Kurt Elbin returns for his second season with the SU coaching staff, once again as the primary assistant coach. Elbin serves a variety of roles with the team, including hitting consultant and recruiting coordinator, but spends a significant amount of time as the primary instructor to the infielders.
In his first season with the Raiders, Elbin was an integral instructor to a defense that turned more double plays (43) than any other school in the league while ranking fifth in the PSAC in fielding percentage (.961) – the team’s best mark since its World Series appearance in 2008. SU also stole 52 bases, which is also the most in one season since 2008.
Elbin came to Shippensburg after three years as an assistant coach at Thiel College. During his tenure, the Tomcats were consistently one of the strongest teams in the Presidents Athletic Conference and were nationally ranked as high as No. 18 in Division III during the 2009 season.
With the Tomcats, Elbin held each of the roles he performs at Shippensburg in addition to working as the strength and conditioning coordinator and third base coach. He also assisted with practice planning, scheduling and game preparation.
In his first full season at Thiel, the Tomcats finished the year with a .373 batting average. Overall, in his three seasons at Thiel, the team’s offense finished among the nation’s Top 10 teams in five categories while compiling eight ABCA All-Region selections, two ABCA All-Americans and two ESPN Academic All-Americans.
During the summer of 2009, Elbin was an assistant coach for the Mankato Moondogs of the prestigious Northwoods League. Elbin was the first base coach, hitting coach and bench coach while primarily working with the infielders.
Prior to his arrival at Thiel, Elbin was an assistant coach at Muhlenberg College. From 2007-08, he was the head coach of the Tradewater Pirates - a collegiate summer team in the Kitty League.
Elbin is a native of Bedford and a 2006 graduate of Lock Haven University, where he was a three-year starter under coach Smokey Stover. He made 135 starts over the course of three seasons, hitting a team-high .346 as a junior. Elbin earned a master’s degree from California (Pa.) in 2008.
His coaching experience includes work with summer camps in several states, including developmental camps at the University of Maryland and the University of Virginia.
