Nov. 6, 2012

Bolding to retire from Longwood

Buddy Bolding, entering his 35th season as head coach at Longwood University, has announced that he will retire following the 2013 campaign.

Bolding has compiled an overall record of 927-516-4 over the past 34 years, with 31 winning seasons. Bolding led the Lancers to 26 straight winning seasons, from 1979 to 2004. He led the program through the transition from Division III to Division II, to Division I Independent, to Big South Conference member. Bolding guided Longwood to six NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, including two trips to the Division II College World Series. The most recent College World Series appearance came in 1991, when the Lancers set a program record with a 41-8 record.

Longwood renamed its baseball facility Buddy Bolding Stadium in the fall of 2009.

Bolding has had nine players selected in the MLB Draft since 1988. The highest was first-rounder Michael Tucker, who was taken with the 10th overall pick by the Kansas City Royals in 1992. That summer, he became the first and only Olympic athlete from Longwood. Tucker played for 12 years in the Major Leagues, from 1995 to 2006.

Bolding was a member of the NCAA regional selection committee nine times. He was voted Virginia College Division Coach of the Year four times and South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year twice.

A native of Hardy, Va., Bolding was an Army Medic in Vietnam before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from Milligan (Tenn.) College in 1973. One year later, he received a Master of Science degree from the University of Tennessee. He and his wife, Andrea, have three children: Lauren, Suzanne and Brad. All three attended Longwood, with two earning degrees from the school. Brad played baseball for the Lancers before graduating from Old Dominion.

(photo courtesy of Longwood Media Relations Office)