Simon Elfrink
Sports Editor
selfrink@murraystate.edu
Racer baseball Head Coach Dan Skirka named Charles Bradley as assistant coach on Monday, Dec. 1.
Skirka said he is most excited to have Bradley’s presence on the coaching staff as the Racers look to build on last season’s improvement.
“Coach Bradley brings so much to the table for our Racer baseball family,” Skirka said. “The thing that separated him was his work ethic, energy and passion. In his short time here, his impact has been felt on the practice field by our current players and the recruiting trail for future Racers. We are very excited that he is with us and helping us pursue our goals.”
The Charlotte, North Carolina, native spent his collegiate career at Harding University where he played shortstop and won the Gulf South Conference West Division in 2011. In Bradley’s time at Harding, the Bisons broke the school record for wins in a season with 42. As a player, Bradley played in 127 games, starting in 106 of them. From an offensive perspective, Bradley’s highlight year was undoubtedly his junior season, when he hit .307 and drove in 30 runs for the Bisons. He also hit .365 with runners on base and .353 with runners in scoring position that year.
Bradley’s coaching career began shortly after his college playing career ended. He assisted at Ouachita Baptist University, where he helped in the recruiting process and specialized in team defense and baserunning. Bradley also assisted at Lenoir-Rhyne University from 2012-15. During the 2012-13 summer seasons, Bradley coached in the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League. He served as the Head Coach for the MCBL’s Loveland Blue Jays and Fort Collins Foxes in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Bradley also coached the Gastonia Grizzlies, a team in the summer Coastal Plains league. The Grizzlies won the CPL Championship in 2017 and the First Half Western Division Championship in 2019.
Bradley came to the Racers after his most recent coaching position at Queens University of Charlotte.