Texas State Baseball Announces New Pitching Coach

Former Bobcat pitcher returns to lead staff following 14-year coaching career.

San Marcos, Texas – Texas State baseball coach Ty Harrington has officially announced the hiring of Chad Massengale as the team’s new pitching coach.

The former member of the Bobcat baseball team is set to don the maroon and gold once more after his TXST playing career ended in 2001.

“We are very proud to have found someone who is a Bobcat and appreciates what that means,” Harrington said. “The wealth of knowledge Chad has on the pitching side will give our men a great opportunity to develop as pitchers, just as he did. He learned how to maximize his abilities, and I’m confident he will do the same for our players.”

Massengale most recently spent three seasons (2015-17) as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Weatherford College. The Coyotes compete at the NJCAA Division I level and are located in Weatherford, Texas. He helped lead WC to the nation’s No. 1 ranking in 2015, and the team made two trips to the NJCAA Region V Championship (2015, 2017).

Massengale was at Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas, for six years from 2009-14 prior to his stop in Weatherford. The Lumberjacks are members of the Southland Conference and compete at the NCAA Division I level. He held multiple roles at SFA, including pitching coach, director of operations and assistant recruiting coordinator.

He helped lead the team to five-straight postseason appearances. He also coached four Major League Baseball draftees, which included the eighth overall pick in 2013 (Hunter Dozier). Nine of his pitchers moved on to the professional ranks and competed for MLB organizations.

“Coming back to Texas State is a great opportunity for my family and I,” Massengale said. “This is a great place to be, and it was the right move for my career to come here and coach for this great university.”

Massengale’s first stint in Weatherford lasted one season (2008), where he served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. He began his full-time coaching career at Texarkana College from 2004-07. He helped lead the Bulldogs to a 128-40 overall record and an appearance at the 2005 NJCAA World Series. He also coached six players who went on to be selected in the MLB Draft and served as interim head coach in 2007.

He coached current TXST hitting coach Steven Trout in 2004 during his sophomore year with the Bulldogs.

“It’s always exciting to come back and coach where you played, especially coaching alongside a guy like Ty,” Massengale said. “I have a lot of respect for him. He has a lot of wins at this level.”

The newest addition to the staff has replaced Jeremy Fikac, who served as Texas State’s pitching coach for 10 seasons.

“We are very proud of Jeremy’s accomplishments here,” Harrington said. “He is a true Bobcat that had a positive influence on this great university.”

Massengale played at Texas State during Harrington’s first two seasons at the helm (2000-01). He helped lead TXST to a Southland Conference Championship and set the school record with 32 appearances in 2000. He is also currently seventh in school history with seven career saves.

After leaving San Marcos, he competed professionally in the Central Baseball League for the Shreveport Sports (2002-03) and the Alexandria Aces (2003).

“I’ve been right where these guys are, and I’m not too far removed from where they are now,” Massengale said. “I feel like I will be able to connect with the players, since I’ve had similar experiences. I just want to do whatever I can to help us win ball games.”

The Weatherford native earned a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise and sports science with a minor in criminal justice from Texas State in 2002. He is married to Sarah Massengale, and the couple have three children; twins Raider (son) and Paislee (daughter), and son Meritt.