SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—Paul Evans, the long-tenured and Hall of Fame pitching coach for Missouri State, will shift his career to the Drury University baseball program starting in 2023 following his retirement from MSU.
Evans spent 34 years as the pitching coach for Missouri State under head coach Keith Guttin and produced 67 professional baseball pitchers, including 14 that advanced to the Major Leagues. Three pitchers under Evans served on the Team USA baseball roster, 15 were named All-Americans, and 26 were named First Team all-conference performers.
Three of the four lowest team earned run averages in Missouri State history happened while Evans was the pitching coach as well as the top three single-season strikeout totals in program history.
During his time as Bears assistant, Missouri State captured six conference championships, reached the NCAA Tournament 13 times, and advanced to the College World Series in 2003.
“Coach Evans was instrumental in me becoming a coach after my playing time (at Missouri State),” said Drury head coach Scott Nasby, who was on the Bears College World Series team in ‘03. “While at MSU, he has pushed me and hundreds of Missouri State alums on and off the field to thrive while building relationships with them that last a lifetime. He is someone I have gone to often for advice over the last 16 years and now it will be nice to just turn to him in the dugout.
“I am thrilled for our players and staff to be surrounded by coach Evans on a daily basis as his knowledge and love of the game and his players is unmatched.”
Evans has helped develop four of the highest MLB Draft picks in Missouri State history, with Brett Sinkbeil going 19th overall in 2006, Ross Detwiler as the sixth overall pick in 2007 and Pierce Johnson selected 43rd overall in 2012. The Bears featured a total of five first-round draft picks during his tenure.
In 2015, Evans guided a Bears staff that featured three All-Americans as the Bears won a school-record 49 games and the program’s second NCAA Regional crown. He was named the National Assistant Coach of the Year that season as Missouri State ranked among the nation’s top teams in earned run average (2.91), strikeouts (553), WHIP (1.22), shutouts (nine), and they held their opponents to three runs or less in 37 of their 61 games.
In 2012, Evans guided the Bears to the best team ERA (2.57) in the country while ranking fifth in the NCAA with 537 strikeouts. Both marks broke team records, as did the Bears’ 11 shutouts, which led the nation.
Prior to coming to Missouri State, Evans guided Rend Lake Community College to a 201-95 mark in three years, which included two Illinois junior college sectional titles.
He attended Southern Illinois University, went 18-7 in his career and his 0.84 ERA as a sophomore was third in the NCAA. Evans tossed a no-hitter against SIU-Edwardsville. Additionally, his nine career saves still rank ninth all-time at SIU.
Evans joins a coaching staff that includes head coach Scott Nasby, who will enter his 11th year leading the program, and assistants Eric Briggs, Gage Jacobs and Michael Hammerstrand.
The Panthers open the 2023 season Feb. 11-12 in Memphis, Tennessee with a three-game series at Christian Brothers.
