Tim Costo Named New McCallie Baseball Coach

JULY 15, 2016 — Tim Costo has been named head coach for the McCallie baseball program after serving as a Blue Tornado assistant coach for the past four seasons.

Costo has an extensive record with baseball at all levels, including a stint in Major League Baseball. His experience, plus his knowledge of the players at McCallie, give him the ability to build on what is already an extremely successful program. In his four seasons as hitting coach, the Blue Tornado have won a state championship in 2014 and made deep postseason runs every year.

“We feel Tim’s baseball knowledge and playing experiences are unmatched in the area,” says Dean of Athletics Jeff Romero. “He is an outstanding teacher of the game and will bring out the very best in our student-athletes.”

Costo replaces Greg Payne as head coach at McCallie. Payne resigned in early July after four successful seasons.

“I’m just looking forward to picking up where we left off last year,” Costo said. “I think we’re going to be extremely competitive. We have plenty of talent in the rising seniors and juniors, and there are even more great players behind them in the underclassmen.”

Remaining with Costo and the Blue Tornado program will be assistant coaches Tom Adams, Chris Edge and Robert Long, giving the program stability and a proven tradition of winning.

“I feel privileged to be in the company of such great men and coaches and I am looking forward to working along side each one of them,” Costo said. “My plan in running the program falls right in line with McCallie’s mission and what this great school stands for and works toward. It is about the boys, and I am all in. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“We are fortunate to have a staff of extraordinary baseball coaches, including two former major league players,” Assistant Headmaster Kenny Sholl said. “They love the game of baseball, but more importantly, they love the boys and the opportunity to coach them.”

An All-American and All-Big Ten player at Iowa, Costo was drafted in the first round (eighth overall) of the 1990 MLB draft by the Cleveland Indians. He played in the minor league systems of Cleveland, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Toronto for 10 seasons and appeared in 43 games in the major leagues for the Cincinnati Reds in 1992 and 1993. Costo spent parts of two seasons with the Chattanooga Lookouts, playing in 206 games from 1991-92, and he also played baseball for Team USA in 1989 and 1990.

Costo has worked for Rick Honeycutt Sportswear and Sequatchie Concrete Service in the Chattanooga area since ending his playing career, but has continued to be a part of the game as a coach and instructor. He was an assistant coach at Signal Mountain in 2012 before coming to McCallie as a hitting coach in 2013.

“With Tim and the staff and the wonderful young men in our baseball program, McCallie baseball will continue to build on its strong traditions of excellence,” Headmaster Lee Burns added.

Costo played three seasons at the University of Iowa before he was drafted into professional baseball, and he lives in the Chattanooga area with his wife, Wendy, and his two sons, Cameron, a rising junior at McCallie, and Carter, who will be an eighth-grader on the Ridge this fall.