Kansas University’s baseball team has hired as an assistant coach Rick Sabath, head coach at Garden City Community College the past three seasons.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity from coach (Ritch) Price,” Sabath said. “Being a native Kansan, there is a great pride in being able to come to work every day in Allen Fieldhouse.”

Sabath will serve as KU’s recruiting coordinator, specifically in the Kansas, Colorado and Kansas City metro areas. He will coach the catchers and assist with KU’s hitters while serving as bench coach on game days.

“He is a great addition to our staff,” Price said. “He has been one of the most successful junior-college coaches in the state of Kansas and throughout the entire Midwest. Not only is he an outstanding coach, but he is an outstanding person, and we think he is a great fit for our program.”

This past season, Sabath’s Broncbusters were one victory shy of advancing to the JUCO World Series after posting a 41-17 record. During Sabath’s first season with the Broncbusters, he led GCCC to its first Region VI Final since 1999. In his second season, GCCC posted 36 victories and advanced to the region semifinals.

Sabath started his coaching career at Hutchinson Community College, where he was an assistant coach for four seasons. The Blue Dragons won the Jayhawk Western Conference all four years.

Sabath then took over as head coach at Cloud County for two seasons before leaving for GCCC. During his first season, Sabath was awarded the Jayhawk West Coach of the Year.

A 1994 graduate of Fort Hays State University, Sabath received his masters degree from KU in 1996.