The King’s Academy recently announced the hiring of former University of Florida standout and Major League Baseball player Brad Wilkerson as the school’s new head baseball coach.
Wilkerson takes over the Lions’ helm from Doug Magaw, who recently left TKA to return to John I. Leonard High School, where he continues to work full time as a teacher and coach.
Wilkerson hails from Kentucky, where he was an all-state baseball and soccer player, garnishing All-American status as a baseball player.
Wilkerson’s exemplary high school baseball career led him to sign and play for the University of Florida as an outfielder and pitcher. At the University of Florida, he was part of the 1996 and 1998 College World Series teams, became a three-time All-American (1996-98) and was the 1998 Rotary Smith/National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Player of the Year. Wilkerson’s stellar collegiate play led to his being drafted in the first round by the Montreal Expos in 1998.
Wilkerson’s MLB accolades include being named the Montreal Expos Organizational Player of the Year (2000), Major League Futures All-Star (2000), Sporting News MLB Rookie of the Year (2002) and Montreal Expos MVP (2004).
Wilkerson played for the Expos, Nationals, Rangers, Mariners and Blue Jays in eight MLB seasons.
His stellar athletic career and community involvement have been recognized by organizations and colleges in and out of high school baseball.
Wilkerson was inducted into the University of Florida Sports Hall of Fame (2010) and was voted the #1 Baseball Player at the University of Florida in the last 100 years. Wilkerson was voted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame (2012) and the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame (2008).
In 2006, he was named a distinguished Kentucky Colonel by Gov. Ernie Fletcher, the highest honor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky for achievement all around the world.
Wilkerson is married to Dana (Gleason) Wilkerson. They have three children, Ella, Ava and Max. The Wilkersons have been part of the TKA family since their children entered school.
“We are very excited to have someone of Brad’s ability and caliber to lead the TKA baseball program, “ TKA Athletic Director Adam Winters said. “Brad’s ability to teach and develop talent in young men will make him a very successful coach at TKA. I am confident that Brad will continue to build on the great foundation laid by coach Magaw.”
The King’s Academy is a nationally recognized private Christian school serving approximately 1,200 students from preschool through 12th grade. More information about TKA, visit www.tka.net.
