Oct. 16, 2006

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette baseball head coach Joe Kinney has announced the hiring of two assistant coaches to complete his coaching staff for the 2007 campaign. Richard Clagett, Jr., comes to College Hill after serving as the top assistant to the Villanova baseball program for five years. Kinney also introduced Adrian Yaguez, whose recent experience includes being head coach of the Lehigh Valley Catz.

Clagett, a 2001 Utah graduate, comes to College Hill from Villanova, where he spent five years as the top assistant to head Coach Joe Godri. During his stay in Philadelphia, Clagett served as the pitching coach, as well as the recruiting and admissions coordinator. He was also the director of the Wildcats' camps, head of scheduling and assisted in the team's booster proceedings.

Prior to Villanova, he worked for his alma mater, where his tasks included recruiting and admission duties, as well as the daily efforts with the pitching staff. Clagett takes over for Paul Engelhardt, who spent five seasons at Lafayette before accepting the head coaching position at Moravian College.

Yaguez may be familiar to Lehigh Valley residents. In the past four years, he has served as the head coach of the Lehigh Valley Catz, a collegiate summer league squad that calls Hacketts Park in Easton its home. Under his tutelage, 24 players have signed professional contracts. As head coach, the 2002 DeSales University graduate held responsibilities that ranged from the marketing and promotions of his club to leading the summer camps and administrative details of the Catz. Yaguez takes over for Scott Stewart, who spent five seasons on College Hill before following Engelhardt to Moravian.

Yaguez is also the manager of the Spartan Center at Northampton Community College in nearby Bethlehem. His duties there include the scheduling and marketing for the school's athletic facilities. He is the advisor of Sport Management club, as well as an adjunct professor and coordinator of intramural sports at Northampton.

The Leopards open their 2007 season looking to build upon last year's impressive campaign in which they recorded the second most wins in school history. This year's squad returns eight of nine position players, as well as the entire pitching staff with the exception of one weekend starter. Lafayette begins play on Feb. 24 in Farmville, Va. against Longwood.