Polk to coach 1998 National Team

Mississippi State's Ron Polk has been selected by USA Baseball to coach the 1998 USA National Team.

He succeeds Bob Milano of the University of California, who led the 1997 team to a 21-13 record and fourth-place finish in the Intercontinental Cup in Barcelona, Spain. New Mississippi State head baseball coach Pat McMahon served as an assistant on the 1997 USA team.

Polk, who is associate athletic director for special projects at Mississippi State, retired in June 1997 after 22 seasons as head of the university's baseball program. During that time, he compiled an 888-422 record, with five NCAA regional titles and five berths in the College World Series, along with four SEC Championships. He is the winningest coach in any sport in SEC and Mississippi State history.

No stranger to USA Baseball, Polk served as head assistant coach on the 1996 Olympic Team and 1995 National Team. He was head coach of the 1991 USA Pan American Team that qualified the country for the 1996 Olympics. He also was an assistant on the gold medal winning 1988 USA Olympic Team and worked with the 1977 and 1987 National teams.

USA Baseball is the national governing body of amateur baseball in the U.S., and a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee.