Tom Cantrell
	Head Coach thcantrell@ngcsu.edu 706-867-2754

Tom Cantrell is in his 11th season has head coach of the North Georgia baseball program during the 2009-10 season.

In their first year eligible for postseason play since entering the NCAA, Cantrell led his team to a tie for third place in the Peach Belt Conference regular season and ran through the PBC Tournament with four straight wins to claim the championship. The Saints finished the regular season winning 19 of 22 games and competed in their first NCAA South Atlantic Regional.

His 2007 team finished their second season of competition at the NCAA Division II level and in the Peach Belt Conference, by finishing 34-22 (17-13 PBC). Cantrell reached a pair of milestones in the 2007 season, winning his 300th game at North Georgia and his 500th game overall. He was also awarded the Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year Award, and also coached the 2007 Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year in Craig Brisson.

In their inaugural year, 2006, in the NCAA Division II and the Peach Belt Conference, the Saints finished with an overall record of 32-29 and a PBC record of 9-18. Under the direction of Cantrell, the Saints second baseman Brian Lauderdale was named PBC Player of the Year, South-Atlantic Player of the Year, third team NCAA Division II All-American, and signed a free-agent contract with the San Diego Padres.

In his 10 years at North Georgia, Cantrell has amassed a 407-219 (.650) record and has posted a winning record at NGCSU in each of those 10 seasons. Over his 14-year career at Georgia Perimeter College (DeKalb College) and North Georgia, he has a 584-273 (.683) overall record. Cantrell also has a sharp eye for spotting major league talent, 20 of his former players have signed professional contracts. Five of those 20 are currently in the majors: Nick Green with the Boston Red Sox, Marlon Byrd with the Texas Rangers, and Robby Hammock with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Cantrell also coached Adam Everett of the Detroit Tigers, and Michael Barrett of the Toronto Blue Jays during summer ball at East Cobb.

Cantrell came to North Georgia from Georgia Perimeter College (DeKalb College) where he spent nine years, four as head coach with a record of 177-52 (.773). While at GPC, Cantrell's teams produced two NJCAA All- Americans, five NJCAA Academic All-Americans, 21 GJCAA All-Region, and two GJCAA Players of the Year.

In 1991, Cantrell returned to DeKalb as an assistant coach responsible for recruiting. In his five seasons as an assistant coach DeKalb compiled an impressive 204-94 record. In 1995 Cantrell was named GJCAA Assistant Coach-of-the Year.

In 1998, Cantrell guided DeKalb to its first state championship since 1987. They also won the East Central District Championship, and made an appearance at the JUCO World Series, DeKalb's first appearance since 1977. Coach Cantrell's squads were consistently ranked nationally in the top twenty. For his efforts in 1998, Cantrell, was named GJCAA Coach-of-the-Year, as well as the East Central District Coach of the Year.

Born on November 10, 1965, in Habersham, Georgia, Cantrell was a two-time Georgia All-State shortstop at North Clayton High School. Following his senior season, Cantrell began his collegiate career at DeKalb College. At DeKalb, he hit .332 and was an All-Region shortstop his freshman year with the Patriots. Following an outstanding sophomore campaign, in which he hit .362, he was once again named to the All-Region. At the conclusion of his second year at DeKalb, the Atlanta Braves drafted him in the seventh round.

In the summer of 1985, Cantrell reported to the Braves rookie camp in Bradenton, Florida. After batting .214 in Bradenton, Cantrell was sent to Pulaski, Virginia for his second season. At Pulaski, Cantrell had a spectacular season, hitting .301 and making the Appalachian League All-Star team. That year, he helped lead the team to the Appalachian League World Series. While with Pulaski, he was coached by former Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers manager Grady Little. Cantrell credits Little and college coach Doug Casey as the main catalyst that led him into the coaching profession. Cantrell retired from professional baseball in 1987 and began coaching American Legion baseball in College Park, Georgia. A highly successful amateur coach, Cantrell finished third in the nation three times.

Tom and his wife Shannon live in Dacula, Georgia, with their 17-year-old daughter McKenzie.

Playing Experience

• DeKalb College (1983-1985)
• Atlanta Braves (1985-1987)

Education

• DeKalb College (1985)

Coaching Experience

Record at NGCSU - 407-219 (.650)

2000 - Present 
North Georgia Head Coach

1996 - 1999
Georgia Perimeter (DeKalb College)
Head Coach

1991 - 1995
DeKalb College Assistant Coach

Coaching Honors

• 2007 Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year
• 2003 & 2001 GACC Coach of the Year
• 2003 & 2001 Georgia Dugout Coach of the Year
  
• 1998 ABCA Regional Coach of the Year
• 1998 East Central District Coach of the Year
• 1998 GJCAA Coach of the Year
• 1995 GJCAA Assistant Coach of the Year

Cantrell's Coaching Record
2009 NGCSU 34-24 (.586)	2008 NGCSU 41-21 (.661) PBC Tournament Champions	2007 NGCSU 34-22 (.607)
2006 NGCSU 32-29 (.525)	2005 NGCSU 57-15 (.792) SSAC Champions	2004 NGCSU 54-19 (.740) NAIA Region XIII Champions
2003 NGCSU 31-26 (.544) GACC Regular Season Champions	2002 NGCSU 43-24 (.641) NAIA Region XIII Champions	2001 NGCSU 45-17 (.726) GACC Regular Season Champions Region XIII Runner-up
2000 NGCSU 36-22 (.621) Southeast Regional Bid	1999 Georgia Perimeter 44-10 (.815) GJCAA Conference Champions	1998 DeKalb 42-18 (.700) GJCAA Conference Champions GJCAA State Champions East Central Champions
1997 DeKalb 46-13 (.780) GJCAA Conference Champions	1996 DeKalb 45-11 (.804) GJCAA Runner-up	Overall Record 584-271 (.683)

Career Highlights

• Collected 400th victory as head coach at North Georgia on April 21, 2009 (10-9 vs. West Georgia)
  
  
• Collected 550th win while clinching the programs first-ever Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship on May 11, 2008 (10-8 vs. Francis Marion)
  

• Collected 500th career victory as head coach on April 14, 2007 (5-2 vs. GCSU)
  

• Collected 300th victory as head coach at North Georgia on February 10, 2007 (2-1 vs. West Alabama)
  

• Collected 400th career victory as head coach on February 19, 2005 (9-1 vs. Faulkner University).
  

• Collected 200th victory as head coach at North Georgia on April 22, 2004 (8-0 vs. Shorter College).

• Collected 300th victory as a head coach on May 10, 2002 (3-1 vs. Auburn Montgomery).

• Collected 100th victory as head coach at North Georgia on March 19, 2002 (9-3 vs. Emory)

• Collected 200th victory as a head coach on April 1, 2000 (12-4 vs. Southern Polytechnic State).

• Collected 100th victory as a head coach on February 28, 1998 (5-3 vs. Central Alabama).

• Guided NGCSU to GACC Regular Season Championship in 2003 and 2001.

• Guided NGCSU to NAIA Region XIII Championships in 2002 and 2004.

• Finished 2001 ranked 7th nationally (NAIA) and received regional bid as #1 seed.

• Led NGCSU to first national ranking (20th) in school history on April 4, 2000.

• Averaged 42 wins per season as head coach.

• Led Georgia Perimeter (DeKalb College) to three consecutive GJCAA Conference Championships.

• Led DeKalb to the 1998 GJCAA Conference, State, and East Central Championships and a trip to the Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.

• Compiled a four-year record of 177-52 (.773) at Georgia Perimeter. (DeKalb College)

Derrick Tucker
	Assistant Coach deetuc3@yahoo.com 706-867-2754

Derrick Tucker is in his fourth year as an assistant baseball coach under Tom Cantrell at North Georgia College & State University in 2009-10. His responsibilities will be to act as the recruiting coordinator, hitting coach and assist with catchers and infielders.

In 2009, Tucker oversaw an offense that set the school record for the most home runs in a season, blasting 72 homers while scoring 417 runs and posting a batting average of .298 as a team. He coached PBC All-Conference performers Andre Airich and Brad Hall who combined to hit 24 home runs and drive in 120 runs.

In 2008, North Georgia hit .303 as a team, the fourth highest team batting average in school history while recorded 65 home runs, the second highest number in program history. Tucker oversaw junior transfer Rob Flanigan who set school records of home runs with 20, slugging percentage at .735, and finished with a batting average of .403 while receiving First-Team All-American honors and being drafted in the 29th round by the San Francisco Giants.

During 2007, the Saints hit .300 as a team, and then-freshman catcher Daniel Petitti led the Peach Belt Conference in runners thrown out attempting to steal. The Saints also won three Player of the Week Awards under the guidance of Tucker. Tucker, a native of Marietta, GA, graduated from Woodstock High School in 2001 and during that time played on the 1999 AAU Junior Olympic National Team. Tucker continued his playing career at Kennesaw State University as a standout catcher. While at Kennesaw, he started all four years and held a personal best .282 batting average his senior year. As a junior, he set a Kennesaw record as he caught 18 baserunners attempting to steal and picked off three additional runners for a combined 21 put-outs and a .429 percentage. During his time at Kennesaw, the Owls won the Peach Belt Conference Championship in 2002, competed in the regional playoffs all four years and won the South-Atlantic Regional in 2003, then went on to finish third in the college world series in that same year. The team also finished in national rankings Top-10 in three of the four years.

Tucker resides in Dawsonville, GA and graduated from North Georgia with a degree in History with a minor in Business.

Chris Widing
	Pitching Coach cwiding14@yahoo.com 706-867-2754

Chris Widing is in his first year as the pitching coach under Tom Cantrell at North Georgia College & State University in 2009-10.

Widing Comes to North Georgia from Young Harris College where he served as the pitching coach for last two years. Under Widing last season, the Mount Lions pitching staff had a record of 44-12 while posting an earned run average of 4.91.

Prior to his coaching days at Young Harris, Widing played two years for the Mountain Lions, guiding the squad to District Championships in 2003 and 2005 before transferring to Charlston Southern University for two years to play at the NCAA Division I level in the Big South Conference.

Widing excelled in baseball at East Paulding High School as a three-year starter for the school. On the diamond, Widing was twice named Defensive Player of the Year for Head Coach Ronnie Green and was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 2002 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

Widing holds an Associate of Sciences degree from Young Harris College and a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Charleston Southern University.

Gerald Allison
	Assistant Coach 706-867-2754

Gerald Allison is in his sixth year as an assistant baseball coach under Tom Cantrell at North Georgia College & State University. His primary responsibility is working with the outfielders

Under Allison, the outfield recorded 17 assists in their second season of competition in NCAA Division II baseball.

He has served on the White County Parks & Recreation Board for 4 years and was chairman for two years.

Allison is a graduate of Rockdale County High School and attended Truett-McConnell College. He coached at Truett-McConnell before joining the Saints coaching staff in 2004. Allison is a general contractor in the metro-Atlanta area and he and his wife Janice and son Trent reside in Cleveland.

Trey Henson
	Graduate Assistant dchenson3@gmail.com 706-867-2754

Trey Henson is in his second year as a graduate assistant under Tom Cantrell at North Georgia College and State University in 2009-10.  Trey will assist in the everyday operations of the baseball program.  His duties include working with the infielders, field maintenance and camp operations. Trey is also heading up the strength and conditioning program for the baseball team.

A native of Athens, Georgia Henson is a three-sport letter winner in baseball, football, and golf at Clarke Central High School.  While there, he broke the school record for season doubles (14) and career doubles (39).

Trey was part of the 2004 College World Series with the University of Georgia. Henson was also a part of the 2005 NGCSU SSAC Championship team with a 57-15 record.  In 2006, he was a student assistant for the Bulldogs when they went to the World Series.

Henson graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor's Degree in Health/Physical Education.  He is attending NGCSU with hopes of attaining a Master's Degree in Health and Physical Education.

Garrett Lussi
	Student Assistant Coach galuss5926@student.ngcsu.edu 706-867-2754

Garrett Lussi is in his first year as a student assistant under Tom Cantrell at North Georgia College and State University in 2009-10.  Garrett will assist in the everyday operations of the baseball program.  His duties include working with the pitchers, field maintenance, and camp operations.

Lussi was apart of the 2008 PBC Tournament Championship team that finished the season at the 2008 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional. During the 2008 season, the junior appeared in 23 games while posting a record of 3-2 and an earned run average of 3.89.

Lussi has a school record 100 appearances as a pitcher for head coach Tom Cantrell, setting the mark with his 96th career appearance on April 22, 2009 in an 8-5 victory over North Greenville to cap a doubleheader sweep.

Over his four-year career at North Georgia, Lussi accumulated a record of 12-7 as a reliever with an earned run average of 3.92. He pitched 170.0 innings while striking out 107 batters and had a batting average against of .243.

Lussi will continue working toward his degree in Physical Education at North Georgia.