ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – UCF head baseball coach Greg Lovelady announced the return of Ted Tom on Monday. Tom rejoins the Knights as an assistant coach after serving as the volunteer coach for the last two seasons.
“I’m not sure I can express in words how excited I am to have Ted, Lisa, Henry and Addie back in our program,” Lovelady said. “It was tough for all of us to see him leave but understood the opportunity was too good to pass up. When (Ryan Klosterman) got his opportunity, I knew I had to get him back. He has been such a big part of our program the last two years. The players love him and his work ethic and care is unmatched. Our program is better with him in it and I’m jacked to have him back!”
Tom’s first tenure with the Knights began in July 2017. His duties included working with the outfielders and running Greg Lovelady Camps.
In his first campaign with UCF, Tom had to work with a brand-new outfield. Regulars Tyler Osik and Ray Alejo flourished during their first year under Tom. Senior Max Wood stepped up over the final 19 games of the year, including a walk-off winner in the regular-season finale against Tulane.
Tom oversaw a pair of all-conference selections in 2018. Alejo finished the year ranked fifth in the nation with 34 stolen bases. Osik led the team with 56 RBI, good for third in The American. Both players were tabbed to the conference's second team.
Following the 2019 campaign, Osik was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 27th round of the MLB Draft. He has made an immediate impact thus far, batting .271 with 18 RBI through 31 games for Chicago in the Arizona Fall League.
Prior to arriving in Orlando, Tom spent three seasons at fellow American Athletic Conference member Cincinnati. He joined the Bearcats as the director of baseball operations in 2015, covering the day to day operations, video and scouting for one season.
In 2016, Tom was promoted to assistant coach and remained in that role for his final two years at Cincinnati. He played an integral part in raising the UC team batting average by 16 points and taking the team scoring average up to five runs per game.
Tom joined UC after seven seasons as the head coach at his alma mater Shawnee State University, where he compiled a record of 203-193.
Prior to Shawnee State, Tom spent 2007 as the outfield instructor at the IMG Baseball Academies in Bradenton, FL where he also was a head coach in Florida Collegiate Instructional League.
Ted spent the 2005 and 2006 seasons as the volunteer assistant coach at Indiana University. While there, his responsibilities included outfield play, coaching first base, and assisting with the hitters while also working on Sembower Field. During this time, he earned his master's degree in athletic administration.
Tom graduated from Shawnee State with a degree in Sport Management with minors in business and sport coaching in 2004 and having been a red-shirt member of the 2000 team that finished 5thin the NAIA World Series. As a player, Tom earned All-AMC honors as well as the Joe Smith Memorial Award which is given to the outstanding senior student that best exemplifies the attitude and sportsmanship of Smith. In the summer of 2003, he played for the Clarinda A's in the MINK Collegiate Wood Bat Summer League.
Tom also has extensive experience in summer baseball. In 2008, he was the mentor of the Southern Ohio Copperheads in the Great Lakes League. During 2006, he was the head coach of the Outer Banks Daredevils of the Coastal Plain League. He was the head coach of the Miami Valley Express U-17 team during 2002 that went to the CABA World Series.