Tim Kuykendall has been hired as baseball coach at Auburn Riverside High School.

Kuykendall replaces Marcus Evans, who has taken a position as an assistant coach at the University of Puget Sound.

“I am excited to follow in the footsteps of some great coaches who have built a strong baseball tradition at Auburn Riverside,” Kuykendall said. “I have always believed athletics serves as a vehicle to develop quality, young people who positively impact our community.”

Kuykendall’s extensive background in baseball and sports leadership make him a great fit to lead a program returning 12 letterman from a district playoff team, said Doug Aubert, AR’s athletics director.

“Coach Kuykendall is a high character mentor who brings a terrific combination of experience and leadership to the Raven baseball program,” Aubert said. “We are very excited to have him as our new coach.”

In a long, successful stint at Auburn, Kuykendall’s teams were league champions four times, made seven state playoff appearances and were part of the state final four four times, finishing as state runner-up twice. He was named South Puget Sound League Coach of the Year four times.

In addition to his A.D. duties, Kuykendall has mentored professional athletes for the Tacoma Rainiers since 2004, was a co-founder of Reality Sports, and was the NPSL baseball commissioner this past school year.

Playing for the legendary Bobo Brayton at Washington State University, Kuykendall was named Pac-10 North Player of the Year in 1989. He was an All-Pac-10 outfielder and one of the “top 50 players in WSU baseball history.”

Kuykendall will also join the teaching staff at Auburn Riverside.