University of Mount Olive alum Jackson Massey, a former all-Southeast Region selection during his pitching days, has joined the baseball coaching staff. He’ll work with outfielders, pitchers and assist in recruiting. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)

University of Mount Olive alum Jackson Massey, a former all-Southeast Region selection during his pitching days, has joined the baseball coaching staff. He’ll work with outfielders, pitchers and assist in recruiting. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)

Jackson Massey fondly recalls the days he occupied the bullpen while not toeing the rubber at Scarborough Field.

The Trojan alum is back where he belongs.Massey has been named assistant coach for the University of Mount Olive baseball program.

“The winning tradition of the program speaks for itself and I am excited to have the opportunity to contribute to that,” said Massey, who played on the Trojans’ Division II national championship team in 2008. “I’m excited to be here and ready to get going.”

Oddly, his return to UMO began in Kinston.

Massey coached the Kinston Wingmen, a team comprised of current and future collegiate players in the Old North State League this summer. The job whet his appetite and peaked his interest.

A phone call from Trojan head coach Rob Watt created further intrigue.

Could Watt allure one of his former pitchers back to “God’s Country,” the aptly-named, picturesque diamond nestled among the trees on campus?

“We had spoken a little bit over the summer and he heard that I was getting ready to leave North Lenoir,” Massey said. “We sat down one night and hashed out some details. For me, it was a no-brainer. I thought long and hard about it, prayed about it.

“It was very interesting to me, a different level than what I’m used to, but I got a good feel for it coaching the Wingmen this summer. Coming back here to Mount Olive and yp coach under Coach Watt, that means a lot to me. I figured now is a good time to see if I would like it. So far, it’s been good.”

Massey will work with the outfielders and pitchers, and learn the nuances of the transfer portal while he assists in recruiting.

UMO shouldn’t be a hard sale.

The Trojans logged 38 wins this past spring and collected their 15th Conference Carolinas tournament title in program history. They advanced to the NCAA regionals for the 19th time.

They’ve posted 30-plus wins in 25 of the last 28 seasons.

Since 1987, UMO has had 41 players selected in the Major League Baseball draft.

“We’re big in getting junior college guys and transfer guys,” Massey said. “I’ll try to be everywhere that I need to be to evaluate talent. If we feel like we’ve got a guy that’s a good fit, I’ll do my best and give them my pitch. Hopefully, it helps that I played here for four years.

“I think I know what it takes to play here and what makes this program successful like it has been for a long, long time before I got here. If your main goals are to win a lot of games and be the best baseball player you can be, this school is a no-brainer in my opinion.”

Massey stayed close to home after graduating from UMO in 2010.

He guided the Goldsboro and Southern Wayne programs for a combined six seasons until he migrated to North Lenoir. Once he settled into the Hawks’ nest, Massey’s teams compiled 108 wins, claimed four conference titles and made six appearances in the postseason.

North Lenoir reached the 2A east regional finals in 2018 and 2022. Massey was named the Wayne County Hot Stove League Coach of the Year in each of those seasons.

“As good as it is to be a part of successful baseball programs, there’s so much better people that come out of it [the university] than just ball players,” Massey said. “A lot of the local guys that played here are still successful in and around Wayne County, whether they are coaching or whatever they’ve decide to do.”

Add Massey to that list.