'I'm just excited to have the opportunity': HBU appoints former Astros baseball player as new baseball head coach

Houston Baptist University (HBU) has hired former Astros baseball player Lance Berkman to lead the school's baseball program as head coach.

Born in Waco in 1976, Berkman put together a 15-year playing career that included six All-Star selections and a World Series title, according to Sports Spectrum Magazine. Upon his retirement, he set his sights on coaching.

"I kind of wanted to get into college coaching ever since I retired from playing in 2013, so I think this is a good fit," Berkman told Houston Daily. "They've had a decent baseball program there, but I think they were looking to do some upgrading facilities-wise. They felt like it was a good time to make a coaching change and I've known the athletic director at HBU for a long time. I'm just excited to have the opportunity."

Berkman's coaching career, which has been spent entirely in Houston, began at Second Baptist as head coach, where he and former Astros and Yankees teammate Andy Pettitte guided the Eagles to a state crown in 2016, according to NGSC Sports. His most recent position before taking the position at HBU was as assistant coach at the University of St. Thomas.

Berkman said that he was looking forward to mentoring young people when asked what he was looking forward to most at his new head coach position.

"I think the thing I'm looking forward to the most is just the relationship with the kids. Getting an opportunity to mentor these young men both on and off the field and I think using my baseball and life experiences to help shorten the learning curve for them," Berkman told Houston Daily. "I have a real heart for guys that are college baseball players, I was one myself and still remember kind of what it was like to be that age and trying to figure it out, so being in a position of influence where I can help these guys is the thing I'm most looking forward to.

The Huskies have had tough seasons recently. Berkman laid out his approach to turning things around going into the program.

"We've got to get in there and work on the culture a little bit. I think sometimes when you've been in a place where they've had a couple of tough years, there's a malaise that sort of hangs over the program and so you really have to get in there and do some work to change the expectations of the current players. And one of the things that we've been working hard on this summer is we've got to add some talent. Add some guys that you know can get it done on the field because it doesn't matter how good a coach you are if you don't have the right players, then it doesn't matter."

Berkman played 12 seasons with the Astros, according to Spectrum Sports Magazine. Known to fans as "Big Puma," he batted .293 with 366 home runs and 1,234 RBI on his entire career.

Berkman replaces outgoing head coach Jared Moon.