æz ɐ bˈɔːlpleɪɚ, hiː lˈɛd hɪz tˈiːm ˌɪntʊ ðɪ ˈɛŋkˈɑː ɹˈiːdʒənəlz θɹˈiː tˈaɪmz ænd wʌz nˈeɪmd tə ðɪ ˈɔːlɐmˈɛɹɪkə fˈɜːst tˈiːm ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti wˈʌn ænd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti tˈuː, ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ ɐ pˈɛɹ ʌv sˈaʊθ ɹˈiːdʒənəl ɹˈʌnɚɹˌʌp fˈɪnɪʃᵻz ɪn bˈoʊθ sˈiːzənz, wˌaɪl ˈɜːnɪŋ dˈɪksi kˈɑːnfɹəns plˈeɪɚɹ ʌvðə jˈɪɹ ˈɑːnɚz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti tˈuː.
As a ballplayer, he led his team into the NCAA Regionals three times and was named to the All-America first team in 1991 and 1992, including a pair of South Regional runner-up finishes in both seasons, while earning Dixie Conference Player of the Year honors in 1992.