Hortness ready to take on challenge as DSU baseball coach

Posted on Wednesday, July 28, 2010

By ARIY-EL BOYNTON, Sports Editor

Scott Hortness has been an assistant coach at Northern State University, the University of South Dakota, Dakota Wesleyan University and for the past nine years at Campbellsville University (Ky.). On Wednesday, Dakota State University announced that Hortness is the Trojans' new head coach.

"I told Gene (Wockenfuss) `yes' to the job before he could get it all out," said Hortness, who played college baseball at Huron College, DSU and Northern. "I originally applied to be closer to loved ones. I got family here, all my family. I'm 1,000 miles away, and it's about a $700 flight to Sioux Falls, so I didn't see them that much.

``That's the first reason."

Hortness continued, "I worked a lot of jobs and you can make a lot of money doing a lot of things. But I have always loved coaching."

A 1982 graduate of Parker High School, Hortness is looking forward to bringing some success to the Madison university.

"There's a good core of players, and we can build off that," he said.

After 23 years as an assistant he is ready to be the main guy with assistants of his own.

"I'm really looking forward to the challenge," said Hortness, who earned his undergraduate and master's degrees from NSU.

He replaces Dean Berry, who took over the NSU job in June.

©Madison Daily Leader 2010