Leggett Named Richland Baseball Coach
DALLAS – Dallas College Richland named Jim Leggett as the new head baseball coach.
"Jimmy Leggett brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from both Division I and Division II levels of collegiate baseball," Dallas College Interim Executive Athletic Director Lynn Nabi said. "A dedicated family man, he is committed to teaching the game, with a strong emphasis on fundamentals and discipline."
Leggett served as Appalachian State University's pitching coach for the past two years. Prior to that, he was the director of baseball operations-pitching performance. App State went 33-21-1 in 2024 and 30-25 in 2023. The Mountaineers were 23-31 in 2025.
In 2024 Leggett helped the App State pitching staff record 446 strikeouts, which was tied for the second most in program history. Jackson Steensma finished with 74 strikeouts, which ranked seventh in the Sun Belt Conference, while also ranking among league leaders in ERA and opponents' batting average. Zach Lewis also ranked among league leaders in saves, while Dante Chirico combined with Cody Little on a one-hitter against South Alabama on May 2. Chirico signed a professional contract with the Florence Y'alls following the season.
"I am extremely excited to be the next head coach at Richland," Leggett said. "This is a program with great tradition and a winning athletics culture on this campus. I look forward to helping our student-athletes achieve their individual goals in a team setting."
Prior to App State, Leggett was the pitching coach at Travecca Nazerene in Nashville, Tennessee. He helped lead the Trojans to three straight 30-win seasons, including a 2021 NCAA Division II World Series berth and a 37-win season in 2022. In 2023, Travecca Nazerene claimed the division title, with two of Leggett's weekend starters earning all-conference honors with sub-3.00 ERAs.
In four seasons at Travecca Nazarene, Leggett groomed 10 all-conference pitchers, including a pair of all-region honorees and one All-American. His 2021 staff had a team ERA of 4.30 to lead the conference, and ranked as high as eighth nationally during the season.
Leggett was the pitching coach at Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina, from 2017-18. The Patriots opened the 2017 season with a program-best 18-2 start.
"My wife and I are thrilled to be a part of the Dallas College community," Leggett said. "Not only professionally, but also for our young daughter, who will get a chance to grow in this community. The opportunities to make an impact on others are seemingly endless in a place like Dallas."
He began his coaching career at Lander University as a volunteer assistant and pitching coach. Lander's pitchers compiled a 3.98 ERA to lead the Peach Belt Conference in 2016, with a trip to the World Series and No. 3 national ranking.
Leggett pitched for Belmont Abbey College, which advanced to the NCAA Division II College World Series in 2010. He transferred to Pitt Community College, which also qualified for the World Series in 2011.
"Dallas College Richland has truly hit a home run with the hiring of Coach Leggett as its new head baseball coach," Nabi said. "His leadership promises to keep the Thunderduck program one of the best in the country and inspire student-athletes both on and off the field."