East Carolina head baseball coach Cliff Godwin is taking a leave of absence, according to Hoist the Colours on Instagram.
Godwin is taking this leave of absence for personal matters and left a message in a press release from East Carolina Athletics.
"I have some personal matters that must take priority right now. I look forward to getting back on the field with our team. I really appreciate the support of the University, Jon Gilbert, and the ECU family in the interim."
Associate head coach Jeff Palumbo and assistant to the head coach Jason Dietrich will run the program while Godwin is taking his leave.
Dietrich was recently hired by the Pirates after he resigned from his position as head coach at Cal State Fullerton. Palumbo has been on the East Carolina coaching staff since 2014.
Godwin's career at East Carolina and how the Pirates fared in 2026
Godwin just wrapped up his 12th season as the head coach of the East Carolina Pirates. In those 12 years, he has led the Pirates to 469 wins, 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, five American Conference tournament titles, and six American Conference regular season titles.
He is also a five-time American Conference Coach of the Year, most recently winning the award in 2024.
In 2026, East Carolina finished the season with a 38-24-1 overall record and a 17-10 record in American Conference play.
The Pirates won the American Conference regular season title. It is their fifth regular season conference title in six years. East Carolina also won the American Conference Tournament for the second straight year in 2026.
The Pirates played in the Chapel Hill regional during the 2026 NCAA Tournament at Boshamer Stadium. They earned wins over the VCU Rams and the Tennessee Volunteers.
For more NCAA news: https://worldbaseball.com/news/category/ncaa