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ATHLETICS
Women’s soccer program scores alumnus as head coach
Panthers in the pros
BSC alum earns spot on major
league roster
The Birmingham-Southern baseball team finished
2014 with a 35-10 record, winning the Southern Athletic
Association regular season title and garnering a berth at the
NCAA Regional Tournament. That meant a closer look from
major league scouts across the country—and a new job for
one graduating Panther.
Miles Nordgren ’14, a 6-foot-2 right-handed pitcher, was
picked by the Minnesota Twins in the 2014 Major League
Baseball First-Year Player Draft; he began rookie practice in Ft. Myers, Fla., in June. Nordgren is the third BSC player selected in the past four MLB
drafts, joining Bruce Maxwell, who was chosen by the Oakland A’s in the second round of the 2012 draft, and Drew Leachman, who was selected
by the Twins in 2011.
Nordgren was taken as the 680th overall pick after a stellar senior season in which he earned All-America and All-Region accolades from both
D3baseball.com and the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings. Nordgren also earned a spot on the Capital One Academic All-
American Team as well as First-Team All-SAA and SAA All-Tournament honors after helping the Panthers win the regular season and tournament
titles.
In addition, he was named 2014 BSC Man of the Year and was voted 2013 SAA Pitcher of the Year last season. He went 8-2 on the mound with
a 1.37 earned run average in 14 appearances, including 11 starts.
Nordgren, who studied mathematics at BSC, is a native of Gadsden. His “Plan B” was to pursue a master’s degree in civil or mechanical
engineering at Auburn University this fall.
“I am so thankful that God has blessed me with this opportunity to continue playing baseball,” he said. “I wouldn’t have had this opportunity
without the help of the coaching staff at Birmingham-Southern and the support of my family.”
Sean McBride ’99 has returned to the Hilltop as the new head
women’s soccer coach.
McBride, a standout on the pitch during his two soccer
seasons with the Panthers, had served as varsity boys’ soccer
coach at Homewood High School since 2001, leading the
Patriots to four state titles. His coaching honors also include
Birmingham News Metro Soccer Coach of the Year and Alabama
High School Athletic Association All-Star Coach.
As a student, he was named NAIA All-America in 1997,
1997 Mid-South Region Player of the Year, 1997 TranSouth
Conference Player of the Year, All-Conference in 1996 and
1997, and NAIA All-Tournament. McBride served as a graduate
assistant coach for BSC from 1998-2000 while finishing his
degree in history. Prior to his arrival at BSC, he played at
Massasoit Community College in Canton, Mass., where he was a
two-time NJCAA All-American.
A native of Scotland, McBride has also played for the Glasgow
Celtic Football Club Reserve Team, the Scottish National Youth
Team, and the Scotland National Schools Team.
“I am excited to be back full time on the Hilltop, and
especially coaching the women’s soccer team,” said McBride,
who was inducted into the BSC Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. “I
have a lot of very dear friends who’ve played on past women’s
teams, and I hope that I can continue the success that they laid
down for future players and teams.”
Photo courtesy of al.com