Shane Gierke is welcomed back to the West Florida baseball coaching staff. Gierke worked as a student assistant under former head coach Jim Spooner in 2004. He is now in his second year as assistant coach.

Gierke's responsibilities under head coach Mike Jeffcoat includes recruiting, catcher development and hitting instruction. For the past four years, Gierke has been in charge of field maintenance and complex management at Pelican Park at UWF for the Pensacola Pelicans, an independent minor league team. Gierke has also served as the hitting and catchers coach at Edgewater High School.

Gierke played two seasons for the Argonauts from 2002-2003. He played in 70 games with 63 starts at the catcher and designated hitter positions. He was a First Team All-State and All-Conference selection in 2001 with Lake Sumter Community College. Gierke as also on the first ever state championship team at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Fla., while playing for his father, Chip.

Shane is a native of Apopke, Fla. He is the son of Chip and Carolyn Gierke. His father has been a high school baseball and football coach in the Central Florida area for over 30 years. His brother Casey, now an assistant coach at UWF, was a catcher for the Argos over the past four seasons. Brother Brad was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 1996 and later went on to play football at Appalachian State.