After an extended search, UAFS found the man it wanted to lead the baseball program.
“I’m a high energy guy,” Holland said. “I want the players to stay involved. My motto is ‘one pitch at a time’. I’m not a rah-rah guy, but I want players to be involved in every step of the game.”
“Todd will be a great addition to the baseball program at UAFS. He has been an NCAA Division II coach for 11 years and will bring that level of expertise with him to campus,” UAFS director of athletics Dr. Dustin Smith said. “I expect Todd to build upon the great baseball tradition we have here at UAFS. Todd is a guy that will make UAFS proud, and he and his family will be heavily involved in our campus and the community.”
Holland replaces Dale Harpenau, who resigned last month after leading UAFS for 16 seasons. Holland is just the fifth coach in program history, dating back to 1963.
“He has huge shoes to fill, and he knows that. We have had two head baseball coaches in the past 49 years. I know this process was a little lengthy, but we had to find the right baseball guy. I believe we did,” Smith said. “I have absolutely no doubt that Todd will continue the great legacy that coach Crowder and coach Harpenau have started. It is an exciting day for UAFS Lions baseball.”
Holland compiled a 304-251 record in his 11 seasons at Cameron, a division II member of the Lone Star Conference.
UAFS finished the 2014 season with a 25-26 record and a berth in the Heartland Conference tournament.
“Todd is a very high energy guy. He has a motor that just goes constantly all day long. His energy is contagious, and he is very eager to get to Fort Smith and get invested in the baseball program, the university and the Fort Smith community,” Smith said.
Holland’s best season at Cameron came in 2009 when the Aggies went 42-15 while the team finished the 2014 season with a 19-27 record.
