Longtime UNF Baseball Coach To Retire

Dusty Rhodes Was School's Only Coach Since Inaugural Season In 1988

POSTED: Friday, August 21, 2009

UPDATED: 10:41 pm EDT August 21, 2009

Dusty Rhodes will retire after the 2010 season.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- University of North Florida baseball has only had one guy at the helm since its inaugural season in 1988. That won't be the case for much longer.

UNF announced Friday night that head coach Dusty Rhodes will be retiring at the end of the 2010 season.

Rhodes will discuss his decision to step down Monday afternoon in a press conference. At the same time, athletic director Lee Moon will announce his successor.

In 22 seasons, Rhodes brought a small UNF program into prominence, from NAIA to Division II to Division I.

There's no doubt Rhodes is leaving some massive shoes to fill when he steps down at the conclusion of this season.

Rhodes is Mr. College Baseball in Jacksonville. The skipper has compiled a record of 879 wins and 420 losses.

He led the Ospreys to 16 postseasons, including five World Series'.

Last season, Rhodes led the Ospreys to wins over Florida, Florida State, Miami and South Florida all in the same year for the first time, a testament to how far he's brought the program along.

Sixty-one of his players have been drafted. Rhodes has also been named Coach of the Year too many times to count.

UNF assistant athletic director Jeff Wuerth said Rhodes just thought it was the right time to hang up his cleats.

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