Assistant Coach Toby Bicknell
#10 Toby Bicknell Assistant Coach Fourth Year Wingate, 2002 Toby Bicknell enters his third year as assistant baseball coach at the Air Force Academy. Bicknell, who coaches the hitters and defense, along with running the offense from third base, also spearheads the recruiting efforts for the Falcons. Air Force baseball’s 2013 recruiting class is ranked #67 in the nation according to Perfect Game. The Falcons crack Perfect Game’s Top 100 rankings for the first time in program history. The Falcons have 10 commitments so far for the 2013-14 class. Air Force has three commits that are top 10-ranked players in their respective states. The Falcons are the lone Top 100 representative from the Mountain West (for teams playing in MW in 2014). In 2012 Bicknell coached a trio of Falcons to Mountain West Baseball AllConference team. The Falcons were led by senior Blair Roberts who earned firstteam honors at second base. Roberts earned the selection with a .302 conference batting average, becoming Air Force’s first all-conference middle infielder in the Mountain West era. Junior Garrett Custons was named second-team catcher, becoming Air Force’s first two-time all-conference honoree since 2003. Sophomore Seth Kline earned second team honors at DH/Utility, raising his batting average 84 points and slugging by 150 points in just one season. The Falcons also set a school record with 46 sacrifice bunts and ranked 33rd in the nation in triples per game. Defensively, the Falcons fielded .959 on the season, the second-best mark in school history. The Falcon catchers (Garrett Custons and Brian Sicher) combined to throw out 30 baserunners on the season ranking second in the Mountain West. Their 53.6 percent runners thrown out average was tops in the conference. In 2011, Bicknell helped lead the Fighting Falcons to the most wins since 2002, their first win over a Pac-10 school in 21 years and their first series sweep since 2003. Defensively, Air Force set the school record for fielding percentage at .960. Several Falcon players accomplished career highlights in 2011 including senior Nathan Carter who set the NCAA Division I record with 33 career triples. Carter also led the Mountain West Conference with seven triples. Sophomore Garrett Custons ranked in the top 10 among the Mountain West in 11 offensive categories while garnering a First-Team All-Mountain West selection. Bicknell spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons at Davidson College. At Davidson, Bicknell dramatically helped turn around the Wildcat offense and defense. During his first season with the Wildcats, the 2009 team improved in eight offensive categories - home runs (30 to 66), doubles (89 to 122), runs scored (272 to 313), RBIs (252 to 283), total bases (647 to 827), slugging percentage (.375 to .468), on-base percentage and stolen bases (45 to 56), and finished seventh or higher in the Southern Conference in five offensive categories. Davidson had five starters that batted over .300, three with double-digit homers and four starters with double-digits in doubles. Individually, several Wildcat hitters showed major improvements and turned in career-best seasons. Zach Kayne, drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 22nd round of the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, broke the school record with 22 doubles, while hitting a career-high 10 home runs and leading the team with a .340 average. Drew Gadaire earned a spot on the All-Freshman Southern Conference team, after hitting 11 home runs in his rookie season, and Danny Weiss was named to the All-Southern Conference Second Team as the designated hitter. The Davidson College 2010 season was highlighted by a 2-2 record vs. ACC teams including wins over Duke and nationally ranked #16 Virginia Tech. The Wildcats also made great strides defensively, committing 13 less errors than the 2009 team, improving their fielding percentage to .960 and turning 36 double plays. The 2010 season saw Andrew Barna earn SoCon All-Freshman and Freshman AllAmerican. Prior to his time at Davidson, Bicknell spent two seasons as the Volunteer assistant coach at Clemson University. During his time at Clemson, Bicknell worked primarily with infielders and hitters along with coordinating summer camps at Clemson. The Tigers compiled a 70-51-1 record during his two years and he coached five players who were picked in the Major League Baseball draft. During the 2008 season, the Tigers boasted one of the toughest schedules in the country, taking five games over top-25 opponents, seven over regional teams and three over super regional teams. In his first season at Clemson in 2007, Bicknell helped coach one of the best infields in Tiger history, led by first baseman Andy D’Alessio, shortstop Taylor Harbin, and third baseman Marquez Smith. Smith was a First Team All-ACC selection who hit .336 with 13 homers and 56 RBIs, while D’Alessio, who was the MVP of
2014 Air Force Baseball
the regionals, batted .319 with 17 home runs and 50 RBIs. Harbin added 19 doubles, 11 homers, and a team-high 62 RBIs. The Tigers advanced to the NCAA Super Regional in 2007 after capturing the NCAA Regional title. Clemson had 12 wins over teams ranked in the top-25 of several of the baseball polls and had a school-record 11 players selected in 2007 MLB draft, including five players in the first three rounds. Prior to his time at Clemson, Bicknell spent two years as an assistant coach at North Carolina-Pembroke. The Braves posted a record of 63-47 in those two years, received a national ranking as high as seventh, and posted back-to-back 30 win seasons for the first time in program history, while tying the school record for wins at 32. The 2006 team posted school records in seven offensive categories while also having six of its starters hit .315 or better. Defensively, the Braves set program records for fielding percentage, putouts and assists. Bicknell also coached All-American Jason Morales, who was eventually drafted by the Kansas City Royals. In eight years at the collegiate level, Bicknell has coached 14 all-conference players, two Freshman All-Americans, and eight MLB draft picks. All totaled, Bicknell has tutored 11 MLB draft picks. Bicknell spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons at nearby Myers Park High School in Charlotte, NC. The 2003 Mustangs were Western North Carolina State Champions and NC 4A State runner-up. That team contained five future Division I players including former North Carolina pitcher Robert Woodard, who was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 2007 MLB Draft. From 2000-2004 Bicknell was a part of the On Deck O’s where he coached 18 players that went on to play college baseball. Between 1998-00, Bicknell served as an assistant coach at Providence Senior High School in Charlotte, while also assisting with the Post 235 Matthews American Legion Team. Bicknell, who is entering his 14th year as a coach, has spent seven years in all coaching high school and travel baseball in the Charlotte area. He has coached 30 high school players that have gone on to play college baseball (25 at the Division I level), including seven ACC Players, 10 Southern Conference players, and three that were drafted by MLB. Bicknell was a starter on the 2002 Wingate baseball team, where he played third base. The Charlotte native lettered three times at Charlotte Christian School from 1995-97. He earned all-conference honors as a junior and senior and was all-state and All-Mecklenburg County as a senior. He also was a starter on the Knights football team both his junior and senior years, including starting quarterback his senior season. Bicknell, earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education at Wingate University in 2002, and his master’s degree in sports administration at UNC-Pembroke in 2006. Bicknell and his wife Faith have been married five years and reside in Monument, CO.
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