Source: Ben Greenspan named IU hitting coach

Ben Greenspan has been named the permanent hitting coach for the IU baseball team, a source confirmed Monday.

A former catcher at IU and Connecticut, Greenspan replaces Tyler Best at the head of an offense that led the Big Ten last season. The former backstop had been helping with administrative and other responsibilities on an interim basis with the Hoosiers.

The son of recently resigned Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan, Ben Greenspan worked with the athletics department helping supervise facilities management before rejoining head coach Tracy Smith, under whom he had played for two years.

“Ben, even as a player, displayed leadership qualities that you just can’t teach,” IU coach Tracy Smith said in a press release announcing the hire. “I always had in the back of my mind that he would make an excellent coach someday. Opportunities sometimes knock at unusual times. The fact that we had an opening at the break and that Ben had already been involved in our program make it the perfect fit for both sides. Adding Ben to our staff will be a seamless transition as we head into the upcoming season.”

A captain in his senior campaign, Ben Greenspan played 73 games as a Hoosier, starting 43 of them. His best year at IU was his first, when the then junior catcher hit .311 with a team-best .447 slugging percentage and 19 RBIs.

Ben Greenspan owns two IU degrees, a bachelor’s in sport marketing and management and a master’s in sport administration, according to the release.

The Hoosiers begin their 2009 season Feb. 20 in St. Petersburg, Fla., in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge against West Virginia.

Their first home date comes four days later against IPFW.