Silva excited to build program at ASU | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Arkansas State formally introduced Mike Silva as its new head baseball coach. Silva, shown while coaching at Nicholls State, replaces Tommy Raffo who was relieved of his duties on May 29. Silva has spent most of his career coaching in the college ranks, but spent a year as an area scout for the San Diego Padres in 2016.
(AP/Vasha Hunt) — Arkansas State formally introduced Mike Silva as its new head baseball coach. Silva, shown while coaching at Nicholls State, replaces Tommy Raffo who was relieved of his duties on May 29. Silva has spent most of his career coaching in the college ranks, but spent a year as an area scout for the San Diego Padres in 2016. (AP/Vasha Hunt)

Arkansas State University formally introduced Mike Silva as its new head baseball coach at a news conference Thursday afternoon at the Centennial Bank Athletics Operations Center on campus in Jonesboro.

Seeking a candidate who can rebuild a program that has not produced a winning season since 2017, ASU tabbed Silva as the man for the job after he rapidly transformed a struggling Nicholls State program into a two-time Southland Conference champion in three years.

"We interviewed several outstanding candidates and Mike really separated himself as we went through that process," Arkansas State Athletic Director Jeff Purinton said. "If you look at what Coach Silva did at Nicholls -- going to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments, led them to their first conference championship in 25 years -- it's really remarkable."

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