Lancaster: MOC grad joins ECU baseball staff

By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on August 29, 2010 1:51 AM

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GREENVILLE -- After college, most graduates scour the job market for the first position available.

Some find what they seek, while others suffer through months of interviews, only to be passed over for various reasons.

In Jesse Lancaster's case, the job fell in his lap. The recent Mount Olive College graduate accepted the position of assistant coach and camp coordinator at East Carolina University this week. The enormity of joining head coach Billy Godwin's staff has yet to sink in.

"I am still amazed at how blessed I am to be here," said Lancaster as he settled into his new office on Friday. "I looked at graduate assistant jobs all over the country and couldn't really find the right fit, but then coach Godwin called and it all kind of fell into place."

The amount of work that goes into a program in the fall months is rarely seen by the casual college baseball fan. Lancaster hopes to jump into the mix immediately and get working on organizing the Pirates, camp for high school prospects, which will take place in October.

"I worked at the summer baseball camp here at ECU and I learned a lot and I think that obviously helped me land the position I have now," said Lancaster. "This job will give me a chance to see how a program other than Mount Olive runs their workouts."

A talented outfielder for the Trojans, Lancaster turned down an offer to play professional baseball in Australia this year and essentially ended his playing career. With his full attention turned to coaching the decision to take the East Carolina job was an easy one.

Lancaster is the second former Eastern Wayne player to serve as an assistant with the Pirates. Ben Sanderson spent time in the ECU dugout before recently taking a job at Florida Atlantic University.

Overall, he's the third Warrior since the mid-1980s to join the ECU staff. Eastern Wayne head baseball coach Jabo Fulghum was a grad assistant from 1985-86.

"There is absolutely no better to place to start a coaching career," said Lancaster. "East Carolina has a great program, great fans and top-tier facilities. It's pretty amazing."

Growing up under the watchful eye of long-time Mount Olive head coach Carl Lancaster has helped prepare Jesse for his new role.

"I respect my dad a tremendous amount and he has been nothing but supportive," said Jesse. "He obviously has done a lot of great things in the coaching ranks and now I want to get started along the same path."

Carl Lancaster is sure that his son is ready for the challenges that come with being a young assistant coach and the pressure that is a part of the coaching lifestyle.

"I think Jesse will be fine because he understands what college baseball is all about," said coach Lancaster. "He has been around it his whole life and now he has the opportunity to display his talents and learn from a very good staff at ECU."

East Carolina finished the 2010 season 32-27 overall.