Dubose becomes UWA head coach

LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Announced on Tuesday by Director of Athletics Kent Partridge, the University of West Alabama has announced the hiring of Eric Dubose as the program's next head baseball coach.

"We are excited to have Eric on board as our head baseball coach. He brings experience from many levels of baseball that will be beneficial for our players to draw from. I can't wait to see the staff he assembles and how our players will learn from a former Major Leaguer about the game," said Partridge.

"We are also excited about the Dubose family returning to be a big part of the UWA and Livingston communities," said Partridge.

Playing 12 years in professional baseball, including five with the Baltimore Orioles, Dubose was drafted straight out of Patrician Academy in Butler, Ala. In the sixth round of the 1994 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, he decided to play collegiately at Mississippi State.

During his time in Starkville, he was an All-american in each season in the center of the diamond, including being chosen a Freshman All-america by Baseball America and Mizuno in 1995.

A two-time All-southeastern Conference selection, he led the pitching staff in strikeouts in each of his three seasons. With 428 strikeouts, he still holds the most strikeouts in Starkville. Additionally, he hurled 364.2 innings for second-most in Bulldog history.

During his sophomore year in 1996, he fanned 174 men in 133.1 innings for the second-most in a season.

In 2020, Dubose was inducted into Mississippi State's Ron Polk Ring of Honor.

Participating in the USA Collegiate National Team in 1995, he was on the USA National Team in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

From a 160th selection out of high school in the 1994 MLB Draft to 21st in 1997, Dubose was the seventh firstround selection to come out of Mississippi State as the Oakland Athletics drafted him.

After a four-year stint with the A's in their minor league system, he signed with the Baltimore Orioles in 2002. Starting the season in AA Bowie, he worked his way up to "The Show" at the end of the season. He made his MLB Debut on Sept. 19, 2002 versus the Toronto Blue Jays.

Playing five seasons with the O's, he played in 52 games with 27 starts, posting a 9-15 overall record in 188.1 innings pitched.

Since 2012, he has been the president and co-owner of East Coast Baseball, working as the Director of Pitching and Player Placement Coordinator.

He also served as head coach at American Christian Academy in Tuscaloosa and an assistant at UWA.

"It feels like Home! The game of baseball has blessed me in so many ways and given me many great memories and opportunities through the years. I am so thankful that God has now opened the door for me to be a part of the rich tradition of the University of West Alabama baseball program," said Dubose.

Dubose earned a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Mississippi State University.