UH baseball adds Clay Van Hook as recruiting coordinator
The University of Houston has made a significant addition to its baseball coaching staff by hiring Clay Van Hook as the new recruiting coordinator, as first reported by the Houston Chronicle.
Van Hook, who has spent the last two seasons as the head coach at UT Arlington, will step into the role of top assistant coach, succeeding Ross Kivett. Kivett, the former associate head coach and hitting coach for the Cougars, left in July to take an assistant coaching position at Tennessee.
University of Houston head coach Todd Whitting expressed enthusiasm about the hire, emphasizing Van Hook's strong ties to the Houston area and his extensive experience in Texas recruiting. He also highlighted Van Hook’s previous success in recruiting during his time at Rice and the University of Oklahoma, noting that his addition to the staff would be a significant asset to the program.
“The addition of Coach Van Hook to our staff is huge," coach Todd Whitting said. "His success recruiting at Rice and OU and his longtime ties to the Houston area and Texas recruiting is a great asset to our program.”
Van Hook's coaching career includes stints as an assistant coach at Rice from 2012 to 2017 and at Oklahoma from 2018 to 2022, where he developed a reputation for his recruiting acumen and deep connections within the Texas baseball community. Former Rice Head Coach Wayne Graham praised Van Hook's qualifications, citing his extensive knowledge, experience, and network within the sport as key factors that make him an ideal fit for the position at Houston.
“No one is more qualified than Clay Van Hook to get this head coaching job. He is extremely knowledgeable, has a world of connections and has as good a resume as anyone. There is a wealth of talent in Texas, and Clay knows where to find it.”
As a player, Van Hook was a standout at Navarro College and later at the University of Texas, where he was part of the 2005 team that won the College World Series. He was also a Second Team All-Big 12 selection before being drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 2007. Van Hook's deep roots in Texas baseball, both as a player and a coach, make him a valuable addition to the University of Houston's program.