Special to the Reporter

Casey Dunn, the former head baseball coach at Spain Park High School, was hired as the head baseball coach at Samford University, director of athletics Bob Roller announced on Monday.

Dunn, who has been working as an assistant coach at Auburn University since mid-July, started the baseball program at Spain Park. In three years at the school, Dunn posted a record of 53-41. His teams won two Jefferson County titles and a co-region championship and earned two state playoff appearances. In 2002, Dunn was named the Over the Mountain Coach of the Year.

&uot;I am so excited about this opportunity,&uot; Dunn said. &uot;This was truly a hard decision to make, but I feel that this is where God wants me and my family to be.

&uot;I was offered and I accepted the position at Auburn only about two weeks ago.

&uot;I truly didn’t want to relocate away from my family. My wife and I prayed about the job at Auburn and made the decision to move. Then two days later, this wonderful opportunity opened up for me at Samford. We believe that God wants us to stay here in Birmingham.&uot;

Dunn takes over for Tim Parenton, who left Samford in July for a position at the University of Florida. The 2004 Bulldogs won 15 of their last 16 regular season games and finished third in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

&uot;This is an exciting day for the Samford baseball program,&uot; Roller said. &uot;Casey Dunn brings a tireless work ethic and a command of the game that I believe will inspire our student-athletes. He will place his stamp on Samford baseball from day one.&uot;

Dunn played four seasons as a catcher at Auburn, from 1996-99. As a senior, he earned All-America honors after batting .379 with a Southeastern Conference-leading 86 RBI.

He helped lead the Tigers to a 1999 NCAA Regional Championship, the 1998 SEC Tournament title and a 1997 College World Series appearance.

At the end of his senior season at Auburn, Dunn was presented with the Cliff Hare Award for the school’s top male athlete.

At the conclusion of his collegiate playing career, Dunn played two seasons in the Kansas City Royals organization. Dunn played with minor league teams in both Wilmington, N.C., and Spokane, Wash.

Dunn graduated from Auburn in 1999 with a degree in social science secondary education.

He is married to the former Marty Goldthorp, and they have one son, Sam, 1