Randy Hood was named head coach on Apr. 29, 2019, becoming just the fourth head coach in the history of the Seahawk Baseball program.
In 2025, Hood guided the Seahawks back to the CAA Championship game, something he has done in four of his five seasons that there was a tournament. The Seahawks remained the only program in the CAA to compete in all 39 postseason tournaments.
The Seahawks posted a 34-24 record and finished second in the conference standings with a 19-8 record. UNCW has been a top two seed in each of Hood's seasons at the helm.
In 2025, UNCW posted wins over nationally-ranked programs at Georgia, NC State and Southern Miss. The non-conference strength of schedule was ranked fifth nationally and featured 11 games against nationally-ranked opponents.
The program saw seven Seahawks earn All-CAA honors, including first-team selections, Tanner Thach, Zane Taylor and Trace Baker.
In 2024, the Seahawks won their second straight Coastal Athletic Association tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Regionals (Athens, Ga.) for the 12th time overall. UNCW’s conference title was a record eighth for the Seahawks, who remain the only program in the conference to compete in all 38 tournament championships.
UNCW posted a record of 40-21, marking the eighth time in program history it has reached the 40-win mark. The Seahawks also fashioned a 20-7 record in CAA play and became the only program in the league to surpass the 500-win mark at 507-317-1. Hood’s record in CAA play is 68-32.
Tanner Thach continued his assault on the UNCW records book, setting the single season and career home run records with 27 and 42, respectively.
Thach, who was named CAA Co-Player of the Year, was joined by Jac Croom, Trevor Marsh, RJ Sales, Luke Craig and Zane Taylor as All-CAA honorees. Marsh was honored as the CAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer.
In June, Craig, Sales and Jacob Shafer were all selected in the MLB Draft.
Hood continued the program’s success in 2023 when he guided the Seahawks to the Coastal Athletic Association regular season and conference tournament championships. The Seahawks (34-21, 20-8 CAA) competed in the Conway Regional, marking the program’s 11th NCAA Regional appearance, all coming since 2003.
UNCW played a program record 16 games against nationally-ranked opponents and earned series wins over Northeastern, East Carolina and TCU.
Ten Seahawks earned All-CAA honors in 2023, including first-team selections Jac Croom, Trevor Marsh and Zane Taylor.
UNCW finished tied for second in the CAA in 2022 with a 15-9 record and was 31-24 overall. The Seahawks remained the only program in the history of the CAA to compete in all 36 conference tournaments.
Brooks Baldwin was honored as the league's Player of the Year after leading the league with a career-high .347 batting average with 44 runs scored and 27 extra base hits, including 11 home runs. Baldwin was one of four Seahawks to earn first-team All-CAA honors, joining RJ Sales, Taber Mongero and Ethan Baucom. Chris Thorburn was named to the second team and Sales, who was also named freshman All-America by the Collegiate Baseball News, was joined by fellow freshman Cyle Phelan on the league's All-Rookie team.
The Seahawks extended their streak of CAA Championship game appearances to six straight in 2021 and finished with a 32-22 record overall and won the South Division with a mark of 13-8. After getting off to a 5-8 start in conference play, the Seahawks rebounded going 8-3 in the final four weeks of the season to clinch the South division title and opening round bye in the CAA tournament.
Junior righthander Landen Roupp was honored as the CAA Pitcher of the Year and he joined Matt Suggs, Cole Weiss, Brooks Baldwin and Hunter Hodges on the CAA First-team. Roupp was the fourth UNCW player to earn CAA Pitcher of the Year honors.
Also earning All-CAA honors were Kip Brandenburg and Adam Smith, who were named second-team while Hodges also earned All-Rookie honors.
Roupp, Smith and Baldwin were selected in the 2021 MLB draft, bringing UNCW's all-time draft list to 89.
In his first at the helm of the program in 2020, UNCW went 11-5 before Covid-19 forced the cancellation of the season. The Seahawks closed out the season with a win over nationally-ranked East Carolina on a three-run homer by Matt Suggs in the bottom of the ninth.
Also highlighting Hood's first season as head coach, was UNCW's series sweep at Kentucky, marking the first time in program history the Seahawks swept a SEC opponent and the first time it had swept a non-conference weekend series. UNCW starters Zarion Sharpe and Landen Roupp delivered strong starts in back-to-back games to open the series against the Wildcats. Both games finished in shutouts halting the UK scoring streak at 122 games, the third longest active streak at the time. In the finale, Luke Gesell gave UNCW a third solid start as the Seahawks won 7-4 to finish the sweep.
In 2019, the Seahawks won the CAA championship with a 6-5 win in 10 innings over Elon and played in the Chapel Hill Regional alongside North Carolina, Tennessee and Liberty.
Greg Jones became the program's highest draft pick when he went in the first round, 22nd overall, to the Tampa Bay Rays. Jones, a two-time All-America honoree and CAA Player of the Year, was one of four Seahawk picked in the 2019 draft. Joining Jones, a shortstop, were infielder Cole Weiss, lefthanded pitcher Zarion Sharpe and rigthhanded pitcher Justin Crump.
In 2018, despite having to replace seven position starters, UNCW continued to be one of the top offenses in the CAA. Ryan Jeffers, a second round pick of the Minnesota Twins in the MLB Draft, hit .315 and led the Seahawks with 22 doubles, 16 home runs and 59 runs batted in. He also led the conference in on base average and slugging percentage. Also producing a career-year was Mason Berne, who led the Seahawks with a .343 batting average and ranked among the conference leaders in home runs, RBI's and slugging percentage. Berne also set a program record when he reached safely in 48 consecutive games.
In 2017, Casey Golden became the second Seahawk in as many seasons to be named CAA Player-of-the-Year after tying a school-record with 21 home runs. Golden was one of six Seahawks, including five position players, to be selected in the MLB Draft. Ryan Jeffers, Nick Feight and Golden were named first-team All-CAA while Brian Mims was named to the second-team.
In 2016, the Seahawks boasted one of the top offenses in the nation as UNCW ranked in the top-10 nationally in several categories, including batting average (eighth/.320), hits (sixth/694), home runs (third/87), runs (third/505), scoring (third/8.4) and slugging percentage (second/.517).
Leading the Seahawk offensively was Nick Feight, who led the nation in runs batted in with a school-record 91. He also tied program records with 24 doubles and 21 home runs, which ranked him second in the nation. Steven Linkous paced the nation with 78 runs scored while Brian Mims was third with 71. Mims also ranked seventh nationally with a team-high 96 hits.
Feight and Mims combined for 10 All-America honors with Feight totaling a program-record six. Both were first-team All-Conference selections and Feight was the league’s Player-of-the-Year. Joining them on the CAA’s All-League first team were Linkous, third baseman Daniel Stack and Conference Pitcher-of-the-Year, Ryan Foster. UNCW totaled 10 All-CAA selections.
In the draft, four Seahawks were selected as pitcher Taylor Hyssong went in the eighth round to Atlanta and was followed by second-team All-CAA designated hitter Gavin Stupienski in the 12th to Arizona. Linkous and pitcher Jared Gesell were both tabbed by Colorado in the 22nd and 23rd rounds, respectively.
In 2015, Hood directed a UNCW offense that ranked in the nation’s top-20 in four categories, including batting average (.303, 13th), scoring (seven runs per game, 16th), runs (412, 20th) and hits (627, 17th). The Seahawk lineup boasted eight players who hit above .280 and three players ranked in the Colonial Athletic Association’s top-10 in batting average.
UNCW landed six offensive players on the All-CAA squads, including first-team selections Steven Linkous and Zach Shields. The duo powered the potent Seahawk offense, combining to score 106 runs and steal 47 bases.
Shields was one of five Seahawks to be selected in the 2015 MLB draft when he went in the 10th round to Cincinnati.
While UNCW had five selected in the draft, two signed players also heard their names called and chose to sign. Eric Jenkins was picked in the second round with the 45th pick overall by Texas and Joe Peeler was selected by Seattle in the 25th round.
Corey Dick won the Seahawks’ Triple Crown in 2014, leading the team in batting average (.315), home runs (six) and runs batted in (39). Casey Golden excelled in his first season with the club, hitting .269 with 19 extra base hits and nine stolen bases. Golden participated in workouts with Team USA during the summer of 2014.
All-America infielder Michael Bass thrived as a senior in 2013, ranking among the nation’s leaders in seven offensive categories including batting average (.380, 29th), on base average (.479, 21st) and runs scored (62, 10th).
The Seahawks featured two first-team All-CAA players in Bass and third baseman Ryan LaGrange. LaGrange was a finalist for the Gregg Olsen Award, which goes to the breakout player of the year. LaGrange hit .370 with 14 doubles and five home runs, all career highs. He also scored 41 runs and knocked in 38.
UNCW had two players selected in the 2013 MLB draft with pitcher Justin Livengood going to the Padres in the 10th round and Bass also being taken by San Diego in the 27th round.
UNCW continued to be an offensive leader in the CAA, and nationally in 2012, Hood’s 11th season with the program. The Seahawks ranked in the nation’s top-30 in eight categories, including batting average (22nd), runs (27th), hits (12th), doubles (23rd), home runs (11th) and stolen bases (12th).
The 2012 Seahawks also proved to be one of the program’s top offensive clubs in the program’s history as they ranked fourth all-time in hits, fifth in batting average and total bases, seventh in home runs and eighth in doubles. With 105 stolen bases, the Seahawks passed the 100-mark for the first time since 2006. UNCW was successful in 78.4% of its attempts, also ranking in UNCW’s top-10 all-time. Andrew Cain, who was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 24th round, and Michael Bass led the way with 23 and 20 stolen bases, respectively, while UNCW had five players steal at least 10 bases in 2012.
Cain, along with Thomas Pope and Tyler McSwain were named first-team All-CAA. For Pope, who finished with a team-leading .372 batting average, it was the second time he was named first-team. UNCW’s entire infield of Matt Campbell, Jake Koenig, Bass and Hunter Ridge comprised the league’s second-team infield.
In 2011, the Seahawks ranked among the national leaders in batting average and doubles and narrowly missed stealing 100 bases for the first time since 2006. Cain, a second-team All-CAA selection, was picked by Milwaukee in the 12th round of the Major League Baseball draft after a breakout year, but chose to return to UNCW for his senior season.
Pope became the first Seahawk since the 1989 season to lead the CAA in hitting when he compiled a .396 average and was named ABCA All-East first-team. Joining Pope on the all-region teams were second-team honorees, Matt Campbell, Hunter Ridge and Cain.
In 2010, Hood helped the Seahawks back to the finals of the CAA tournament for the second straight year and saw five more Seahawks go on to play professional baseball. During Hood’s stretch with the Seahawks, over 30 players have gone on to play professionally. Robbie Monday, currently an assistant with the Seahawks, flourished under the direction of Hood as he became the first Seahawk since Bryan Britt in 1996 to outright lead the CAA in homers with 20. Monday also concluded his two-year career with the Seahawks as the program’s all-time leader in slugging percentage.
Also finding success at the plate in 2010 were freshmen Hunter Ridge and Michael Bass. Both were named to the CAA All-Rookie squad with Ridge also earning third-team all-conference honors. Ridge continued to parlay his team-leading .348 batting average into a pair of Freshman All-America honors. He also set a school record for hits by a freshman with 77.
In the summer of 2008, Hood was elevated to the position of Associate Head Coach after wrapping up in his seventh season with the Seahawks. He coordinates the Seahawks’ recruiting, as well as oversees the hitters and outfielders.
During his tenure, UNCW has made four NCAA tournament appearances, won four regular season Colonial Athletic Association titles and two CAA tournament titles.
In 2008, the Seahawk lineup slammed its way to a school-record 44 wins and a school-record 91 homers. UNCW broke five single-season records as four positional players earned All-Colonial honors and Mark Carver was named CAA Player-of-the-Year while also earning three All-America honors. Jason Appel, Daniel Hargrave and Carver were selected in the Major League Baseball draft, bringing the total of players drafted or signed as free agents during Hood’s tenure to 25. UNCW was ranked in the top 50 nationally in 12 offensive categories, including home runs, on base average and slugging percentage. The Seahawks finished 19th in scoring, 14th in runs scored and 14th in home runs.
In 2007, the Seahawks were nationally ranked in the top 50 in doubles with 142 and had three players rank nationally in that category.
In 2006, UNCW continued its offensive prowess, leading the nation in scoring for nearly a month. The Seahawks tied or set eight offensive standards, finished fifth in scoring (8.8 runs per game) and in the top 10 in doubles per game and slugging percentage.
In 2005, UNCW set new school standards in six offensive categories, including batting average, runs and runs batted in. Tim Preston became the first Seahawk since 1982 to hit above .400 (.406) as well as setting school/conference records with 102 hits. The Seahawks finished seventh nationally in runs scored (8.4 per game) and hit .323 as a team to rank 11th. UNCW’s then school-record 140 doubles checked in at 13th nationally and its .487 slugging percentage was 23rd.
In addition to Preston, several Seahawks have enjoyed breakout seasons under Hood’s guidance. Preston and John Raynor were ranked, 21st and 33rd respectively, among the national leaders in batting average. Matt Poulk broke the UNCW mark with 73 RBI as well as the doubles mark with 24 two-baggers.
The 2004 season for the Seahawks was again one of tremendous offensive production as they almost equaled their record-setting output from the prior season en route to their second consecutive 40-win season. Seven Seahawks hit .310 or better as five school records were broken or tied. Chip Grawey became the first Seahawk to collect 101 hits and broke the conference record of 100. The 2004 Seahawks topped the CAA in conference play with a .317 batting average and 45 stolen bases.
In 2003, the Seahawks doubled their home run total, posted their highest slugging percentage since 1999 and enjoyed their highest batting average since 1997.
Hood played at Campbell from 1987-90 and led the Camels to their first NCAA Regional appearance in his senior season.
In his final campaign, Hood paced the Big South Conference in batting (.366) and finished second in stolen bases with a school-record 26 thefts. In his playing career, the Goldsboro native compiled a .320 batting average with 209 hits, 35 doubles, 14 home runs, 86 RBI and set 13 school records. He was an All-Big South choice in 1989 and an All-Big South Tournament selection in 1990.
Following graduation, Hood played five full seasons of professional baseball. His pro highlights include a Single-A championship with the Helena (Mont.) Brewers in 1990 and a Double-A crown with the 1993 Birmingham (Ala.) Barons in the White Sox chain.
Hood batted .315 with Helena in 1990 and was the July “Player of the Month” for the Barons in 1994. After spending spring training with the California Angels in 1995, Hood turned his attention from playing to coaching.
Hood, who graduated as a sports fitness/administration major, was a teammate of NBA great Michael Jordan at Birmingham in 1994.
He also has administrative and coaching experience as CU’s director of athletics operations and strength coach (1994-95).
Hood earned his M.Ed. in exercise science at Campbell in 1999. The 54-year-old Hood and his wife, Patricia, reside in Wilmington and their daughter, Mackenzie Elise, recently graduated from South Carolina.
