Podcast: Vanderbilt assistant coach Jayson King on move to SEC

Jayson King joined The Base Path Podcast with hosts Dan Guttenplan to talk about his move to Vanderbilt. (Dayton Athletics)

The latest guest on The Base Path Podcast is Massachusetts native Jayson King, who recently resigned as head coach at the University of Dayton to become an assistant coach at Vanderbilt University.

King reflected on whether his transition from a head coaching position at a D1 mid-major to become an assistant coach at an SEC program speaks to the changing dynamics of college baseball.

“Well, it’s Vanderbilt, and it’s (head coach) Tim Corbin,” said King. “I think you combine those two things, and that’s a tough thing to pass up. It’s something that I’ve always had an interest in doing. I actually interviewed for this spot a dozen years ago, and it came full circle this time around.”

King had been the coach at Dayton since 2018. Dayton posted a 165–175–1 record throughout King’s seven seasons and went 77-58 in Atlantic 10 play while making the A10 Tournament four times.

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Like Corbin, a New Hampshire native, King has a background in the Northeast, having coached at D3 UMass-Boston and D2 Franklin Pierce. He plans to continue to recruit in the Northeast, something Corbin has done over the last 10 to 15 years.

“It’s part of the DNA of the program; it’s certainly intentional,” King said. “I think we speak a similar language. There’s always been that attachment to the New England players — the toughness, some of the competitiveness, and the multi-sport athletes. So, it’s all stuff and ingredients that we look for when we recruit.”

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Listen to the podcast with Jayson King.