josh Reynolds to the Northwestern coaching staff is a major step for our baseball program," said Allen. Throughout his career, Josh has proven to be a diligent recruiter, and someone who is outstanding at developing young pitching staffs. His background in professional baseball, mixed with a tireless work ethic, will allow our program to flourish.
"I am thrilled to have Josh, his wife Ashleigh, daughter Azlynn and son Jax as the newest members of our Northwestern baseball family," added Allen.
"When Coach Allen showed interest in me to join his staff, I began checking off all the boxes and it is an exciting opportunity," said Reynolds. "He sold me on his vision and plan and I believe we can carry that over to the student-athletes.
"So many exciting things are happening around the program with the continuation of the Rocky Miller Park project and so much more," said Reynolds. "Now it will be our responsibility to get the job done; Recruit the right young men for the program, have them enjoy their student-athlete experience and earn a degree from Northwestern University."
Reynolds comes to Northwestern after serving as an assistant coach at Kansas State since 2011. He helped those Wildcats reach the NCAA Tournament twice in that span, while also securing the 2013 Big XII championship.
The 2013 pitching staff netted the school's lowest earned-run average (3.92) since 1977. The Wildcats also broke program records for the fewest hits allowed per nine innings, the lowest batting average against, saves and innings pitched. Kansas State led the Big XII in both saves (19) and innings (569.0) two seasons ago.
Under Reynolds' tutelage in 2015, the Kansas State pitching staff continued to deliver some impressive numbers. The staff ERA (4.27) this spring was the program's fifth-best mark since 1977, while the group averaged only 3.1 walks per nine innings, the sixth-best total in program history. K-State tossed five shutouts in 2015, the eighth-most in one season for the program.
"I am thankful for the opportunity and trust that Brad Hill and Kansas State put in me for the last five years," said Reynolds. "I had the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of great people and that athletic department is first class. But sometimes change is good."
Prior to joining the coaching staff in Manhattan, Reynolds worked as an assistant coach at Evansville for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. He has also had successful stints as a graduate manager and a volunteer at KSU, and as an assistant at Northeast Texas Community College.
Reynolds pitched for a Division II power, Central Missouri, from 1998-2000. He set the UCM record for career wins with 34 in three seasons, while helping Mules to Division II College World Series appearances in 1998 and 2000. Reynolds was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) freshman of the year in 1998, and in 2000 he was the conference's most valuable player and an All-America first-team honoree. In 2007, he was inducted into the UCM Athletic Hall of Fame.
In 2000, following his junior season at UCM, Reynolds was selected in the third round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Mets. He also spent time in the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres organizations before transitioning to become a coach in 2004.
Reynolds earned a bachelor's degree in social sciences from Kansas State in 2006 while serving as a volunteer baseball coach. Along with his wife, Ashleigh, he has one daughter, Azlynn, and a son, Jax.
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