Since Justin Haire took over in 2015:
· Campbell has won 317 games and averages over 30 wins per year.
· Haire has four times been named Big South Coach of the Year (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023).
· Three Camels have been named Big South Player of the Year (Cole Hallum, Zach Neto, Lawson Harrill).
· Three Camels have been named Big South Pitcher of the Year (Allan Winnans, Michael Horrell, Thomas Harrington).
· Four Camels have been named Big South Rookie of the Year (Logan Bender, Ryan Chasse, Thomas Harrington, Jackson Roberts).
· Campbell has received 63 all-conference selections, including 33 first-team selections.
· Nine different Camels have been named All-Americans.
· Campbell has reached five NCAA Regionals and won seven NCAA tournament games.
· Has won the Big South regular season five times (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023) and the Big South Tournament four times (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023).
· 13 Camels have been selected in the MLB Draft, and 18 have signed professional contracts with MLB organizations.
Justin Haire completed his 10th season as head coach of the Campbell University Fighting Camels and his 17th as a member of the Campbell baseball coaching staff.
After spending seven seasons as recruiting coordinator, assistant coach, and eventually associate head coach under former skipper Greg Goff, Haire was named the 10th head coach of Campbell baseball (senior college era) on June 6, 2014.
Haire has coached dozens of all-conference players, over 20 all-region players, 10 conference players of the year, two region players of the year, and 24 All-Americans. Haire has recruited or coached every baseball All-American in Campbell history.
In 2024, Haire once again led the Camels to a 30-win season, this time in the team's first season as a member of the CAA. The Camels secured four wins over ranked opponents, including wins over in-state rivals ECU and Duke and a series win against UCSB to open the season. Seven players were named to All-CAA teams to end the year, led by Lawson Harrill and Grant Knipp on the first-team. Harrill became the second Camel to be named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, and he was also named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy.
Haire recorded his 300th career win on March 16 against Valparaiso.
In the 2023 season, Haire led the Camels to their fifth-consecutive Big South regular season title and the conference championship for the second year in a row. The team boasted a 46-15 record, advancing to their second regional final. On April 18th, the Camels defeated UNCW to give Haire his 268th career win and the all-time wins record at Campbell. He was also named Big South Coach of the Year for the third straight season.
Campbell ranked in the top-10 nationally in 13 different categories, including No. 1 in hit-by-pitches and on base percentage. They ranked No. 2 in scoring and slugging percentage, third in runs, ninth in batting average and 10th in walks earned. A program record 14 Camels were named all-Big South, including Player of the Year Lawson Harrill and Freshman of the Year Jackson Roberts.
The team eliminated both Central Connecticut State and NC State in the Columbia Regional before falling to host South Carolina in the regional final. Four Camels were named all-region, and three received all-America nods. The Camels tied the program record with four players being drafted in the 2023 MLB Draft: Cade Kuehler (round 2, Atlanta Braves), Ty Cummings (round 7, Seattle Mariners), Ernie Day (round 14, Seattle Mariners), and Daniel Brown (round 16, Chicago Cubs). Three other Camels signed as free agents: Hunter Loyd (Philadelphia Phillies), Jarrod Belbin (Seattle Mariners), and Bryce Arnold (Toronto Blue Jays).
Haire wrapped up the 2022 season with a 240-175 (.581) record through his first eight seasons at the helm of Campbell baseball. He is one of four head coaches in program history to reach triple-digit wins, joining Goff (2008-14, 224 wins), Chip Smith (1996-2006, 267 wins) and Cal Koonce (1980-86, 174 wins).
The 2022 campaign was one of Campbell’s most decorated seasons in program history, and was the first 40-win season of the Haire era. The Camels claimed their fourth-consecutive Big South regular season title with a 41-19 record, while going 20-3 in conference play, the best conference mark in program history. Campbell went on to win the Big South Tournament title for the first time since 2019, dropping the first game before reeling off four straight wins to punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season.
Campbell was the only team in the nation to tally 100+ HR, 100+ SB, 100+ doubles and 100+ HBP, showcasing the best qualities of Coach Haire’s “hard to kill” mantra at the plate. Campbell set a record for HR in a season with 118, topping the program’s previous best mark of 106 that had stood since 1985.
While earning his third Big South Coach of the Year award, he guided the team to the most all-conference players ever, with 11 being tabbed all-Big South. Eight Camels landed on the first team with three more on second team. The selections were led by Player of the Year Zach Neto, and Pitcher of the Year Thomas Harrington.
Neto and Harrington were both unanimous all-Americans by all major publications, with each picking up first-team honors, the first two first-team selections in program history. Harrington was also named a CoSIDA first-team academic all-American.
In 2021, the Camels claimed their third consecutive Big South regular season crown before falling in the Big South Championship game. After a 33-14 regular season, Campbell earned its first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and the fifth tournament appearance in program history.
At the 2021 Starkville Regional, Campbell dropped the first game to VCU before winning back-to-back games against Samford and VCU to reach a second straight regional final. Campbell fell 6-5 to eventual national champion Mississippi State. The Camels finished the 2021 campaign at 37-18, the highest win percentage of Haire’s tenure (.673).
The 2021 squad featured a prolific offense as they posted 8.8 runs/game, good for fourth in the country. The team also finished in the top-10 nationally in HBP (1st), sac flies (1st), doubles (2nd), OBP (3rd), scoring (4th), slugging (5th), and stolen bases (9th).
There were plenty of postseason accolades for Camel individuals. Haire was named Big South Coach of the Year alongside Zach Neto being named Big South Player of the year and Thomas Harrington as Big South Freshman of the Year. Nine total Camels received all-conference recognition. Four Camels also accounted for 11 all-American selections. Matthew Christian, Spencer Packard and Neto were all named all-Americans by various publications, while Thomas Harrington and Neto were each freshman all-Americans.
Following the season, Spencer Packard was selected in the ninth round by the Seattle Mariners and Cam Cowan inked a free-agent deal with the Cincinnati Reds.
The 2020 season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic just 16 games into the season and prior to the start of conference play. Campbell was 7-9 during the early stages of that season but did collect a win at home over No. 16 ECU.
In 2019, the Fighting Camels swept the Big South regular-season and tournament titles for the second consecutive season, making their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and advancing to the program’s fourth NCAA Tournament Regional in program history and third in the last six seasons.
At the 2019 NCAA Greenville Regional, Campbell went 2-0 over its first two games, making its first regional championship appearance in program history. Campbell finished the year with a 37-21 overall record, the winningest season under Haire.
Michael Horrell was voted the Big South Pitcher of the Year and rookie left-handed pitcher Ryan Chasse claimed Big South Freshman of the Year honors to highlight six Fighting Camels selected to the league’s all-conference teams.
Four Fighting Camels were drafted in the 2019 MLB Draft, surpassing the previous school record of three Campbell baseball draftees in 2015. Right-handed pitcher Seth Johnson became the highest draft pick in program history with his 40th overall selection to the Rays.
Haire was selected as the 2018 Big South Coach of the Year after leading CU to its first outright regular-season conference title since 2013 with a 21-6 record in conference play. Despite being picked fifth in the Big South preseason poll, the Camels racked up a program-record 21 wins in Big South play to claim the No. 1 overall seed in the conference tournament. Campbell also claimed the Big South Tournament Championship. The Camels finished the season with 35 wins, the most for CU since 2014.
Allan Winans was voted the Big South Pitcher of the Year, while Logan Bender claimed Big South Freshman of the Year honors. Additionally, eight Fighting Camels were selected to the league’s 2018 all-conference teams, the most for the Camels since 2013.
Winans and Bender were also named First Team All-Big South, alongside Campbell’s Matthew Barefoot and Jeff Hahs. Christian Jones, Michael Horrell and Tyson Messer were picked Second Team All-Conference, while Kyle Mehl represented the Camels on the Big South All-Academic Team.
Haire’s first team wasted no time breaking into the record books in 2015. The Fighting Camels set the mark for the best start in program history by winning 17 or their first 19 contests, en route to establishing Haire as the winningest first-year head coach in program history by posting 32 victories.
The 2015 season marked the Camels’ fourth straight season of 30 or more wins, the first time that has ever happened in the history of the program, and Campbell ranked 17th (out of 299) in the country in total wins from 2012-15. In addition, for the fourth straight year, the Camels made an appearance in the top-30 of at least one national poll, another first for the program.
In Haire’s first season at the helm, Campbell led the Big South in ERA (3.48) for the second time in three seasons, and ranked second in team batting average (.297). CU also boasted 32 home runs, the most by a Campbell team since 2010, and led the league in stolen bases for the fourth consecutive season.
Five Camels earned All-Big South honors, with Cole Hallum earning Big South Player of the Year, and went on to garner Third Team Louisville Slugger All-American honors. Matt Parrish earned his second-consecutive Academic All-America accolade, also collecting Second Team All-Big South merits at designated hitter.
The record-setting continued that June, as three Camels were selected in the 2015 MLB Draft: Cedric Mullins (13th round, Baltimore Orioles), Steven Leonard (23rd round, Colorado Rockies) and Heath Bowers (24th round, Oakland Athletics). All three were drafted after having never been drafted previously in their career, continuing a trend of development that Haire and his staff have demonstrated since arriving in Buies Creek.
In 2016, three more Camels earned All-Big South honors, including senior Matt Parrish, who took First Team accolades, along with his third Academic All-America nod. Parrish was also named the recipient of the prestigious Senior CLASS Award, given to the nation’s top senior with notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
Grant Yost and Anthony Lopez joined Parrish on All-Big South teams, while 19 Camels earned Big South Presidential Honor Roll honors. The Camels finished just a game out of second place in the Big South regular season standings.
In 2017, Haire led the Camels to 25 victories and four of his players picked up all-conference honors. Drew Butler headlined the group as the Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was a second-team selection. Hallum seized his second first-team selection while Matthew Barefoot and Jeff Hahs joined Butler on the second team.
Following the 2017 campaign, Barefoot was named a Freshman All-American by three different college baseball publications: The NCBWA, Perfect Game and The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. He became the first Freshman All-American in program history.
Butler finished the season as the co-national leader for stolen bases with 39 swipes. He became the sixth Camel to earn a NCAA statistical championship, which have all been under the tutelage of Haire. Butler was also named a 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-District selection marking the 23rd straight year a Campbell player earned academic all-district status. He was a semifinalist for the 2017 Senior CLASS award.
Since 2012 the Camels own 338 wins, averaging over 30 per year, with 26 All-America selections, six Academic All-Americans, over 15 MLB contracts and over 50 all-conference picks.
As an assistant, Haire helped to make the Fighting Camels into one of the most explosive and consistent offenses not only in the conference but also in the entire country. CU has set over 50 school individual and team offensive records, practically rewriting the offensive record book with Haire at the helm of both the team’s hitting and recruiting efforts.
Haire and the coaching staff’s recruiting and coaching efforts helped guide Campbell to 41 or more wins each season from 2012-14, totaling 131 victories over that span. CU originally set the school record for wins in 2012 with 41, only to eclipse that mark again in 2013 with 49 victories. The 2013 season culminated in the Big South regular-season championship, the first in program history.
In 2014, the Camels took the Big South Tournament Championship, the first since 1990, and advanced to the program’s first NCAA Regional since 1990. In the Columbia Regional, the Camels picked up their first-ever NCAA Tournament win, knocking off Old Dominion 4-1 in 12 innings. Campbell finished the season with its third straight 40-win campaign, with 41 victories.
Michael Felton, a second baseman, was named the program’s first All-American (by two different publications) after being among the national leaders with 103 hits in 2012. In 2013, the Camels had three All-America selections; outfielder, and national stolen base champion (54), Ben McQuown (two different publications); shortstop Brent Graham, who hit .375, and closer Ryan Thompson, who led the nation in ERA with a school and Big South record 0.88 clip. Thompson was also named Big South Pitcher of the Year after the 2013 season and followed that with another All-America campaign in 2014, becoming the first two-time All-American in program history. Cole Hallum joined the All-America ranks in 2015 after banging 12 home runs and saving nine games on the mound.
Under Haire’s guidance, a Camel was named Academic All-American five times between 2012-16, including designated hitter Matt Parrish in 2014, 2015 and 2016 to become Campbell’s first-ever three-time Academic All-America. Josh Holskey and David Olson also picked up Academic All-America honors in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Thirty-one of Haire’s former players have signed professional contracts, including 14 MLB First-Year Player Draft picks.
On August 10, 2018, Cedric Mullins became the 10th Fighting Camel to reach the MLB and the first position player to receive the call in program history. Mullins found his footing with the Baltimore Orioles in 2021 and was named an American League All-Star starter, the third MLB All-Star from Campbell joining Jim and Gaylord Perry.
Ryan Thompson made his major league debut on July 24, 2020 for the Tampa Bay Rays and later that season became the second Camel to appear in a World Series following Jim Perry. Thompson posted a 1.93 ERA in nine postseason appearances, including three scoreless outings against the Dodgers in the World Series.
Other recent former Camels to make MLB rosters were pitchers Matt Marksberry (2015, Atlanta Braves) and Jake Smith (2016, San Diego Padres).
As an assistant coach, Haire has helped guide five teams that set school records for wins (Sterling College 2004: 37, Ouachita Baptist University 2006: 31, OBU 2007: 50, Campbell 2012: 41, CU 2013: 49).
Before his move to Campbell, Haire spent four years as an assistant under head coach Scott Norwood at Ouachita Baptist University, compiling a 107-61 won-lost record from 2005-07. Haire led an OBU team that ranked in the nation’s top-20 in team batting average (19th), team earned run average (11th) and team fielding percentage (13th), to a 50-10 record and a Gulf South Conference West Division Championship, in 2007.
Prior to his years at OBU, Haire spent one year as the pitching coach at Sterling College. In 2004, the Warriors boasted a 37-18 record, won both the KCAC ERA title (3.01) and KCAC tournament championship and had two All-America pitchers.
As a player, Haire was a member of Coach Danny Schmitz’s 2001 Mid-American Conference (MAC) East Division Champions at Bowling Green State University. After two seasons at BGSU, Haire went on to play for Coach Gary Vaught at the University of Indianapolis. In 2003, Haire helped guide the Greyhounds to the North Central Region Finals.
Haire graduated from Henderson State University (Ark.) with a B.A. in history. He married Lindsey Dawson of Benton, Ark., in 2010. The couple has four children, Jackson, Parker, Max and Anne Marie.
