Baseball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
- Email:
- donegal@uw.edu
- Phone:
- 206-330-6733
CONTACT
Twitter: @coachferg
Email: donegal@uw.edu
Phone: 206.330.6733
Donegal Fergus spent five years at Washington in numerous roles, most recently as the recruiting coordinator and oversaw the catching staff. Fergus,Β a former assistant at Seattle University and head coach at Lower Columbia College, returned to the Emerald City as the new hitting coach at Washington on July 23, 2013.
In 2018, Fergus mentored All-Pac-12 catcher Nick Kahle, who caught 536 of a possible 553 innings (96.9%) behind the plate. He also continued his tireless work as a recruiter, assembling a group of incoming players that will be counted on to help lead the Huskies to back-to-back appearances in Omaha. Fergus was integral in building and nurturingΒ the group of student-athletes that not only thrive in the classroom, but helped lead the Huskies to their greatest post-season successes in the program's history: a first NCAA Regional series win, first NCAA Super Regional appearance, first Super RegioinalΒ series win and first College World Series appearance.
Fergus' assisted in assembling a top-10 group of newcomers for the 2017 season and helped the Huskies become one of the best defensive teams in the nation, while also continuing player development at the plate. The Huskies committed the fewest errors in school history in 2017, racking up the third best fielding percentage (.982) in the nation. Fergus also oversaw the development of the Husky hitters, including All-Pac-12 performers Joey Morgan and MJ Hubbs.Β Morgan was selected in the fourth round of the MLB draft, while outfielder Jack MeggsΒ went in the 10thΒ round.
In 2016, despite having an inexperienced collective group, Fergus helped the UW hitters develop into one of the Pac-12's top offenses in 2016, a season in which the Huskies earned their second NCAA Regional trip in his three years. The team hit .278 to rank fourth in the Pac-12 and were third with 36 home runs. They were also patient at the plate, drawing 239 walks to rank third in the Conference.
He mentored and helped develop three All-Pac-12 players in 2016: Chris Baker, Jack Meggs and Joey Morgan. Baker and Meggs were also named to the All-Pac-12 Defensive Team. Baker was selected in the 17th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
On the recruiting front, Fergus helped assemble one of the nation's top classes, ranking 18th in the last Perfect Game list. Four players in the class were selected in the 2016 Draft and five were ranked in the nation's top-200.
In 2015, Fergus saw two top hitters selected in the 2015 MLB draft.Β Catcher Austin Rei and outfielder Braden Bishop were both selected in the third round.Β Rei led the team in batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage and OPS despite only playing in 25 games after suffering a UCL injury.Β Bishop hit .293 in his career and was selected to the All-Pac-12 Conference Team. He led the team in hits, runs, stolen bases, doubles, total bases and walks.Β Β Β
Fergus also helped recruit a talented class of 2015, ranked 34thΒ nationally by Perfect Game.Β The group of 14 players is one of the most athletic, highly rated groups brought in to UW.Β The Huskies landed the 36th-overall ranked player in the nation, as well as three players in Perfect Gameβs top-500.Β
In his first season at Washington, Fergus helped the Huskies' offense improved dramatically. Washington ended up ranked among the top half of Pac-12 schools in hitting (.279, 3rd), slugging percentage (.378, 4th), on base percentage (.366, 3rd), runs (324, 4th), hits (538, 3rd), runs batted in (298, 3rd), doubles (93, 4th), home runs (26, T3rd) and total bases (729, 4th).
The team's offensive improvement went a long way in helping the Huskies (41-17, 21-9) reach their first NCAA post-season appearance in 10 years and finish second in the Pac-12 Conference race. It was the UW's best finish since 2004 and the 21 Conference wins were the second most since the north and south merged in 1999. The Huskies also acheived their highest national rankings in team history, reaching fifth in Baseball America, Perfect Game and Collegiate Baseball.
Fergus also saw numerous hitters flourish under his guidance. Three hitters earned All-Pac-12 honors and three more earned honorable mention in his first season. Brian Wolfe ended up 2nd in the Pac-12 with a .352 average and led players in conference play with a .381 average.
He also played in integral role in coaching the defense which led the Pac-12 and ranked fifth nationally with .982 fielding percentage. Four Huskies were named to the All-Pac-12 Defensive team, including Defensive Player of the Year Erik Forgione.
A school record eight players were selected in the 2014 MLB Draft, including five position players that were under the guidance of Fergus.
Prior to joining the Huskies, Fergus spent the 2013 season as the head coach at Lower Columbia College in Longview, Wash. He led the Red Devils to a 34-14 record and a trip to the West Region playoffs.
Before taking over at Lower Columbia, where he'd also served as an assistant coach from 2001-05, Fergus had spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Seattle University, where he oversaw the hitting. For the five years before that, he was head coach at Tacoma CC. At Tacoma, he posted a career record of 125-100 while reaching the playoffs in all five seasons. His 2006 team finished third at the NWAACC tournament.
In 2011, his first season at SeattleU, he helped the Redhawks make tremendous strides in offensive production, increasing run scoring, home runs, doubles, walks on-base percentage and slugging.
During his time as an assistant at Lower Columbia, he helped the team to four division titles, three second-place finishes in the NWAACC and an NWAACC championship. He earned a reputation as a strong recruiter during that time, highlighted by one class (2005) that included seven players who ended up being selected in the MLB Draft.
Fergus played baseball at Linfield College in Oregon, earning a bachelor's degree in political science in 2000. He also earned a master's degree in homeland security from the American Military University in 2007. A native of Powers, Ore., Fergus and his wife, Kim, have three children, Seamus, Finnegan and Maclean.
