INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian baseball team is welcoming back a former great to the coaching staff, as Todd Bacon has announced the hire of former ace pitcher Matt Burleton as the team's new pitching coach. Burleton, a 2019 graduate of Marian University, returns home to his alma mater where he earned a degree in business marketing.

In his career at Marian as a pitcher, Burleton shined as one of the best in the Crossroads League, earning the CL Pitcher of the Year award in 2017 while also earning NAIA Honorable Mention All-American status in his sophomore campaign. Twice a first-team All-Crossroads League honoree, in four years at Marian, Burleton held a 25-18 record and 2.52 ERA, throwing 318.1 innings. As a senior in 2019, Burleton led the team with 105.1 innings on the mound, carrying a 1.37 ERA and 8-2 record which featured a pair of complete game shutouts. Adding eight saves to his ledger, Burleton's durability helped him establish as Marian's all-time leader in career appearances, seeing action in 63 games over four seasons. 

"I am excited for the opportunity to get back into coaching at the collegiate level and help the program get back to the championship mindset and culture that was key to the team success when I was a player at Marian," said Coach Matt Burleton on returning to Marian.

After graduating from Marian in 2019, Burleton pitched professionally in the Frontier League for the Joliet Slammers and the Evansville Otters. After his playing career, Burleton joined the Wes Whisler Baseball Academy in February of 2021 to help train and develop young pitchers, and also spent time on the Lawrence Central coaching staff as the varsity pitching coach. Burleton also spent time at Anderson University as a pitching coach for the Ravens before stepping away for personal reasons.

"The time away from coaching allowing me to reset, be rooted in my faith in Jesus, and be strong in my identity as a man outside of the game of baseball," Burleton continued. "I am very grateful for the opportunity that Coach (Todd) Bacon has given me, and I look forward to helping these young men return to the championship culture that they can take with them wherever they go in life."

Burleton officially begins his tenure on the Marian baseball staff on Wednesday, July 12. 

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