Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator Billy Messer enters his 14th season as the top assistant for the Slippery Rock University baseball team in 2026.
In addition to serving as The Rock’s recruiting coordinator and assistant coach, Messer oversees strength and conditioning, works with hitters and infielders and is SRU’s third base coach. Prior to embarking on his coaching career, Messer was standout student-athlete for The Rock for four seasons.
CAREER AT A GLANCE
• Since joining the coaching staff prior to the 2013 season, Messer has helped to lead The Rock to 10 winning seasons, a 315-251 (.557) overall record and eight trips to the postseason.
• Messer has coached 61 All-PSAC West selections including three PSAC West Athlete of the Year honorees in Will Kengor (2014), Tyler Walters (2018) and Luke Trueman (2024) as well as three PSAC West Freshman of the Year award winners: Walters (2015), Abraham Mow (2018) and Ethan Edkins (2022) in addition to one PSAC West Pitcher of the Year Gage Gillott / 2024).
• Nine Slippery Rock student-athletes have also earned All-America recognition during Messer’s tenure in Kengor, Walters, Trueman, Gillott, Adam Urbania, Joe Campagna, Jon Kozarian, Connor Hamilton and Mark Wilbur.
• Messer has also coached four SRU MLB draft picks and over a dozen players that have signed independent league contracts after playing at The Rock.
• Off the field, Slippery Rock baseball has compiled a team GPA of at least 3.0 every season over the last 11 years with three student-athletes going on to be named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team.
COACHING TIMELINE
• 2010 (Summer): Slippery Rock Sliders (assistant)
• 2011-12: Virginia (Director of Baseball Operations)
• 2013-Present: Slippery Rock (Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator)
CAREER PATH
• Messer began his collegiate coaching career as the Director of Baseball Operations at the University of Virginia, a traditional NCAA Division I baseball powerhouse, for two seasons in 2011 and 2012.
• While at Virginia, Messer helped guide the Cavaliers to a 95-31-1 record, two appearances in the NCAA Tournament, one ACC Tournament title, one ACC Coastal Division championship and one trip to the College World Series.
• At Virginia, Messer had a wide range of responsibilities as he was involved in every aspect of the program. He served as the team's travel coordinator and assisted with all aspects of game day operations and on-campus recruiting.
• Messer left UVA following the 2012 season to return his alma mater.
ATHLETIC CAREER
• As a player, Messer was a four-year starter at second base for the Green and White.
• In 181 career games played, 180 of which were starts, Messer hit .317 (197-for-621) with 107 runs scored, nine home runs, 109 RBI and 16 stolen bases.
• Earned All-PSAC West honors on three occasions as well as receiving All-Atlantic Region accolades during both his junior and senior years.
• Helped to lead SRU to the PSAC Tournament four times and left college with a .631 winning percentage (123-72).
• Still ranks seventh in program history for doubles in a career (43) as well as ninth in games started (180), 10th in games played (181), 13th in hits (197) and 15th in RBI (109).
• Also served on the Slippery Rock Student-Athlete Advisory Council all four years and was the organization's treasurer his senior year.
PERSONAL
• Native of Slippery Rock.
• Earned Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Slippery Rock in 2010.
• Son of head coach Jeff Messer.
