RINDGE, N.H. (July 8, 2016) – Seven-time NCAA regional champion and six-time ABCA/Rawlings Region Coach of the Year Jayson King has tendered his resignation as head coach of the Franklin Pierce University baseball team, effective later this month, as announced on Friday by the institution. In a corresponding move on Friday, Director of Athletic Bruce Kirsh has appointed assistant coach Mike Chambers as the program's interim head coach for the 2016-17 academic year.

King departs Rindge to pursue an opportunity as the associate head coach at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., where he will join the staff of first-year head coach Jim Foster, who previously served as associate head coach at Boston College. Army suffered through a 16-32 campaign this past spring, but boasts a rich baseball history, as a seven-time Patriot League champion and six-time NCAA Championship participant.

In King, West Point gains the architect of New England's premier Division II baseball program, as well as one of the region's most-decorated programs, regardless of division. Inheriting a team which went 8-21 in 1998, the Canton, Mass., native has spent the past 18 seasons building a regional powerhouse and perennial national title contender at the foot of Mount Monadnock. Under his watch, the Ravens have captured seven NCAA Regional titles (2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2016), been an NCAA semifinalist on three occasions (2003, 2006, 2010), collected five Northeast-10 Conference titles (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015) and taken home nine Northeast-10 regular season titles (2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016). King will leave Rindge after having posted a record of 650-291-3 (.690 winning percentage) in 944 games as a Raven over 18 seasons. Including two previous years at Massachusetts Boston, his career record over 1,016 games stands at 675-338-3 (.666) across 20 seasons.

"Franklin Pierce has been a true blessing for [wife] Missy, [daughter] Katie, [son] Justin and I," said King. "We came to Rindge 18 years ago with big goals and aspirations to do great things with the community and the baseball program. It is safe to say that we have done that, with the assistance of many great coaches, players and support staff. The most important thing that we have built, by far, is the family culture within our program... I will certainly remember the dog piles, but it will be the relationships that have been forged throughout the years that will stay close to my heart and mind."

In his time at Franklin Pierce, King has mentored 31 All-America selections, 87 All-Region honorees and 128 All-Conference players, including 125 since joining the Northeast-10 in 2001. Nine different players have earned Conference Pitcher of the Year honors while playing for King, while seven have been named Northeast-10 Player of the Year and three have collected Northeast-10 Rookie of the Year accolades.

Just as impressive as the collegiate accolades has been King's ability to produce players who eventually move into professional baseball. Since the program's first draftee in 2001, the Ravens have produced 28 players who have been selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft over the last 15 years. The number ranks third among all schools in New England in the timeframe, regardless of division, trailing only Division I members Boston College (44 draft picks) and Connecticut (44).

"Special thanks to Bruce Kirsh, who has been a father figure, friend, assistant coach, brother and one incredible supervisor," added King. "It has been one heck of a ride for all of us within the Franklin Pierce baseball program for the past 18 years... The future is bright for the program and I look forward to seeing it soar to new heights. Relationships are what the game and life are all about, and we have so many to be thankful for. I am extremely excited about the next chapter in my life at West Point -- go Army -- go Ravens!"

Not to be overlooked is King's role in fundraising for the state-of-the-art Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field, which opened in 2005 and has become an epicenter of college baseball in the northeast over the previous decade. Since the facility's opening, the Ravens have served as a host for NCAA regional play on eight occasions (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016), as well as hosting the Northeast-10 Championship four times (2008, 2009, 2010, 2016).

"This is a bittersweet moment for both Franklin Pierce and myself with today's announcement of Jayson King's resignation," said Kirsh. "I am very happy for him professionally and, of course, his family as well. Jayson is one of the finest baseball coaches in the country and having him lead our program for the past 18 years has been a blessing. He has positively affected so many of the student-athletes who he has recruited and coached over the years. He will be sorely missed by the entire FPU community."

Entering his first collegiate head coaching position, Chambers has had a front-row seat for the meteoric rise of the baseball program at Franklin Pierce. A 2006 alum of the University, he was a freshman on the program's first NCAA Regional champion in 2003 and also captured a regional title as a player in 2006. Chambers returned to the program in 2011, and has served as King's top assistant coach and the team's first-base coach over the previous six years, collecting further regional titles in 2013 and 2016.

"This program means so much to me and has been such a huge part of my life for 10-plus years," said Chambers. "I'm truly honored to follow in the footsteps of such an amazing coach, friend and role model. I'm determined to carry the Pierce baseball tradition and uphold the strong core values that have been built by all those who have put on the uniform, both past and present."

Chambers boasts one of the most prolific offensive careers in school history. A decade following his graduation, he remains the program's all-time leader in doubles (70), and also owns the school's single-season doubles record (26 in 2006). Chambers also still ranks among the top 10 players in school history in games played (199), hits (238), runs scored (152), home runs (23) and runs batted in (139).

After the conclusion of his collegiate career, Chambers was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 32nd round (973 overall) of the 2006 MLB Draft. At the time, he was the 10th draft pick in program history and a part of a school-best five-pick draft. Chambers played two years of affiliated ball, peaking with the Greenville Drive, the Class A, South Atlantic League affiliate of the Red Sox, in 2007. Over 306 professional plate appearances, he hit .214/.299/.282.

"Michael Chambers, an alum of Franklin Pierce and an outstanding student-athlete here, is being named as interim head coach," said Kirsh. "Michael is a product of our baseball program and one of the many former Pierce players to be drafted and play minor league baseball. The continuity he brings to the program was paramount in my decision."

In King's final season in Rindge, the Ravens (48-9) captured the seventh NCAA Regional title in program history on May 23, with a 6-3 win over Southern New Hampshire. The Ravens also claimed their fifth straight Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division title during the 2016 campaign. Over 109 games since the start of the 2015 season, Franklin Pierce owns a 96-13 record (.881), which is the best winning percentage in the nation in that timeframe.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce baseball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).