New baseball coach Casey Dunn shares vision for program
Athletic director Mark Ingram named Casey Dunn UAB baseball’s new head coach on June 23. Dunn had been serving as the head coach of crosstown foe Samford for 17 years.
Dunn was successful in his time with the Bulldogs, leaving the program as their winningest head coach. During his tenure, Samford made three NCAA regional appearances.
As he comes to UAB, Dunn remains thankful to Samford and emphasizes his desire to build a program as he did at his first job at Spain Park High School.
“Now I get a chance to sell something different and to share a different vision,” Dunn said in a Zoom call.
Speaking of his expectations with the Blazers, Dunn sets a high ceiling.
“I want people in this city when they think of college baseball, to think of UAB baseball, and we can get it done,” Dunn said. “I want to play at a high level. I want to get to a want to where we’re in a regional every year.”
Still, though, Dunn cautioned that this will not be an immediate transformation.
“This isn’t an overnight fix, man. We’re not gonna be sitting here talking about being in Omaha next year, unfortunately,” Dunn said. “But at the same time, we’re gonna have progress, and it’s gonna move in that direction, and one of these days we’re gonna be hoisting trophies.”
Dunn was chosen from eight candidates, according to athletic director Mark Ingram. He is the permanent replacement for longtime UAB head coach Brian Shoop who retired in 2020. Perry Roth had served as interim head coach in the time being.
Jess Davis named to ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team
Jess Davis became the first UAB baseball player to be named to the Division I ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove team on June 23.
The award from the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Sporting Goods honors nine of the best defensive players in college baseball – one pitcher, one from each infield position and three outfielders.
Davis, a sophomore outfielder, had a perfect fielding percentage on the season, tied for the conference best.
The full team can be found below.
2021 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Gold Glove Team
| Pos. | Player | Cl. | School | State |
| C | Hayden Dunhurst | So. | Ole Miss | MS |
| 1B | Austin Murr | Jr. | North Carolina State | NC |
| 2B | Taylor Young | Sr. | Louisiana Tech | LA |
| 3B | Paxton Wallace | Jr. | Wichita State | KS |
| SS | Drew Swift | Jr. | Arizona State | AZ |
| OF | Sal Frelick | Jr. | Boston College | MA |
| OF | Enrique Bradfield Jr. | Fr. | Vanderbilt | TN |
| OF | Jess Davis | So. | UAB | AL |
| P | Jacob Key | Gr. | Illinois-Chicago | IL |
