ROSS HIXON
Ross Hixon has been a part of the Post 70 Baseball program since 2016. Hixon has served as the 17U and 19U coach in some capacity each summer, specializing in pitchers, program fund-raising, and program management.
In the spring, Hixon has helped at Pike Liberal Arts H.S. as a volunteer pitching coach since 2017. Hixon worked under current Pike Road H.S. head coach, Allen Ponder, where Pike won back-to-back state championships for AISA class AAA in 2018 and ‘19. Hixon won the AISA assistant coach of the year award, presented by the ALABCA, in 2019. Currently, Hixon is an assistant for new Pike Liberal Arts Head Coach, (and brother) Rush Hixon. For Post 70, Hixon has been a part of 4 straight American Legion State Championships, a Regional runner up in 2019, and the first 17U State Championship in 2017.
As a player, Hixon played 2 years at Southern Union C.C. for hall of fame coach, Joe “Jabo” Jordan. In the 2010-2011 season, Hixon was a member of Southern Union’s state championship team that competed at the NJCAA College World Series. Hixon racked up 39 innings, all in relief, and was 2nd in saves, 3rd in strikeouts per 9/inn., and 1st in opponents batting average against. After Southern Union, Hixon was a preferred walk-on for Coach John Pawlowski at Auburn University. Hixon earned his associate degree from Southern Union in Biology and his bachelor’s degree from Auburn University in Biomedical Science.
As a native of Pike County, Alabama, Hixon attended Pike Liberal Arts H.S. and played for Coach Butch Austin. Hixon is married to wife Amy (Stephens) Hixon and has a son, Brooks Hixon (15 months old). Ross and Amy reside in Banks, Alabama.
RUSH HIXON
Rush Hixon is 2015 graduate of PLAS where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball. He was on the 2012 Patriot baseball team, coached by the revered Butch Austin, that brought the first AISA state championship trophy home to Pike. His senior season, coached by Allen Ponder, he hit .414 with 25 RBIs and was 4-1 with a 1.27 ERA and 48 strikeouts. He was named an AISA All-Star his junior year as well as an AISA All-Star for football, basketball and baseball his senior year.
Hixon signed a baseball scholarship to Lurleen B. Wallace Community College and later played at Central Alabama Community College where he was named both all-region first team player (pitcher) and all-north first team player (pitcher) in 2017. He also was named a 2017 ABCA NJCAA Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner in 2017. prestigious Rawlings Gold Glove.
He signed a scholarship to play for Troy University in 2018, lettering for both years and claiming the second-best ERA for the Trojans his senior season. Hixon was also named to the Sunbelt Conference Academic Honor Roll for both years. In 2018, the Trojans made a NCAA regional appearance, named Sunbelt Conference runner-up and Hixon’s famous “diving catch off the mound” made ESPN SportCenter’s Top 10 number two play in March 2018.
In addition to Hixon being a student assistant for the Trojans in the 2019 season, Hixon has coached for six years for the American Legion Baseball League, winning four state championships. Four of those years, he has served as a head coach with an overall head coach record of 117-42.
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HUNTER MANN
Hunter Mann is a 2008 graduate of Mosley High School in Panama City, Fl, and played on the nationally ranked Dolphins team from 2006-2008. Upon graduation, he attended LBWCC and played under legendary head coach Steve Helms.
Mann served as an assistant coach at Pike Liberal Arts H.S. from 2018-2020 under coach Allen Ponder, where they won back to back AISA AAA state championships. Currently, Mann is an assistant coach under new head coach Rush Hixon and helped lead the Patriots to their third straight state title.
Mann also served as an assistant coach for Post 70 in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Hunter will manage hitters and infielders this summer.
Hunter currently resides in Troy, Al, with his wife Kasee Mann.
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