Former collegiate shortstop Graham Odom named assistant baseball coach for East Mississippi Lions

SCOOBA – Former MACJC and NCAA shortstop Graham Odom has been named assistant baseball coach at East Mississippi Community College, as announced this week by EMCC head baseball coach Chris Rose.

Elevated to full-time coaching status for the Lions, Odom now begins his second year as a member of Rose's coaching staff after serving as a graduate assistant a year ago on EMCC's regular-season state runner-up squad.  Having started at shortstop at both Jones County Junior College and the University of South Alabama as a collegian, Odom takes on additional coaching responsibilities with EMCC's infielders and hitters.

"I greatly appreciate this opportunity to continue working with Coach Rose," Odom said.  "Last year was a great run for us here at EMCC, and I'm excited for the group of guys returning and for the new players we have coming in this fall.  I look forward to helping these guys grow as players and young men as they pursue their dream of playing at the next level."

During his first year on the Scooba campus, Odom assisted in a variety of capacities in helping guide the 29-18 Lions to a second-place conference finish during the regular season with a 20-8 league record and a third-place showing in the MACJC State Tournament.  Last year's EMCC squad also made the school's first NJCAA Region 23 Tournament appearance since 2004.

A product of Pascagoula High School, Odom began his collegiate career as a two-year starter at Jones County, where he helped head coach Christian Ostrander's Bobcats compile a two-year composite record of 83-27 and back-to-back MACJC South Division titles.  As a sophomore, Odom batted .275 with 31 runs scored and 25 RBIs for the 46-15 JCJC squad that finished the 2011 campaign as the NJCAA Division II World Series runners-up.

"Graham is a guy who has come through the junior college system and was South Alabama's starting shortstop," EMCC's Rose noted.  "He is a very intelligent coach who is a relentless worker and his defensive knowledge is off the charts."

Odom continued his college experience at South Alabama, where he teamed with fellow current EMCC assistant baseball coach Anthony Izzio under the guidance of head coach Mark Calvi.  With 92 career starts in 101 appearances for South Alabama, Odom hit .247 with 30 runs scored and 25 RBIs as a senior in helping lead the 43-20 Jaguars to their winningest season in 12 years and an appearance in the 2013 NCAA Starkville Regional hosted by Mississippi State University. 

In 2012 as a junior at South Alabama, Odom hit .344 during Sun Belt Conference regular-season play.  He also enjoyed success in the classroom as a member of the SBC Academic Honor Roll. 

Odom earned his bachelor's degree in 2013 from South Alabama's School of Continuing Education and Special Programs.