Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Adding a reputable name among pitching coaches to the Virginia Tech baseball staff, head coach John Szefc formally welcomed Doug Willey into the role of assistant coach, pitching on Friday.
Willey – who joins the Hokies following his three-year tenure as pitching coach at Xavier – possesses vast pitching development and technology experience at both the collegiate and professional ranks, including three seasons coaching within the Chicago Cubs organization.
“We are thrilled to add Doug to our staff,” said Szefc. “He has a lengthy background in pitching development, having coached at Xavier in the BIG EAST and spent three years as a minor league pitching coach in the Cubs system. Before that, he both pitched and coached at the University of Arkansas.
“Doug brings a wealth of experience both from the college and pro side to us. He is very in-depth when it comes to physically working with pitchers and integrating the analytical side of the game. Doug will be a big, big boost to us through his experience as far as getting our pitching staff where it needs to be in the ACC.”
Willey contributed to three consecutive 30-win seasons at Xavier from 2023 to 2025, leading the Musketeers’ pitching staff to the 2023 BIG EAST postseason crown and the 2023 NCAA Nashville Regional final. Among its high statistical marks during 2023, Willey’s staff placed among the top two BIG EAST squads and the top 50 NCAA Division I programs in ERA (4.55), hits allowed per nine innings (8.17), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.33), walks allowed per nine innings (3.38) and WHIP (1.28).
Under Willey’s tutelage, Xavier set the program record for single-season strikeouts (491) during the 2023 campaign, witnessing starters Brant Alazaus and Ethan Bosacker each chart 100-strikeout seasons. Through his three years with the Musketeers, Willey mentored six pitchers to All-BIG EAST honors – headlined by Alazaus earning 2023 First Team praise – two pitchers to ABCA All-East Region distinction and two pitchers to MLB Draft selections.
Before making his return to college baseball, Willey served three seasons as a pitching instructor within the Chicago Cubs organization, beginning in November 2019 when he was hired as pitching coach for the Arizona Complex League (ACL) Cubs in Mesa, Arizona.
On an instructional level, Willey oversaw the day-to-day development of many young pitchers within the Cubs system, from Rookie League arms to those who progressed as high as Major League Baseball. Through his deep comprehension of pitching lab technologies, he managed individualized throwing programs and schedules that resulted in yearlong success during the course of the grueling Minor League Baseball season.
Willey earned his collegiate coaching start in 2019 at Arkansas, where he had transferred to as a fifth-year pitcher in 2016.
As a graduate assistant, Willey served as bullpen coach while helping Arkansas pitching coach Matt Hobbs shape the Razorbacks into one of the more formidable mound units in the SEC. During the 2019 season, Arkansas ranked 12th among NCAA Division I programs in WHIP (1.24), 24th in strikeouts per nine innings (9.52) and 43rd in ERA (3.90) while the Razorbacks went 46-20, co-championed the SEC West Division and ultimately advanced as far as the Men’s College World Series.
A right-handed pitcher, Willey’s career as a student-athlete spanned five seasons, beginning with a four-year run at Franklin Pierce University (Rindge, New Hampshire) from 2012 to 2015.
With the Ravens, Willey made 61 career appearances on the mound, toeing a 2.71 ERA while stamping 21 saves between his sophomore and senior seasons. He factored into Franklin Pierce’s run of four consecutive NCAA Division II East Regional appearances, including the Ravens’ 2013 regional championship (fifth place national finish) and their 2015 Northeast-10 postseason title.
Upon transferring to Arkansas for the 2016 season, Willey led the Razorbacks in appearances (26), boasting a 3.49 ERA with three saves and 29 strikeouts spanning 28 and one-third innings pitched. He went on to be selected by the Los Angeles Angels during the 32nd round of the 2016 MLB Draft, pitching professionally that same year with the Orem Owlz.
Between collegiate seasons, Willey won two Cape Cod Baseball League championships during the summers of 2014 and 2015 with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.
Willey graduated from Franklin Pierce in 2015 with his bachelor’s degree in biology.