Troy University Athletics
Baseball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- sgierke@troy.edu
- Phone:
- 5945
Shane Gierke enters his sixth season as assistant coach for the Troy baseball program. Gierke joined the Trojans after 12 seasons as an assistant at the University of West Florida.
Since joining the Troy coaching staff in 2016, Gierke has brought in talented players like 2018 fifth round draft pick Brandon Lockridge, 2020 fourth round draft pick Levi Thomas and the Sun Belt’s career ERA leader Andrew Crane. The 2018 signing class was ranked in the top 100 nationally and the second best in the conference.
As Troy’s recruiting coordinator, Gierke has recruited a freshman All-American in three consecutive seasons in Rigsby Mosley (2018), Logan Cerny (2019) and William Sullivan (2020). Additionally, Gierke has coached back-to-back All-Americans behind the plate in catchers Chase Smartt (2019) and Caleb Bartolero (2020).
Gierke helped coach catcher Caleb Bartolero (2nd team) and first baseman William Sullivan (Freshman) to All-America honors in 2020. Under Gierke, Troy once again boasted of the hottest-hitting lineups in the nation, a lineup that led the Sun Belt and ranked fourth nationally with 46 doubles in 17 games.
Gierke helped coach Troy batters to an impressive 2019 season at the plate, individually and as a team. The Trojans recorded the second-highest batting average in the Sun Belt with a .286 percentage. All-Conference performers Rigby Mosley (.356), Chase Smartt (.343) and Drew Frederic (.318) led Troy at the plate. Gierke aided Chase Smartt and Logan Cerny have stand-out seasons in which they became the 54th and 55th All-Americans in school history.
Under Gierke’s watch, the Trojans experienced an offensive explosion in 2018 -- setting multiple school records en route to the school’s first NCAA Regional appearance in five years. Offensively, the 2018 team ranks first all-time in triples and games played, while ranking in the top three in walks, hit-by-pitch, sac flies and stolen bases -- led by All-Americans Joey Denison and Rigsby Mosley.
In 2017, the Trojans finished near the top of the conference in several batting statistical categories. Troy had the second-fewest strikeouts of any team in the league, ranked third in sacrifice flies and fourth in doubles. The 2017 team was also the first Troy team since 2006 to not be shut out in a single game all season.
For eight years, Gierke served as the recruiting coordinator for the University of West Florida and oversaw catcher development and hitting instruction. Gierke’s recruiting efforts at UWF were highlighted by several major league prospects. He recruited all 11 Argonauts that have been drafted by major league teams, including five players in 2011 after the team’s national championship season.
In 2011, the Argonauts won the NCAA Division II national championship and set school records in runs (449), hits (638) and walks (267). As a team, UWF batted .326 and averaged 7.4 runs per game, led by All-Americans Greg Pron and Brandon Brewer.
The Argonauts also hit .306 in 2009 and .315 in 2010, two of the top offensive seasons in school history. In eight seasons with Gierke as hitting coach, the team has batted at least .290 every year except one, produced 36 All-GSC position players and advanced to the NCAA Tournament five times.
Gierke played two seasons for the Argonauts from 2000-02. Shane is a native of Apopka, Fla., and he is the son of Carolyn and Chip Gierke. His father has been a high school baseball and football coach in the Central Florida area for over 30 years. His brother, Casey, a former player and assistant coach at UWF, is currently coaching high school baseball in Central Florida. Shane’s brother, Brad, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 1996 and later went on to play football at Appalachian State.
Gierke is married to the former Veronica Slover and has a son, Jackson, and a daughter, Shelby.
