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Longwood Head Baseball Coach Chad Oxendine has accepted an associate head coach position at a school in the Sun Belt Conference, Longwood Athletics Director Tim Hall announced today. The exact school was not named. 

Oxendine finished his third year leading the Longwood baseball team this past spring, and he led the Lancers to at least 20 wins for a third straight season for the first time in eight years.

“I want to sincerely thank Chad for his leadership over the last three years,” said Hall. “He was always student-centric in all priorities and interactions. He has provided a strong foundation and clear runway for a new coach to come in and hit the ground running. We wish Chad and his beautiful family well in their next endeavor.”

During his three-year run at the helm of the Lancers, he led Longwood to a 66-93 record while going 31-44 in Big South play. This past spring, the Lancers finished fifth in the league standings, their best Big South finish since 2016.

“I am forever grateful for my time here at Longwood,” said Oxendine. “I would like to thank Athletics Director Tim Hall and Associate Athletics Director Iain Byers for believing in a first-time head coach. Longwood baseball is in good hands and will continue to make a strong push towards a Big South Championship. My family and I have developed forever friends and will be leaving a piece of our hearts in Farmville.”

Chad Oxendine marks a first

He guided the team to at least 10 conference wins in three straight seasons, a program first since joining the Big South. This spring, the Lancers were in the hunt for one of four playoff spots in a race that came down the final weekend series of the season.

In both 2022 and 2023, Longwood had an All-Big South First Team selection (Hunter Gilliam-2022, Eliot Dix-2023), the first time the team has had first team selections in back-to-back years since 2013-14. In addition, the team has had a total of 10 all-conference honors during the three years under his direction.

This year, the team set a program record in fielding percentage (.972). In 2023 Gregory Ryan, Jr. posted 63 RBI, good for fourth all-time in a single season in program history.

A national search for the next leader of the Longwood baseball program will begin immediately.