Ken Valentine Hometown: Asheville, NC High School: French Broad H.S. Last College: Morristown College Position: Assistant Coach

Returning for his third season in Maroon and Gray Ken Valentine is the hitting coach and is also in charge of the infield.

Valentine brings professional baseball experience to the program, as the native of Asheville, N.C. was selected in the 20th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Chicago White Sox in 1967. Drafted as a shortstop, Valentine spent four years with both the White Sox and Red Sox organizations, making it as high as the Double-A ranks, playing for the Pawtucket Red Sox.

The French Broad High School graduate came to the Durham area after his playing career ended and became a staple for baseball. From 1975 to 1982, Valentine coached Sheperd Middle School's baseball team.

After his time there, he took his knowledge of America's pastime to the high school level where he took over the Durham Hillside High School baseball program and became assistant football coach. Valentine stayed there until 1987 when he switched viewpoints on the diamond from coach to umpire, doing that for the Cap-Metro Area Umpires Association from 1987-1998.

Ending his 11-year coaching hiatus, Valentine took the position as assistant football Coach at Riverside High School in Durham for one season before returning to cross- town foe Hillside in 2002. That's where Valentine stayed until NCCU decided to revive its baseball program in 2007.

When one thinks about baseball in the Durham area, Ken Valentine is a name that always pops up. His years of knowledge and dedicated service to the Bull City have paid huge dividends for the baseball program.