Paul O'Neil

Paul O’Neil is in his 26th season (2025-26) helming the baseball program at UNC Pembroke, where he has built the Braves into a consistent contender in the highly competitive Conference Carolinas. Under his leadership the program transitioned smoothly from the Peach Belt Conference into Conference Carolinas prior to the 2022 season and has maintained a high level of performance ever since. He has also taken on administrative responsibilities within the athletics department as the senior associate athletics director. Prior to his current post, O’Neil enjoyed a successful run at Shenandoah University where he engineered a dramatic turnaround of the baseball program, and earlier gained experience as an assistant at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). He played collegiately at Appalachian State University, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1992, and later earned a master’s from Western Carolina University in 1994. At UNC Pembroke he is the school’s all-time winningest coach, having recorded his 800th career victory in 2023. His teams have produced All-Americans, All-Region honorees, Major League draftees, and many academic honor roll recipients, reflecting his emphasis on both athletic and academic excellence.