FAYETTEVILLE -- Four seasons after being a baseball assistant coach at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, Nate Thompson is the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Thompson, 34, also was a student assistant at Dallas Baptist, where he played in the outfield; a graduate assistant at Fort Hayes (Kan.) State; and a volunteer assistant at Nebraska. His first job as a full-time NCAA Division I assistant was at Missouri State the past three seasons.
"I guess you could say it's a quick rise," said Razorbacks Coach Dave Van Horn, who hired Thompson to replace Tony Vitello. "I think it's because, in my opinion, he's earned it by working and doing it."
Van Horn, who just completed his 15th season as the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville head coach, began his career as a volunteer assistant for the Razorbacks and got his first full-time coaching job at Texarkana Junior College. He won an NCAA Division II national championship at Central Missouri before coaching at Northwestern (La.) State, Nebraska and Arkansas.
"I like guys that go out and work," Van Horn said. "I like the fact that [Thompson] has coached in junior college.
"I like the fact that he's been at a school like Missouri State that has to grind it out a little bit more and maybe doesn't have all the things you'd like to have when you're trying to impress a recruit and his family as far as the way you travel and different things.
"Look at my resume. That's kind of the way I did it."
Thompson was hired at Arkansas on June 16 -- after Vitello became Tennessee's head coach -- but he didn't have his introductory news conference until Wednesday because he had been on the road recruiting in Chicago, Dallas, Wichita, Kan., Waco, Texas, and Stillwater, Okla.
"I'm really excited about working with the hitters here and all the guys coming back and the great talent coming in," Thompson said. "Tony did a great job with recruiting and getting a lot of very talented hitters.
"That was a big thing for me, was looking at it going, 'We're going to have a lot of premium talent to work with.' "
Arkansas and Missouri State have played 10 times since 2015, including six games in the NCAA Tournament.
The Razorbacks beat the Bears two of three games to win a super regional in 2015 at Baum Stadium, but Missouri State won two of three against Arkansas at this year's Fayetteville Regional to take the title.
"Arkansas has always been a place that I've thought a lot of because of Coach Van Horn and obviously the success and tradition of the program and fan base," Thompson said. "I loved coming here and competing as an opponent, but I'm really excited about calling this home now."
Van Horn texted Missouri State Coach Keith Guttin the day after TCU beat the Bears in a super regional and asked him to call so they could discuss Thompson.
"We had a good talk," Van Horn said. "Keith was really good with it. His words were basically, 'Hey, I get it.'
"He had nothing but good things to say about Nate. That was good. I didn't ask him one question. He just said a few things. I appreciated that."
Thompson said he couldn't thank Guttin enough for hiring him at Missouri State.
"He's been so good to me," Thompson said. "He always just told me throughout the whole process, 'Hey, if somebody comes along and calls,' let him know, and I think he understood. He's a very good man."
Van Horn said he targeted Thompson as his top choice to replace Vitello.
"A lot of people applied for the job," Van Horn said. "It was an unbelievable response. But to me it was all about getting the right person, and I truly believe Nate is the right person and will be a perfect fit for us.
"Outstanding recruiter. Loves to work with hitters. Those were the two things I really, really wanted."
Van Horn said Thompson's recruiting ties in the Midwest and Texas were keys to the hire.
"I just thought if we can get Nate to come here it would be huge plus for us and we won't skip a beat," Van Horn said. "We'll keep right on rolling along like we have this past season."
Sports on 06/29/2017