Coyotes begin season with new head coach

For the first time since 2003, the Weatherford College Coyotes baseball team will have a new head coach leading them. Former pitcher Jud Kinzy is at the helm following the retirement of Jeff Lightfoot last year.

However, Kinzy is hardly new to the program. He was an assistant to Lightfoot from 2018 through last season. He also started his college career with the Coyotes in 2013, going on to pitch for the University of Houston and University of Texas at Arlington.

“It’s invaluable, plain and simple. Learning from Jeff Lightfoot as a player for two years, then all these years as his assistant has helped mold and mentor me into the coach I am today,” Kinzy said. “Playing at WC, UTA and U Houston has helped my coaching career with tons of top college coach connections, along with seeing top players year-in and year-out.

“It’s an absolute blessing, what a great honor to take over one of the top jucos in the nation. Coach Lightfoot has set the standard and put this program to where its at today and it’s just a tremendous honor to help take over the program.”

With Kinzy coaching one of the top pitching staffs in the nation, the Coyotes won 146 games and lost just 39 over the past three years. This included a 53-11 record and third-place finish in the NJCAA Division I World Series in 2023.

Last season the Coyotes were 48-13 overall and shared the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference championship with Grayson. They were runners-up in the Region V/Southwest District postseason tournament.

Top returners from that team include:

• Centerfielder Blake Martinez (Allen), .330 batting average, 3 home runs, 16 RBI, 25 walks, .470 on-base percentage, .539 slugging percentage.
• Catcher Jake Overstreet (Rockwall), .333 batting average, 3 home runs, 25 RBI, 32 walks, .490 on-base percentage, .474 slugging percentage.
• Right-handed pitcher Jack Gagianello (Denton Guyer), 16 appearances.
• Right-handed pitcher Rodney Pena (New Jersey), 8 saves, 1.29 ERA, 39 strikeouts in 21 innings.
• Catcher Caden Mitchell (Celina), .343 batting average, 9 doubles, 5 home runs, 28 RBI, .470 on-base percentage, .565 slugging percentage.
• Right-handed AJ Miera (homeschool), 7-5, 1.41 ERA, 52 strikeouts, 18 walks in 51.2 innings.
• Rightfielder Cayden Byrd (Burleson), .278 batting average, 8 home runs, 42 RBI, 26 walks, .373 on-base percentage, .488 slugging.
• Right-handed pitcher Noah Bentley (Celina), 5-0, 5 saves, 2.45 ERA, 70 strikeouts, 25 walks in 55 innings.

Also, left-handed pitcher Alex Dangelo is coming off a medical redshirt year.

Kinzy is also excited about a recruiting class that includes:

• Right-handed pitcher Holden Herring. The former Mineral Wells standout and No. 1 player in the country in some rankings, originally committed to Texas Tech, but switched to WC. His father, Hart Herring, was a member of the original Coyotes team in 2003.
• Shortstop Joseph Sandusky (Round Rock), originally a Texas A&M commit.
• Infielder Spencer Butt (Davie, Florida).
• First baseman Jackson Irons (Arlington), redshirt freshman.
• Utility/right-handed pitcher Ty Waid (Texarkana, Arkansas), redshirt sophomore.

“I’m extremely excited about this recruiting class. On paper, it has potential to be up there with recent teams from a talent standpoint,” Kinzy said. “I do feel like we have some of the most depth we’ve ever had, but you have to stay healthy and sometimes that’s not in our control.”

Kinzy believes that, as always seems to be the case, the NTJCAC will be the best conference in the country. 

“Talented top to bottom. The region will be just as tough. Usual thing for us,” he said. “That’s why we play a top non-conference schedule to prepare us.”