Eric Champion returns to manager Ricky VanAsselberg's side in 2012 as the AirHogs' bench coach.

The 2011 season was his first coaching a professional team, but he has a long history in baseball.

A college teammate of VanAsselberg at Baptist Christian (La.), Champion was a two-time small-college All-American and won back-to-back national small-college championships.

In recent years he has been a pitching and hitting instructor in East Windsor, New Jersey.