Hogs raid rival’s staff for new hire

FAYETTEVILLE — Nate Thompson, who as Missouri State’s hitting coach helped the Bears beat the Arkansas Razorbacks to win the Fayetteville NCAA Regional this season, has joined the team’s staff.

Thompson has been hired as the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville’s hitting coach and recruiting coordinator, Razorbacks Coach Dave Van Horn announced Friday night.

Thompson is replacing Tony Vitello, who left Arkansas after four seasons to become Tennessee’s head coach.

Thompson was a Missouri State assistant the previous three seasons starting

in 2015, when the Razorbacks beat the Bears in a super regional in Fayetteville.

“Arkansas is a premier place,” Thompson said in a news release. “Coach Van Horn is a legend and a proven winner everywhere he has gone.

“To get the opportunity to coach at a place like Arkansas, to recruit with the resources and have the fan support that is here is tremendous.”

Thompson’s players at Missouri State included All-American junior third baseman Jake Burger, who was the 11th overall pick in this week’s Major League Baseball

amateur draft by the Chicago White Sox. Burger (22) and Missouri State All-American sophomore shortstop Jeremy Eierman (23) combined to hit 45 of the Bears’ 80 home runs this season.

Thompson was an assistant coach at Hutchison (Kan.) Community College for three seasons before going to Missouri State.

“I am very excited to add Nate Thompson to our coaching

staff,” Van Horn said in a news release. “He brings a lot of energy and experience in recruiting for this region, as well as Texas.”

Thompson, from Goodland, Kan., was an outfielder at Garden City (Kan.) Community College and Dallas Baptist and began his coaching career in 2006 as a student assistant at Dallas Baptist. He was a graduate assistant at Fort Hayes (Kan.) State in 2007 and a volunteer assistant at Nebraska from 2008-2010.

“I’ve been watching Nate for the last few years and he’s worked extremely hard to get where he is,” Van Horn said. “I’m looking forward to him leading our recruiting efforts and working with our offense.”