Frank Pait
Head Coach
Coach Pait is entering his third season at the helm of the Buccaneer baseball team and 19th overall at the collegiate ranks. In 2010, Pait led a first year squad to a 31-20 record and and a birth in the Region 10 Regional Tournament in Martinsville, VA. During their inaugural campaign, CVCC was also ranked as high as 14th in the NJCAA DII national poll.
The 2011 squad finished with an overall record of 38 wins/15 losses and placed second in the regular season. The Bucs were ranked as high as 3rd in the country, finishing at 17th in the final poll.
Pait came to CVCC after an eleven year stint as the head baseball coach of Lenoir Rhyne University. As the all time winningest coach in program history, Pait compiled a 291-239-1 (.549) record as Bear mentor to go along with one South Atlantic Conference Regular Season Title (2001), two Food Lion SAC Tournament Championships (2000 and 2001) and one berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs (2001). Pait also earned 2001 SAC Coach-Of-The-Year honors after the team completed the year with a 33-18 mark. Prior to his time in Hickory, Pait spent three seasons as the assistant coach at Wingate University.
During his playing career at Wingate, Pait was named an NAIA First Team All-American and Conference Player of the Year as a senior. Coach Pait earned his B.S. in Human Services from Wingate University (’85) and a M.A. in Counseling from Lenoir Rhyne (’90).
Coach Pait resides in Hickory with his wife (Sheila) and two sons Tyler (16) and Baylor (12)
Assistant Coach, Matt Payne
Entering his first season with the CVCC baseball program, Matt Payne is a 2008 graduate of NC State University with a B.S. in sports management. A four-year letterman in baseball at NC State, Payne pitched and played both outfield and third base prior to being drafted by the Pittsburg Pirates in the 34th round of the 2008 MLB draft.
During his career at NC State, Payne earned second team All-ACC honors, hitting .412 in ACC play, 3rd best in the conference, and finishing overall 3rd in hits and 5th in total bases. After leading the team in homeruns and RBI’s his senior year, he was voted NC Stat Baseball Team MVP. Following an outstanding season, the Wolfpack earned the right to host a NCAA regional in which they defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks, winning the regional with Payne being named to the NCAA Raleigh Regional All-Tournament Team.
Payne played professional baseball two years in the Pirates organization and currently serves as an associate scout. He resides in Hiddenite, NC.
