Duke, beset with steroid allegations, names new baseball coach

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) Duke&#39;s baseball program, dogged by losing seasons and recent allegations of steroid use by former players, named Sean McNally its new coach on Friday.<br> <br> McNally was a four-year starting infielder for the Blue Devils from 1991 to 1994, and was captain of the team for two years. He replaces Bill Hillier, who compiled a 121-214 record in six years at the school.<br> <br> Hillier resigned in May, a month after two former players told the university newspaper that they injected themselves with steroids while playing for the school. Those players joined other current and former players who said Hillier implicitly suggested that they use steroids.<br> <br> Hillier denied the allegations. At the time, university officials said Hillier had agreed to step down at the end of the season if the Atlantic Coast Conference team failed to significantly improve.<br> <br> McNally ``has all of the qualities that I look for in a coach. He is extremely bright, passionate about Duke baseball and an excellent teacher and communicator,&#39;&#39; athletics director Joe Alleva said in a statement Friday. ``Sean will represent Duke with class, integrity and dignity.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> As a senior in 1994, McNally earned second-team all-ACC honors after establishing school single-season records for batting average (.408) and slugging percentage (.775). He finished the season with 89 hits, 19 doubles, eight triples, 17 home runs and 71 RBI.<br> <br> McNally ranks among Duke&#39;s career top 10 in nine categories: hits, RBI, runs scored, batting average, doubles, triples, at bats, games started and games played. The team had a record of 134-82 during his career.<br> <br> McNally was drafted in the 16th round by the Kansas City Royals and played professionally for nine years, including three stints in Triple-A.<br> <br> Over the past three years, he has split his time as a coach and manager with the Cleveland Indians&#39; minor league and instructional teams, an assistant basketball coach at Riverside High School in Durham, and an academic adviser at Duke.<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)