Kraken Baseball Hires
Head Coach

Meet Coach Blake Herring

Carteret Community College is proud to announce the hiring of Blake Herring as the college’s first-ever Head Baseball Coach, marking the beginning of a historic new era for Kraken Athletics and the community.

Herring joins Carteret after an accomplished decade as head coach at Louisburg College, where he built one of Region 10’s most consistently competitive baseball programs. Since returning to Louisburg in 2015, Herring has guided the Hurricanes to more than 250 victories and helped more than 100 student-athletes advance to four-year institutions to continue their playing careers. His teams have earned numerous accolades, including All-Region 10 honors and multiple major Region 10 awards such as Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Relief Pitcher of the Year. In 2022, outfielder Trendon Craig continued the program’s success by being selected in the MLB Draft.

“Carteret Community College considers it a homerun to have hired Coach Blake Herring as the first head baseball coach in our new athletics program.  His record of excellence speaks for itself, but what truly sets him apart is the character, integrity, and commitment to student success that he brings to our campus and community,” said college president Dr. Tracy Mancini. “As we launch this program, the interview committee sought a leader who could build not only a competitive team, but also a positive, supportive environment where student-athletes grow as individuals while pursuing an education that strengthens their long-term opportunities in life.  Coach Herring embodies those values, and we are excited for the lasting impact he will have on our students and college.  We welcome him and his family to our Kraken community.”

“I would like to thank Dr. Tracy Mancini, Scott Lane, Booth Parker, and Bill Henderson [the hiring and selection committee] for the opportunity to become the first Head Baseball Coach in Carteret Community College’s history. I feel extremely grateful for the trust that the committee has placed in me to lead the baseball program from its startup to its inaugural season,” Herring said. “Having the Crystal Coast as our backyard is a distinct advantage in recruiting, and I look forward to assembling a quality team that makes Carteret Community College and the community proud to be a Kraken. My family and I are excited about getting settled and forming relationships in the Morehead City community and the surrounding area.”

Herring’s coaching résumé also includes four years as pitching coach at Carson-Newman University, where he mentored several All-Conference and All-Region pitchers. In 2015, pitcher Vince Apicella ranked fourth nationally in NCAA Division II strikeouts under Herring’s guidance. His earlier stint as pitching coach at Louisburg (2008–11) yielded back-to-back Region 10 Pitchers of the Year, including one future South Carolina Gamecock and another drafted in the fourth round by the Chicago Cubs.

A native of Snow Hill, North Carolina, Herring excelled as an All-State athlete at Greene Central High School before beginning his collegiate playing career at Lenoir Community College, where he helped lead the Lancers to a fifth-place finish at the NJCAA Division II World Series, and then Campbell University, where he led the Camels in wins, innings pitched, starts, and complete games in both 2006 and 2007. He later earned his master’s degree in kinesiology from Georgia Southern University.

“Today is a historic moment for our college as we welcome Blake Herring as the first head baseball coach in our history. From the beginning, Blake checked every box we were looking for in a leader to build this program,” said Scott Lane, Athletics Director. “He is deeply committed to helping student-athletes succeed beyond the field, holding them to strong academic and personal standards, and he has a proven track record of fielding teams that perform at a championship level. Blake is not only an exceptional baseball coach; he is an even better person of high character and integrity. As an eastern North Carolina native, he understands our community and will be an outstanding fit for Carteret County and our campus culture. We are equally excited to welcome his wife, Kelly, and their children, Peyton and Carson, to the Carteret Community College family as we launch this historic new era of Kraken Baseball.”

Herring is married to Kelly (Joyner), a New Bern native and elementary school teacher. They have two children, Peyton Banks (11) and Carson Blake (6).

Voices on the Hiring of Blake Herring

Seth Johnson – MLB pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies

“I can’t thank Coach Herring enough for what he’s done for me during my time at Louisburg.  He was the only college coach to give me a chance to play after high school and then he had the guts to let me pursue pitching my sophomore year.  Aside from all the baseball knowledge gained, Coach Herring turned my teammates and I into men.  One of my favorite memories was starting practice by learning how to change a car battery when the battery in his truck died.  Just one example of how he capitalized on any opportunity to teach us a life lesson.  Coach Herring is an incredible baseball coach, but he’s also the perfect individual to coach at the junior college level because of his ability to turn his players into men away from the field.  Again, I can’t say thank you enough to Coach Herring!”

Trendon Craig – 20th round MLB draftee, Baltimore Orioles

“Coach Herring is more than just a coach.  He practices and preaches core values not only needed in baseball but in everyday life as well. He stands on accountability, honesty and responsibility.  He’s a leader, mentor, and he provides a consistent source of motivation for his players.  He instills everlasting value into his players and expects nothing but the best effort from his guys. He holds everyone to a high standard and pushes his players to be the best that they can be.  If it were not for coach Herring, I wouldn’t be the man or ballplayer that I am today.”

Candace Jones – former faculty and Honors Program Director

“As a faculty member at Louisburg College, I consistently saw Coach Herring place academics at the center of his program, holding his players to high classroom standards while fully supporting their growth as students.  His unwavering commitment to education fostered a culture of accountability and excellence that prepared student-athletes for success well beyond the baseball field.

Billy Funk – former assistant and current recruiting coordinator at NC A&T University

“Carteret Community College got their first hire for the baseball program correct with Blake Herring.  Coach Herring has displayed over his coaching career the ability to be a leader, mentor and teacher.  The service that he will bring to the baseball program, campus community and local community will be done from the greatness of his heart.  I’m excited to see coach Herring and his family start this next chapter of their life.  The development of the baseball program is in great hands.”

Elliott McCummings – former assistant and current Director of Recruiting at Ohio State University

“Coach Herring’s strong leadership, tireless work ethic and clear vision make him a slam dunk hire for his job.  The time and effort he will invest in this program will be second to none.  He is one of the main reasons I am where I am today.  His new players and coaches now have the opportunity to work with one of the very best in the game.”

Mike Holloman – Director of Athletics at Louisburg College

“Coach Herring has been a strong representative of Louisburg College, both on and off the field.  We are confident he will bring that same level of professionalism and integrity to Carteret Community College.  He has the experience and vision to build a successful program and we wish him and his family continued success in this next chapter.”