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 | Position:
Catchers, Hitting
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| Experience:
Second Season
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| Alma Mater:
North Carolina '92
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Mark Kingston begins his second season with the University of Miami baseball program following a successful stint at Illinois State and Purdue. Kingston will be charged with working with the Hurricanes catchers and assisting with hitting as well as coaching first base.
Kingston brings to Coral Gables an attitude of winning and determination. As a player and coach he has always been a part of a winning program.
As a prep, he served as team captain of the Potomac high school squad in Montclair, VA that won the state championship in 1988. His high school playing days culminated in a Baseball America Top 50 Prospect honor as he attended the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, but not before being drafted by the New York Yankees.
Success followed Kingston to Tar Heel country, as he quickly earned a spot in the UNC starting line-up. By his junior season, Kingston's reputation as a leader was reaffirmed by his teammates who voted him the Trippe Bourne "Most Dedicated Player" award for his outstanding work ethic and leadership by example. That honor served as a stepping stone as he went on to garner team captain honors as a senior. During his run at UNC, Kingston's teams were ACC Regular Season Champions, ACC Tournament Champions and made an appearance at the College World Series in 1989.
Kingston began his minor league career with a one-year stint playing with the Milwaukee Brewers rookie team before moving on to the Chicago Cubs organization. As a Cub, Kingston made stops with the Peoria Chiefs and Daytona Cubs, who won the Florida State League title. After making the jump to Class AA with the Orlando Cubs, Kingston helped his squad to the Southern League postseason playoffs.
Following his playing career, Kingston joined the coaching staff at Purdue in 1996. He was responsible for the development of the hitting, defense, recruiting, practice and travel. The Boilermakers achieved a school-record 17 Big Ten Conference wins during his 1997 season along with improving the team batting average from .267 to .306, home runs from 26 to 50 and RBI from 241 to 330. In addition, three of the top seven all-time individual batting averages were attained during Kingston's two-year tenure. During his stint at Purdue, he went from a volunteer assistant all the way to the top assistant position.
From Purdue, which he spent 1996-98, he moved on to Illinois State. With the Redbirds, Kingston served as hitting, catchers and outfielders coach for the 1998-99 year. In his lone season with ISU, the Redbirds had a school record for wins, runs, RBI, doubles, hits and walks.
Kingston is married to the former Letitia Kelly, a 1994 UM graduate, for the past two and a half years and reside West Kendall.
