McLaury

Two coaches with deep Murfreesboro ties are replacing two legends at Oakland and Riverdale High Schools.

Mike McLaury, a former MTSU standout pitcher and head coach at Independence High School, is succeeding Mack Hawks, who recently retired after 37 years and 700 victories.

Wayne Kendrick, a former Riverdale player and assistant coach and MTSU standout, was hired by Riverdale to replace the recently retired Barry Messer, who spent 19 seasons and won 477 games for the Warriors.

Kendrick

Kendrick, who played at Riverdale from 2001 to 2003, was an infield standout at MTSU and all-conference player. He was a draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds.

Kendrick was a Riverdale assistant in 2009 and was the head coach at Christiana Middle before returning to Riverdale as an assistant in 2020. 

“I played for Buddy (Powers) and he was great,” Kendrick said. “I played at MTSU and played a year with the Cincinnati Reds. When I finished baseball, I wanted to keep it going.

“Coach Messer brought me in as a non-faculty assistant, and I did that for four years. I got a year under my belt at Coffee County and (head) coached at Christiana Middle, which coach Messer helped set up. It’s very exciting. It’s the place I want to be. I had other places I could have gone to, but Riverdale is the place I always wanted to be.”

Kendrick acknowledges Messer has created a great culture at Riverdale, and his job is to keep it going.

“Coach Messer has done a heck of a job,” he said. “He’s been a great mentor and friend. He set a culture and standard at Riverdale. New players come in follow

what the older players do. I might do a few little things different but it’s about keeping that culture going.”

McLaury led Independence to the TSSAA Class 4A baseball state tournament in both 2023 and 2025.

In seven seasons, his teams were 151-80, and his 2000 team only played two games due to COVID-19. He also coached at Western Kentucky and Community High School.

McLaury was a standout on the mound at MTSU, being named OVC Pitcher of the Year in 1993.

McLaury, who was the pitching coach at MTSU and Western Kentucky, said the Oakland job is a quality one a perfect fit.

“I’ve got my second son who is playing at Oakland Middle School, and we live close to there,” McLaury said. “I think it’s a good job with great history, and to follow Mack Hawks is a great honor.

“I was driving back and forth for 13 years, and it gives me a couple of more hours back a day. I’m excited to see what we can do. I’m thankful to (Principal) Dr. (John) Marshall and (Assistant Principal Shane Martin for giving me the opportunity.”

With the addition of Kendrick and McLaury, the district now includes three former MTSU players in the four-team league, with the other being Siegel’s Craig Reavis.

“We played Reavis three games, we played Rockvale every year and we played Riverdale a lot,” McLaury said. “A lot of (former MTSU players) are retiring from coaching, but it’s always fun to go against them guys.”