Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Welcoming an esteemed leader in the game to run the Virginia Tech baseball program’s day-to-day cadence, head coach John Szefc formally introduced Rich Witten into the role of general manager, director of baseball operations on Thursday.
Witten joins the Hokies following his four-year tenure as the head baseball coach at Florida International, where he led the Panthers in 2025 to their highest single-season wins total (31) since 2017. Returning to the ACC and the Commonwealth of Virginia, he previously served on the coaching staff at VCU from 2018 to 2022 as the Rams’ hitting coach and recruiting coordinator while harvesting earlier coaching experience at Miami (2014).
“We are thrilled to welcome Rich, his wife, Natalie, and their children to our program,” said Szefc. “He brings a wealth of baseball and administrative experience to Virginia Tech, from his days at Florida International as the baseball head coach these last four years and as an assistant coach at VCU, among other places.
“Rich has got a feel for Virginia. We are thrilled beyond belief to have him here. He will certainly upgrade our program as we continue to build it. There’s not a better, more qualified person for this position than Rich. It is a major boost; a major coup for us to be able to bring Rich in here to be a part of our program. Welcome Rich, Natalie and their family!”
Under Witten’s direction, Florida International bettered its cumulative win total during each of his first three seasons as head coach, improving annually in conference victories, too, to set a seven-year high (13) during the 2025 campaign. Upon taking the reins, he oversaw a three-year rise of the Panthers’ NCAA Division I Baseball RPI ranking by more than 100 positions nationally.
Having been absent from its conference tournament since 2018, Florida International returned to the postseason under Witten, qualifying for consecutive Conference USA Baseball Championship berths in 2024 and 2025. While guiding the Panthers in 2025 to their first 30-win season spanning eight years, he chalked two in-state, Power Four victories against Miami in addition to packaging a three-game league sweep of No. 17 Western Kentucky (as ranked per Baseball America).
With his background in developmental hitting, Witten’s offenses at Florida International soared among the program’s best, ranking third and fourth all-time in home runs during the 2024 (83) and 2025 (80) seasons, respectively. During the 2024 campaign, Witten’s lineup batted .293 and totaled 379 RBIs – both equating to program highs since 2011.
Witten’s honor roll at Florida International included seven student-athletes who combined for nine All-Conference USA honors, including four distinct First Team mentions. Academically, the Panthers led all FIU men’s programs with their 3.43 GPA during the fall 2022 semester, elevating to a 3.52 GPA during the spring 2023 season.
Prior to taking the head coaching job at Florida International, Witten factored into five winning seasons at VCU as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for head coach Shawn Stiffler. From 2018 to 2022, Witten helped steer the Rams to phenomenal offensive success, achieving 162 combined victories – 38.3 wins per season (excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign) – three Atlantic 10 trophies and two NCAA Regional appearances.
Witten’s arrival at Virginia Tech marks a decade-long return to the ACC, having served as the volunteer assistant coach at Miami during the 2014 season. After co-leading the Hurricanes to the ACC Coastal Division title and league’s best record, he joined the coaching staff at Winthrop (2015-17), providing hitting mentorship and defensive coaching for catchers and first basemen.
As a student-athlete, Witten crafted a .316 career batting average at Coastal Carolina from 2008 to 2012, ranking at graduation among the Chanticleers’ all-time greats in career doubles (50 – seventh) and RBIs (158 – sixth). Named to the 2012 All-Big South Second Team, the co-captain and infielder competed in five NCAA Regionals (2008-12) and two NCAA Super Regionals (2008, 2010).
Witten earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science at Coastal Carolina with a minor in psychology. A native of Danville, Kentucky, he resides with his wife, Natalie Kalibat Witten, as well as his two children, James and Victoria.