Shawn Corness took over the position of full-time assistant coach for the Thunderbirds on July 1, 2010. He originally joined the UBC staff in 2006 as the pitching coach, helping maintain and develop UBC's reputation as one of the top pitching schools in the NAIA. In his five seasons with the T-Birds, four pitchers have been selected in the MLB Amateur Draft and the team's pitching staff always ranks among the best in the NAIA.
In 2011, Sheldon McDonald and Eric Brown were both selected in the draft while fellow pitcher Brandon Kaye signing a non-drafted free agent contract. McDonald began his pro career with a minor league affiliate in the Chicago Cubs system while Brown and Kaye made history as the first two UBC alums to pitch for the Vancouver Canadians. The Canadians are the Short Season-A minor league affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Corness, the former head coach at Kwantlen University prior to joining UBC, will remain active in the development of the T-Bird pitching staff in addition to his duties as a full-time assistant. He also serves as the program's recruiting coordinator.
