DAHLONEGA, GA - North Georgia College & State University head baseball coach Tom Cantrell has announced the addition of Chris Widing as the Saints new pitching coach for the 2010 season.

“We are excited to welcome a quality individual to our program,” Cantrell said of his new pitching coach. “The experience Chris brings to the North Georgia baseball program will make an immediate impact on our pitching staff.”

Widing comes to North Georgia from Young Harris College where he served as the pitching coach for last two years. Under Widing last season, the Mountain Lions pitching staff had a record of 44-12 while posting an earned run average of 4.91.

Prior to his coaching days at Young Harris, Widing played two years for the Mountain Lions, guiding the squad to District Championships in 2003 and 2005 before transferring to Charlston Southern University for two years to play at the NCAA Division I level in the Big South Conference.

Widing excelled in baseball at East Paulding High School as a three-year starter for the school. On the diamond, Widing was twice named Defensive Player of the Year for Head Coach Ronnie Green and was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 2002 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

Widing holds an Associate of Sciences degree from Young Harris College and a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Charleston Southern University.