Paws Up Podcast - Episode 77 Feat. Rich Witten
FIU Athletics named Rich Witten as the fifth head coach in program history on June 23, 2022, wrapping up his third season as the skipper of the baseball program.
Under the guidance of Witten, the program has saw steady success in just three seasons at the helm.
The program finished the season with 31 wins in 2025—the most since 2017—and recorded 13 Conference USA victories, its highest total since 2018. With this performance, FIU qualified for the CUSA Championship for the second consecutive year. The Panthers also tallied 23 home wins at FIU Baseball Stadium, their most since the 2014 season.
Offensively, the team crushed 80 home runs, the fourth-highest total in program history. The lineup drove in 359 RBIs and posted 25 games with 10 or more hits.
FIU collected five All-Conference honors, highlighted by infielder Brylan West and pitcher Easton Marks earning First Team recognition—marking the first time since 2014 that two Panthers were named to the First Team. Senior slugger Kishon Frett earned Second Team honors after launching 20 home runs, tying for the fourth-most in program history. Freshmen Cole Cleveland and Andrew Ildefonso were named to the All-Freshman Team. Additionally, Frett was named CUSA Hitter of the Week twice (March 3 and April 14), while Alex Ulloa earned the same honor on March 31.
The program secured several signature victories throughout the season, including a sweep of No. 17 Western Kentucky—their first sweep over a ranked opponent since 2016—and a pair of wins over in-state rival Miami.
The Panthers posted 27 wins in 2024, the most since 2018 and made the CUSA tournament, qualifying for the first time in six years.
The offense shined posting a .293 batting average, the highest batting average since 2011 and as a member of Conference USA. The power was on display with 83 home runs, third most hit in program history and most since 2009. In addition, the offense netted 379 RBI, most since 2011 and most as a member of CUSA. The team racked up 26 games with 10+ or more hits.
Throughout the season, the program earned four wins against Power Five opponents with wins at Miami, a pair of victories vs Notre Dame and a road win at Iowa. Four Panthers earned CUSA All-Conference team honors highlighted by designated hitter Ryne Guida being named to the first team.
The program made an instant improvement across the board in year one under Witten. The Panthers won 21 games, the most since 2019. FIU Baseball Stadium became a fort that saw 18 wins, the most at home since 2019, as well. The offense scored 337 runs, the most since 2017.
Witten coached three Panthers to Conference USA honors highlighted by outfielder Alec Sanchez being named to the All-Conference First Team, the Panther to make the First-Team since 2019.
The Panthers also excelled in the classroom in Witten's first season leading the program. The team finished the Fall with a team GPA of 3.43, the highest of any men's team, and then improved on that in the Spring with a team GPA of 3.52. The efforts in the classroom were recognized with five College Sports Communicators Academic All-District nods and Sanchez being named to the Conference USA All-Academic team.
Witten arrived at FIU following five seasons on the staff at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he served as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator since 2018. His primary responsibilities included overseeing the offense and infield defense.
During the 2022 season, Witten helped guide the Rams to a 42-20 overall record and their second straight Atlantic 10 Conference Championship. VCU also advanced to the championship game of the 2022 NCAA North Carolina Regional, where it defeated Georgia and No. 10 ranked North Carolina.
During his time at VCU, Witten also assisted in leading the Rams to the 2021 Atlantic 10 Championship and A-10 regular season titles in 2019 and 2021. Under his direction, VCU posted a 162-86 overall record and a 65-23 mark in conference play.
In addition, Witten boasts strong South Florida ties, having previously served as a volunteer assistant on the baseball staff at the University of Miami in 2014. Considered an excellent recruiter with numerous connections across the state of Florida, Witten was part of the Hurricanes’ program that captured the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season crown in 2014 and was ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation.
Furthering his connection to the state of Florida, Witten also held the position of Director of Baseball Operations at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in 2013.
Prior to his stint at VCU, Witten held the title of assistant coach at Winthrop University (2015, 2016, 2017) for three seasons, working primarily with the hitters, as well as the catchers and first basemen on the defensive side.
Witten aided in leading the Eagles to 102 total wins during his three-year tenure, including a No. 1 seed in the Big South tournament in 2017 and a 40-win season in 2015.
He led the Eagles to one of the best offenses in the Big South, taking them from ranking last in 2014 prior to his arrival, to the top of the conference in 2015, with a team batting average of .299.
Each year under Witten’s watch, Winthrop had a Johnny Bench Award nominee, given to the best catcher in college baseball.
Witten boasts a solid playing career at Coastal Carolina University, which saw him post a .316 career batting average. He recorded 50 doubles that stands seventh among the programs’ career leaders. He also drove home 158 runs, which ranks as the sixth-best total in program annals.
He earned first team All-Big South honors as a senior in 2012 and made three Big South All-Tournament teams from 2010 through 2012. Witten played in five NCAA Regionals and two Super Regionals. He was a part of 230 wins in his career, which ties him for the top spot all-time in Coastal Carolina history.
Witten graduated from Coastal Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science and a minor in psychology.
Witten is a native of Danville, Ky., where he was a five-year letter winner, two-year captain and a Louisville Slugger All-America choice at Danville High School.
