Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
With the countdown to a new baseball season underway, the Pulaski River Turtles are unveiling the on-field staff that will lead the team’s 2026 Appalachian League campaign.
Staff members joining manager Bill Kinneberg include pitching coach Mikey Tejera, hitting coach Jeff Garber and coach Joe Kinneberg.
2026 will mark Kinneberg’s fourth season in the Appalachian League. Kinneberg has led the River Turtles to a pair of third-place finishes in the Appalachian League East Division in his first two seasons managing the team. Kinneberg captained the River Turtles to a 23-22 record in 2025.
Regarded as one of the most accomplished head coaches in the history of the University of Utah’s baseball program, Kinneberg amassed 381 wins, two NCAA tournament appearances, one Mountain West tournament championship and one Pac-12 Conference title during his 18-year career (1996, 2005-21). Kinneberg received the Pac-12 Baseball Coach of the Year award in 2016. He retired from full-time coaching following Utah’s 2021 season.
Head coaching stints at UTEP (1985) and Wyoming (1986-92) preceded his tenure at Utah.
Former big league pitcher Mikey Tejera will join the River Turtles coaching staff in 2026 following two seasons as the pitching coach of the Bristol State Liners. Tejera’s extensive playing career includes five seasons in the Major Leagues with the Florida Marlins and the Texas Rangers. Tejera earned a World Series title with the Marlins in 2003, making two playoff appearances during the team’s championship campaign.
Tejera transitioned to coaching following the conclusion of his playing career, earning a second World Series ring with the Washington Nationals in 2019 during a 13-year stint with the organization.
Jeff Garber’s rich baseball background precedes him as he embarks on his first season in the Appalachian League. Garber boasts a distinguished 38-year coaching resume that includes lengthy tenures with the Kansas City Royals and the Washington Nationals. Garber served in myriad roles during his stint with the Royals, including Short-Season and Advanced-A manager and Interim Major League bench coach. Garber also held several notable positions with the Washington Nationals, including Extended Spring Training Coordinator, Short Season-A manager, Minor League infield coordinator and Minor League fundamentals coach.
Following three seasons in the Appalachian League as a player, including two seasons in Pulaski, Joe Kinneberg transitioned to a leadership role with the River Turtles in 2025. Kinneberg is returning to Pulaski’s coaching staff in 2026 having completed a graduate assistant coaching position at Arkansas Tech University this season.
Kinneberg’s collegiate career began at Western Nebraska Community College in 2020. Kinneberg then played for Newman University for two seasons before concluding his career at Arkansas Tech.
During his final season in the Appalachian League as a player, Kinneberg was selected to play on the Appalachian League Select Team that defeated Team USA, 4-3, during USA Baseball’s Summer League Tour in 2024.
Digital subscriber
Virginia Tech Athletics has announced a “Digital Subscriber” initiative heading into the 2026 football season, giving Tech fans special opportunities to secure their tickets prior to the general public. The announcement arrives before the first football season begins in the James Franklin era this September.
Hokie fans can become digital subscribers by downloading the HokieSports mobile app, creating a profile and ensuring that notifications are on through your device’s settings. By claiming your profile and becoming a digital subscriber, members of Hokie Nation will receive presale windows for football tickets, behind-the-scenes content and insider news surrounding the team this season.
Fans who have already downloaded the HokieSports app are automatically included in the digital subscriber program. However, fans are encouraged to update their profile and notification preferences to hear about the latest in Tech athletics. Additional information pertaining to ticket offerings and sale dates will be announced throughout the month of April.
White promoted at Tech
Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock announced Friday the promotion of Danny White to Deputy Athletics Director, recognizing his longstanding leadership and broad impact across the department.
White, who previously served as an Executive Associate Athletics Director, will take on an expanded role with a primary emphasis on football operations and overall departmental performance. As part of this transition, White will shift out of his leadership of the Hokie Club to focus more directly on advancing key priorities within the football program, where he has served as its sport administrator oversight since 2018, and enhancing the student-athlete experience at the highest level.
A national search, conducted jointly by university advancement and the athletics department, will begin immediately for the Hokies’ Executive Associate AD for Advancement.
Dresser moves to new role
After a storied 20-year collegiate coaching career that saw Iowa State and Virginia Tech return to national prominence, Kevin Dresser will transition into a new role within the Iowa State Athletics Department as Director of Men’s & Women’s Wrestling, Endowed Cyclone Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard announced Thursday. In his new position, Dresser will provide mentorship, leadership and fundraising acumen to both the ISU men’s and newly launched women’s wrestling programs.
As head coach of the Cyclones, Dresser brought Iowa State wrestling back into the national conversation, highlighted by a pair of top 10 NCAA finishes, a 2024 NCAA team trophy and a 2024 Big 12 title.
Dresser, who has coached the sport for 38 years at multiple levels, leaves behind a coaching legacy as one of wrestling’s greatest program builders. He is one of six NCAA Division I coaches all-time to lead two different schools to an NCAA Trophy finish.
After graduating from the University of Iowa in 1986, Dresser embarked upon a decorated 18-year high school coaching career in Virginia where he guided Grundy High School to eight-consecutive state titles from 1989 to 1996. He later coached at Christiansburg High School where his teams would capture five state titles. Dresser turned his programs into high school powerhouses, with four of his teams finishing in the top 10 nationally, with seven ranked in the top 25.
Dresser moved up to the college ranks in 2006 when he took over as head coach at Virginia Tech. He led the Hokies to ACC dual meet titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and league tournament championships in 2013 and 2014.
