University of Tennessee Athletics
Baseball
- Title:
- Volunteer Assistant Coach
Entering his second season with Tennessee as volunteer assistant coach, Chip Dill is primarily responsible for overseeing and developing the Volunteers' pitching staff. The former Tusculum College assistant coach joined the Vols staff in 2015 after spending the previous season with the Pioneers, serving as a part of the pitching staff as well as the team's strength and conditioning program personnel.
Last year, Dill helped Tennessee's pitching staff lead the team to a second consecutive SEC Tournament appearance, marking the school's first back-to-back postseason run since the 2004-05 seasons. Among the Vols' 2015 staff, the Vols' coaching staff witnessed three pitchers get drafted within the Top 15 rounds of the Major League Draft, including Andrew Lee (11th round), Drake Owenby (12th round) and Bret Marks (15th round).
Prior to his time with Tusculum, Dill spent the 2013 season with the NCAA Division II California Baptist University and helped lead the team to a NCCAA World Series title as pitching coach. While with the Lancers, Dill coached John Bengard, the 2013 PacWest Conference Pitcher of the Year, and guided the team's staff to a 43-18 record.
From 2009-12, Dill worked as the pitching coach at Orange Coast College and helped the club to an Orange Empire Conference Championship in 2012. The Pirates' staff compiled a 1.87 ERA to lead the state that season and in 2011, Dill helped the team reach the state super regionals.
Since 2011, Dill has also worked as a pitching coach for the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod Baseball League. In 2014, he coached former Vol and Washington Nationals prospect Andrew Lee and has coached Luke Bard (Georgia Tech), a 2012 first round (supplemental draft) selection (42nd overall) of the Minnesota Twins; JT Chargois (Rice), a 2012 second round selection (73rd overall) of the Minnesota Twins; Dan Langfield (Memphis), a 2012 fourth round selection; Scott Griggs (UCLA), a 2012 eighth round selection of the Los Angeles Dodgers; Tom Windle (Univ. of Minnesota) 2013 second round pick 56th overall; and Sam Moll (Memphis) 2013 third round selection of the Colorado Rockies.
As a player, Dill spent two seasons at Cerritos College (1982-83) and was drafted three times throughout his playing career. He was originally selected in the 12th round of the June 1982 Major League Draft by the California Angels, who later drafted him again in the sixth round of the mid-year amateur draft that same year. In 1983, the Minnesota Twins also selected Dill in the second round of the MLB Draft.
In 1984, Dill decided to enroll and play for Head Coach Jerry Kindall at the University of Arizona, leading the team with five saves that season. He also played in the Cape Cod League in 1983, winning the league championship title with the Harwich Mariners.
A graduate of Brandman University, Dill spent 26 years as a captain with the Costa Mesa Fire Department while living in California. He and his wife, Priscilla, have two children and live in Knoxville, Tennessee.
