New Mexico State University Athletics

A fixture on head coach Mike Kirby's staff for his entire tenure at NM State, Michael Pritchard begins his third season as an assistant coach for the Aggies in 2021-22.

Since arriving in Las Cruces, Pritchard has helped NM State construct a 32-26 record which includes a 16-20 mark in Western Athletic Conference (WAC) ballgames. Pritchard's debut season in the Aggies' dugout coincided with Nick Gonzales' time in an NM State uniform. Before the COVID-19 pandemic caused a premature end to NM State's 2020 campaign, the Aggies had put forth a 12-4 record led by Gonzales and his eye-popping offensive numbers. 

Named the 2020 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Player of the Year, Gonzales his .448 through the team's abbreviated 16-game 2020 season while leading the nation in home runs (12), runs (28), RBI (36) and total bases (67). The two-time Collegiate Baseball Newspaper First-Team All-American was named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association National Player of the Month for February before being drafted seventh overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2020 MLB Draft on Wednesday, June 10, 2020. 

Through his first full season in 2021, Pritchard helped lead NM State start WAC play strong as the Aggies won seven of their first eight league games. NM State made the cut for the 2021 WAC Tournament as the fourth seed while seven members of the club collected All-WAC honors of some kind. 

Pritchard arrived in Las Cruces after spending the last two seasons as a graduate assistant at Nebraska. Pritchard, who also suited up for the Huskers from 2011-14, played in the St. Louis Cardinals minor-league system from 2014-16 before returning to his alma mater.
 
While in Lincoln, Pritchard garnered All-America honors in 2012 as well as All-Big Ten honors three times during his career. He nabbed first-team honors in 2012 and 2014 and picked up second-team recognition in 2013.
 
During his collegiate career, Pritchard hit .339 at the plate with 251 hits, ranking sixth most in Nebraska history. His 45 doubles are also tied for 10th in program history.
 
The Omaha, Neb., product signed an undrafted free agent deal with the St. Louis Cardinals out of college and had stops with the Gulf Coast League Cardinals (Rookie League), State College Spikes (Class A Short Season) and Palm Beach Cardinals (Class A Advanced).
 
Pritchard graduated from Nebraska in December of 2015, earning his bachelor's degree in criminology and criminal justice.