EOSC Hires Josh Merrill
WILBURTON, Oklahoma – Eastern Oklahoma State College has hired Josh Merrill as its new head baseball coach, bringing a strong track record of success in player development, recruitment and postseason performance to the Mountaineer program.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Merrill to the Eastern Baseball program,” said EOSC Athletic Director Kendra Whisenhunt. “His experience and leadership will be a tremendous asset to the team. We look forward to seeing him build on the strong foundation and continue the tradition of success.”
Merrill joins the Mountaineers after serving three seasons as the head coach at North Iowa Area Community College. During his time with the Trojans, Merrill led the team to 66 wins and two Region 11 tournament appearances. Under his guidance, 18 players earned ICCAC All-Region honors, with one player, Adam Berghult, earning NJCAA Division II All-American honors in 2023. Additionally, Merrill successfully helped 45 players transfer to four-year programs during his tenure at NIACC.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue on the rich history of success that Eastern Oklahoma Baseball has had,” Merrill said. “I am very excited to jump in and get to work.”
Before leading NIACC, Merrill held assistant coaching positions at the University of Southern Indiana and Neosho County Community College. His coaching responsibilities included recruiting, as well as working with hitters, outfielders, and catchers.
A Wichita, Kansas native, Merrill played collegiately as a right-handed pitcher. He began his playing career at Neosho County Community College, helping the team reach back-to-back NJCAA Division I World Series appearances. He later played at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and King University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 2015. Merrill also holds a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Oklahoma State University, earned in 2019.
Merrill takes over a program that recently returned to the NJCAA Division I World Series for the first time in 24 years, and he aims to continue building upon that momentum.
Get Local News!
