September 13, 2011

(Willmar, MN) – The Willmar Stingers of the Northwoods League announced today that Matt Hollod will return for his third season as the Field Manager for the 2012 season.  Hollod managed the Stingers to a 39 – 31 record in both his previous seasons with the Stingers. The Stingers finished second and third overall respectively during his two seasons at the helm.  The Stingers record was the fifth-best of sixteen teams in the Northwoods League during the 2011 season.

“It was a fun season as we were in the hunt for the post-season race right up until the last couple games again this year,” Co-owner Marc Jerzak said. “We built momentum as the season progressed and our coaching staff deserves a lot of the credit.” added Jerzak.

What makes this year’s performance even more impressive is the team faced adversity due to injuries and players being drafted into professional baseball. The 2011 Major League Draft in June saw four Stingers sign professional contracts. The Stingers had OF Brian Stamps (Atlanta Braves), INF Carter Bell (Arizona Diamondbacks), LHP Scott Zuloaga, (Houston Astros), and P Jason West (Los Angeles Dodgers) sign contracts, making an immediate impact with their pro team.

“We were looking forward to having these guys with us all summer, however, this is a league of opportunity and we encourage players to chase their dreams,” Field Manager Matt Hollod said.

Matt Hollod is currently an assistant coach at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania.  Before his current position, Hollod was an assistant coach at Southern Utah University and an assistant coach at Willamette University (Salem, OR).  Prior to Willamette, Hollod served as an assistant coach at the University of Portland from 2003-08. Prior to his coaching career, Hollod was a four-time letter winner in baseball at the University of Washington and the University of Portland.

The Stingers are members of the largest summer collegiate league in the country. Currently the Northwoods League has had 85 former players play Major League baseball. Season tickets for the 2012 season are available. For more information regarding this story or upcoming season, please call 320-222-2010 or visit www.willmarstingers.com.

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