Jake Boss Jr. Joins Michigan Staff as Assistant Coach
10/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan head baseball coach Rich Maloney has announced the addition of Jake Boss Jr. to his coaching staff. Boss, who spent the past seven seasons at Eastern Michigan, replaces Jason Murray on Maloney's staff. Murray took the head coaching position at Charleston Southern in August.
A native of Lansing, Boss will be in his 10th season as an assistant coach and he will work with hitting and outfield defense and serve as the recruiting coordinator for the Wolverines.
During his tenure at EMU, working mostly with the catchers, infielders and hitters, Boss helped the Eagles set several team hitting records, including most homers (95 in 2002), at bats (2,098 in 2004) and sacrifice flies (32 in 2004), and they tied the school record and ranked third in the nation in stolen bases (147, 2004).
The 2002 EMU squad ranked 10th in the nation with the 95 homers and ranked ninth in the nation in slugging percentage. On defense EMU set records for putouts (1,558 in 2004) and double plays (60 in 2002).
Boss helped lead the Eagles to the Mid-American Conference West Division title in 2002 and the MAC conference title and a trip to the NCAA tournament in 2003. EMU lost to Kent State in the MAC championship game in 2004.
While serving as an assistant coach Boss has worked with 18 players who have advanced to the professional ranks and worked with six All-Americans including EMU's Brian Bixler, a first team All-American drafted in the second round last June by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Maloney had a chance to see Boss coaching at EMU as an opponent with both Ball State and Michigan.
Boss played baseball at Alma College (1989-93) and earned his bachelor's degree in English (1983). He completed his master's degree in physical education at Eastern Michigan in 2000. He published his first book, "Dare to Hit .400," in 1998.
Following his playing career Boss became an assistant coach at Lakeview (Mich.) High School in 1994 and served as head coach at Webberville (Mich.) in 1995.
Boss started his collegiate coaching experience as an assistant coach at Iowa Central Community College in Ft. Dodge, Iowa, in 1996 and 1997. His team placed seventh in the 1996 NJCAA World Series and was runner-up in 1997. While at ICCC he worked with the catchers and outfielders and oversaw the academic services for the baseball team. During his time at ICCC he developed and implemented an individual instruction program.
Boss served as an associate scout for the Atlanta Braves organization in 1996-97.
Boss, 33, resides in Ypsilanti with his wife Cheryl, daughter Abigail and son Jacob.
Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
